EDO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, yesteday explained why he
appointed the late Olaitan Oyerinde his Principal Private Secretary.
He was addressing a crowd of human rights actvists, civil society
groups, labour movement and students, who thronged the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, Ede, venue of the lying-in-state
and burial service.
Oshiomhole told his audience that the late Oyerinde understood him more than anyone else.
The late Oyerinde, he said was invited to join his administration to
remind him of his principles and to caution him anytime he was drifting
from his ideology.
“Olaitan had the gift to play with words and can easily read my lips
and put to paper exactly what is in my mind,” the comrade-governor said.
He described the deceased as a fearless and dogged fighter, who proved himself a dependable ally.
His words: “When I was considering to run for governorship, I called
him and asked for his opinion. He was my confidant. When I was
appointing him, I never bothered about the town where he came from. No
primordial sentiments featured in his appointment at all. It will be
difficult to find someone who could capture my mind on issues like
Olaitan.
“Those who killed him really got me where it hurts most. They knew
that if they could not get the king, they would get the son. I know we
will use the day light to get the cowards, who used the night to kill
Olaitan.
“The cowards only wasted their bullets because they only killed the
flesh but not the spirit of Olaitan because he has children and he will
forever be in our hearts. They have succeeded in killing Olaitan but not
the fighting in me.”
Oshiomhole, who said a street has been renamed Olaitan Oyerinde
Crescent in Edo State to immortalise him, assured that his family would
not be allowed all to suffer anything in his absence.
He sent his condolence to his aged parents, the Osun State Government and the people of the state.
There were speeches from many labour leaders and notable activists,
including Lagos lawyer Femi Falana, amid wailings and tears the remains
of Oyerinde were buried.
Oshiomhole, who arrived in a chartered helicopter at about 1.55 p.m.,
was received by the Osun State Head of Service, Elder Segun Akinwusi,
who represented Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Akinwusi was accompanied by top government officials, including
commissioners, special advisers and local government chairmen to give
the deceased a befitting burial.
Expressing regret over the gruesome killing of Oyerinde, Aregbesola
urged security agents to find his killers and bring them to justice.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade AdulWaheed
Omar and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart Peter Esele had a
hectic time delivering their farewell messages.
Their presentations were interrupted by students, who used the
platform to berate them over the role they played in the January
anti-fuel subsidy removal protest.
The students pelted the labour leaders with satchets of pure water.
Former Secretary of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Lagos State chapter,
Omotaje Olawale St. Jericho, paid a glowing tribute to the late Olaitan
for his sterling leadership qualities from the students’ unionism days.
According to him, the deceased rallied support for the labour struggle against injustices.
He recalled his active role during 1989 anti-Structural Adjustment
Programme protest under military president General Ibrahim Babangida
(rtd).
He recalled the late Oyerinde led the peaceful protest without
compromise, adding that he coordinated all the campuses and ensured the
protest was successful.
The Special Adviser to Governor Aregbesola on Environmental Matters,
Mr. Bola Ilori, also a student-activist in his university days,
described Oyerinde’s death as a wake-call to all on security issues.
Falana, challenged the students to emulate the good spirit of the
late Oyerinde, whom he said proved himself a selfless and dedicated
activist.
The activist-lawyer, who enjoined the students to always take
responsibility for their actions, urged them to ask if they are on the
side of justice.
Recalling that he spoke with the deceased four weeks ago, Falana said
the late Oyerinde planned to return to activism to re-organise the
youth movement.
He challenged the youths to work hard and fight for justice, saying
that the fate of the people should not be left in the hands of the
“reckless political class.”
The hearse bearing Oyerinde’s remains, accompanied top government functionaries, left Benin City at about 6:15am.
At a service of songs held Wednesday evening at the Government House
for the late Oyerinde, officiating Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said God and
time will reveal those who killed Oyerinde.
The cleric described Oyerinde as a lover of freedom and a man who devoted himself for a better Nigeria.
He said: “He was quiet, unassuming, friendly, firm and focus. A man
who will not a hurt a fly. Why did they kill him? What was his offence?
“An innocent man has been killed in his private residence. They
wanted to make sure that he was dead. Those were not armed robbers or
kidnappers. This is not the best way to settle dispute.
“It will not be well with Oyerinde’s killers. Today we call the blood
of heaven that those who took Oyerinde’s life will die a terrible
death.”
Pastor Ize-Iyamu recalled how the late Oyerinde felt indifferent when
they received security report. He said many of them took extra measures
to protect themselves but that late Oyerinde never believed anybody
could harm him.
In his tribute entitled: “We shared the dream of a new Edo State”,
Oshiomhole said he picked Oyerinde because he needed a companion who
operated on the same intellectual frequency.
The governor noted he was not in doubt that Oyerinde was killed to weaken his resolve to fight for the people.
He said: “It was immaterial that Oyerinde did not hail from Edo State
insofar he was most resourceful, creative and could work under severe
pressure.
“In the last three and half years of my stewardship in Edo State, I
attest that Comrade Oyerinde proved most supportive, to say nothing of
his terrific sense of humour which often provided comic relief during
moments of tension.”
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