Gov. Kayode Fayemi of the western Nigerian state of Ekiti on Sunday declared a seven-day mourning for his Deputy, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, who died on Saturday. Fayemi, in a statewide broadcast to the people, also announced the immediate suspension of all government activities during the period.<\/p>\n
According to him, all national and corporate flags in public establishments will be flown at half staff, while his government will liaise with her family to organise a befitting burial for her.<\/p>\n
He said he had ordered that condolence registers be opened in his office, deputy governor’s office, Ekiti House of Assembly, the state liaison offices in Lagos and Abuja.<\/p>\n
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Mrs. Funmi Olayinka<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
“The late deputy governor is my dependable partner and a virtuous woman whose ingenuity, indeed, contributes immensely to success so far recorded by the present government.<\/p>\n
“I am particularly sad that apart from serving Ekiti meritoriously, she was also my wife’s best friend who assisted greatly and stood by me while I was in court to reclaim my mandate,” he said.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the younger sister to Olayinka, Mrs Fehintola Tade-Adekunle, said, “ I saw her a week ago and she was still her courageous self\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Tade-Adekunle said that the late deputy governor remained the loving and caring sister they knew even after getting to her position.<\/p>\n
According to her, the late Olayinka is so committed to the family that she never missed anyone’s birthday.<\/p>\n
“We are all so close and she is the first of the six girls in the family, we all became inseparable that no one can tell we are from a polygamous home.<\/p>\n
A former President of NAWOJ and the late deputy governor’s childhood friend, Mrs Toro Oladapo, said: “I give God the glory that I saw her 2 hours before she died.<\/p>\n
“Her death was traumatic, I wanted her to go and rest in peace. We grew up together and remained close till the last moment. I still wonder what life will be without her,\u2019\u2019 Oladapo said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, eminent Nigerians have continued to commiserate with the family.<\/p>\n
Sympathisers at her residence in Lagos, include a former governor of Ogun, Chief Segun Osoba and a former chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.<\/p>\n
Others are, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello and House of Representative member from Ekiti, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, among others.<\/p>\n
Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, in a condolence message by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, described her death as “deeply painful\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Fashola said that the deceased was a thorough professional who served her people faithfully and diligently as she greatly helped to redefine good governance in the state.<\/p>\n
He said he shared in the sorrow of Gov. Kayode Fayemi and Ekiti Action Congress of Nigeria, adding that the deceased`s loyalty and dedication would be missed by all.<\/p>\n
“As a brother governor, I feel completely overwhelmed, just imagining the depth of your pain and anguish at the death of a most loyal, dependable and diligent deputy which you had in Olayinka,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and former Ekiti governor, Chief Segun Oni, commiserated with the people of Ekiti on the death of the state\u2019s deputy governor.<\/p>\n
Though, Soyinka claimed to have met the late Olayinka only a few times, her unassuming grace, intelligence and political commitment was striking.<\/p>\n
In his own comment, Oni described the death of the late deputy governor as a sad development to the political history of the state.<\/p>\n
The people of the Sasere Compound in Ado-Ekiti, home of the late deputy governor were in a mourning mood.<\/p>\n
When Fayemi got to the compound, the mother of the late deputy governor, Mrs Adetutu Famuagun, asked the governor if her daughter was actually dead or a rumour from political opponents.<\/p>\n
The octogenarian mother asked repeatedly, “Kayode, where is Funmilayo, my daughter\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Gov Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, and the state chapter of the PDP have commiserated with the government and entire people of Ekiti over the demise the state deputy governor.<\/p>\n
Aregbesola in a statement by Mr Sefiu Okanlawon, his Media spokesman, described the death of the deputy governor as “unfortunate\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
He said he was saddened and greatly disturbed by the news of her death, adding that the deceased was a rare gem who had proved her mettle as a banker and a politician.<\/p>\n
Also reacting, Mr Diran Odeyemi, the PDP spokesman in Osun, expressed regrets that Olayinka died too early.<\/p>\n
Odeyemi said the deceased would be greatly missed by all politicians irrespective of political party affiliations.<\/p>\n