By Williams Anuku, Abuja
The death of Yinka Odumakin, National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, on Saturday has been greeted with pains and shock by a cross-section of Nigerians who knew him very well.
The late Odumakin died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) COVID-19 Isolation Centre.
Jimi Agbaje, former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Lagos State in the 2015 and 2019 general elections described his death as painful, noting that Nigeria has lost a towering patriot.
In his tribute, Agbaje said, “Nigeria lost a towering patriot in Yinka Odumakin. May his Lion’s soul Rest In Peace. Amen”.
On his part, former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose expressed shock over Odumakin’s death.
In a statement he personally signed, Fayose said the late Odumakin will always be remembered for his undiluted love for the Yoruba nation and Nigeria in general.
His tribute reads ” Shocked and saddened but with total submission to the will of God”.
“Yinka Odumakin lived a life of justice, fighting for justice and equity for all”.
“He was a man in total defence of justice and fairness for all. He had a life well spent, not how far, but how well”.
“In it all, he will be remembered for his undiluted love for the Yoruba race and Nigerians in general”.
“My prayers are with his wife, children and the leadership of Afenifere at this difficult time. May the soul of Yinka Rest In Peace”.
In a related development, Gani Adams, Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, described the death of Odumakin, as one death too many, saying Yoruba has lost a gem, who, according to him was a dependable ally.
Adams, who received the news of the late Odumakin’s death with shock and trepidations, said the death of the late Afenifere publicity scribe was a big loss to the Yoruba nation, adding that death had dealt the Yoruba nation a big blow, leaving in its wake, sad memories of the loss of a brother, a friend and dependable ally.
While mourning his friend of many years, Adams, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the late Odumakin as a true Yoruba son, a committed fellow, and the voice of the people, especially, the downtrodden.
“We’ll all miss his voice. We’ll miss his commitment, we’ll miss his bravery because the late Yinka Odumakin’s fearless image loomed larger than what we can easily forget in a hurry.”
“He was a phenomenon that spoke truth to power. He cut a picture of an all-rounder, a media personage, an analyst and public commentator that had warmed himself to the hearts of many people”
“His exit had left a big vacuum in the social and political milieu and Nigerians will always remember him for who he was because, in his life, the late Odumakin was truly one of the few gifted souls of our race”The extent of the shocking news for me has been inexplicable. It will take a very long time for me to accept the realities of his death”.
“We are in the struggle together, we shared so many memories together and I was very close to the family, so for me, it was a personal loss and I wish my sister, his wife, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin and the deceased relatives well, especially at this trying moments”.
“For the Yoruba nation, and Afenifere as a whole, Odumakin’s imprints will always be in the book of history, but as much as his death was so rude and shocking, we are consoled that the man died, though, very young, he will be remembered for his invaluable contributions to the development of Nigeria and the Yoruba nation in particular.”
