Odumakin: 96-year-old Afenifere leader Adebanjo defies culture, pays last tribute to late spokesman
- Pa Ayo Adebanjo has described Yinka Odumakin's death as a great loss to Nigeria
- Adebanjo said this on Thursday, April 22, during a lying-in-state for the late activist
- The Afenifere leader said he defied Yoruba culture because of his love for Odumakin
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
An elder statesman and Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has explained that the late activist, Yinka Odumakin helped him and the Afenifere group to let Nigerians understand the meaning of restructuring.
Legit.ng's regional reporter, Adewunmi Adeoye reports that Pa Adebanjo noted that because of this and his exemplary attitude as a young man made him compromise the Yoruba tradition that the old one must not be physically present in the activities organised for the burial of a younger one.
Source: UGC
The Afenifere leader made this known on Thursday, April 22, during the lying-in-state and service of songs organised in honour of the late Afenifere spokesperson held at Police College, Lagos.
He added that he resolved to honour Yinka’s service to Nigeria and not his age, noting that he had witnessed many activists who started like Yinka Odumakin but fell by the wayside.
Pa Adebanjo said:
“I don’t regret setting aside culture to honour Yinka. Yinka deserves everything they can give to honour his memory. He has helped me and helped Afenifere to let people understand what restructuring means.
“I am not honouring Yinka’s age but his service to this country. Yinka served the Yorubaland and the country at large. I have witnessed many activists who started like Yinka but fell by the wayside. His quality is rare. There is nothing impossible for God to do."
Falana charges FG to rule on a democratic path
A Senior Advocate Of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, charged politicians and government officials who paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Yinka Odumakin to govern on the path of democracy and the rule of law to honour him, saying that was the only way he could be honoured by any government.
Falana said that late Odumakin was an unrepentant human rights activist who had been fighting against injustice and military rule since his undergraduate days in the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
He also charged the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University to lift the ban on the Students Union today because late Odumakin was part of students unionism in his days in the university and that it was the Students Union that produced him as a political fighter.
I have known Odumakin from a distance but I admire his qualities - Gbajabiamila
The speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said his knowledge of Odumakin was more of distance but admiration of his qualities.
Gbajabiamila, who said he flew from the plenary session in Abuja, noted that Odumakin stood firm to his values and ideals having gone through twists and turns.
The speaker described him as a true democrat, honest, courageous and truthful to whatever course he believes in.
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that some prominent Nigerians on Thursday, April 22, attended the lying-in-state ceremony of the late activist, Yinka Odumakin, held at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.
It was reported that Among those who attended the ceremony was the Speaker of the House of Representatives; Femi Gbajabiamila, a former governor of Ondo state; Olusegun Mimiko and a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos, Jimi Agbaje.
Others are Afenifere leader; Pa Ayo Adebanjo, prominent human rights lawyer; Femi Falana, SAN, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Mohammed Fawehinmi among others.
Source: Legit.ng
