….As NUJ, Others Console Govt, Family
DEBO ADEOYE, IBADAN
Oyo State Government has officially announced the sudden death of its Commissioner for Environment MR. KEHINDE AYOOLA, who passed on after a brief illness on Thursday morning.
According to information gathered from a reliable source, late AYOOLA personally drove himself to a private hospital in Ibadan about two weeks for treatment. It was learnt, late AYOOLA suffered high blood pressure and was given proper attention and was advised to observe adequate rest. Unfortunately, he died of heart related complication.
AYOOLA, who was the Speaker of the state House of Assembly in 1999 during LAM ADESINA’S administration, was sworn in as the Commissioner for Environment after the inauguration of GOVERNOR SEYI MAKINDE in 2019.
Several people, groups and political parties have reacted to the news of his death.
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter in a statement signed by its chairman, PRINCE AYODEJI ABASS-ALESHINLOYE, described the untimely death of HON. KEHINDE AYOOLA, as an unexpected transition of a complete gentleman intellectual in politics, a role model and bridge builder who saw his participation in politics as selfless service to advance the cause of humanity.
“As a former Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ayoola brought elegance, purposefulness and sense of duty into the House, in its debates, public interest Bills and oversight functions”.
“Even when he became a member of opposition party then, Ayoola maintained his elegance in politics with foresight for his goals. Rather than being crude or belligerent, he went for politics of issues, development, friendship and unity in diversity”.
“He was never a violent street fighter for power or ambition, but a cerebral promoter of politics without bitterness that puts the masses’ welfare as the centrepiece of his political philosophy that even when he disagreed with you or he erred, you would know that he was being human and meant no harm”
“As the environment commissioner before his shocking exit, Kehinde Ayoola was the most recognized intellectual face of Makinde’s government whose experience, dynamism and charisma were to have galvanized the government he served which he also helped to bring on board” ALGON stated.
Meanwhile, ALGON also sent condolence message to Oyo State Government, family and friends of the deceased and all good people of Oyo state.
“We all should take solace that life is not measured in his duration only but also in its donation. In donating his life for common good, Ayoola’s life, although short, was long in indelible service to the people of Oyo State. He shall be greatly missed and remembered” the statement concluded,” ALGON in its statement added.
