Tears
flowed freely in Ekiti State on Sunday following the announcement of
the death of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, who died at
52 on Saturday after a protracted battle with cancer on Sunday.
The
deputy governor’s parents, Chief Festus Famuagun, and her wife, Grace,
were inconsolable when Governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Bisi,
visited the bereaved family at Isato area of Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
The deceased’s mother, who is 80 years old, rhetorically asked the governor, “Kayode, where is Funmi? Kayode, where is your deputy?”
The governor, who was moved to tears by the question,
intermittently removed his glasses to wipe tears from his face with his
handkerchief.
While the governor tried in vain to console the father, his wife also made attempts to console the mother but it was in vain.
The governor, who was dressed in dark outfit, did not grant interview while leaving the residence of the Famuagun.
Top government officials, including the Chairman of SUBEB, Prof.
Modupe Adelabu; the Head of Service, Mr. Bunmi Famosaya; the
Commissioner for Information, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo; among others, led other
gvernment official to commiserate with the bereaved family.
Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ekiti State, Chief
Jide Awe, burst into tears during an interview with journalists at the
residence of the deceased.
Awe, who had tried hard to fight tears, burst into tears as
Olayinka was referred to as the late deputy governor. The ACN chairman
described Olayinka as a pillar of support for the ACN and the government
of the state.
Sympathisers have been pouring into the Government House to commiserate with Fayemi over the death of the deputy governor.
Some of the early callers at the Government House in include,
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former Governor of old
Ondo State, Bamidele Olumilua; and Speaker of Ekiti State House of
Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin.
Okonjo-Iweala said, “It is with deep sense of loss that we learn
the passing of our beautiful, intelligent sister. She was a true
representative of Nigeria’s womanhood.”
Meanwhile, Fayemi on Sunday declared a seven-day mourning to
commence the mourning of the late deputy governor, who died of cancer in
Lagos on Saturday.
Fayemi said this in a broadcast on Sunday.
The governor said it was sad that Olayinka lost the battle to
cancer although she availed herself of medical treatment both at home
and abroad.
The governor said, “I am pained by the exit of our deputy governor
who was my ready partner in our collective quest to develop our dear
state. As my dependable ally in the struggle to free Ekiti, she was a
consistent bulwark of support, especially through the period of the
judicial struggle to reclaim our mandate.
“She was a virtuous family woman and devout Christian, who served
God practically and diligently, touching many lives in compassion and
humility.
“In reflection of the mood of our state in this trying moment, a
period of seven-day mourning shall commence from this moment during
which all flags in the state will fly at half mast. During this period
also, all state official ceremonies will be suspended.”
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