Communications Minister, Barrister Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, Thursday in Abuja described the demise of former governor of the defunct Western State, late Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo as a monumental loss to the country and the Yoruba nation.
Reacting to the news of his death, the Minister said though the frontline Yoruba nationalist died at a very ripe age, Yorubaland and the nation at large will miss his ability to integrate and his unalloyed passion for the unity of Nigeria.
Barr. Shittu described the late Gen. Adebayo as one of the rare Nigerians that put their lives on the edge for the survival of Nigeria especially at a time when the nation was at the brink of collapse.
“The 30 -month civil war could have erased the geographical entity called Nigeria, but for the patriotic and assiduous zeal of privileged Nigerians like the late Gen. Adebayo to salvage the country by restoring peace.
“They fought for the unity of Nigeria and subsequently served in different capacities in the military governments to uphold the unity of Nigeria and posterity will forever not forget them for what they have done for the nation”, he said.
The Minister stated further that in the past two decades, the late Gen. Adebayo has contributed in no small measure to the integration of the Yoruba nation of the South-West geo-political zone. “He served the Yoruba nation until his last breath as his contributions to the evolution and sustenance of the Pan Yoruba group, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) were legendry”, he said.
Barr. Shittu added that Gen. Adebayo’s memory will linger in the minds of Nigerians and Pan-Yoruba elements for a very long time, for his sterling contributions to the political emancipation of the Yoruba nation.
He therefore commiserated with the family of the deceased, the former Ekiti State Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba ‘Niyi Adebayo, the good people of Ekiti State and the entire nation over the demise of the great compatriot and nationalist.
