SEFIU AYANBIMPE in this report recounts some memorable eulogies from well-meaning Nigerians during last Thursday burial of Oshiomhole’s aide, Olaitan Oyerinde, in Ede,Osun State.
Sounds of people weeping and heartfelt eulogies could be heard while colleagues, family members and friends gathered together to mark the passing of Abdulkabir Olaitan Aremu Oyerinde, the Aide to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who was buried in his country home, Ede, Osun State.
Oyerinde, until his death was Special Adviser on Special Duties and Principal Private Secretary to Governor Oshiomhole, who rose from obscurity through hard work, uncommon courage, diligence, perseverance and intellectual acumen.
The ancient community of Ede in the state witnessed an unprecedented crowd in the history of the town on Thursday May 10th 2012 because people from different parts of the country came to the town to pay the last respect to one of their own who lost his life in the course of his service to the nation.
While alive, Oyerinde positively touched the lives of those who cut across him on earth and made his mark on the sound of time.
Oshiomhole, arrived at the permanent site of the NYSC Orientation Camp, Ede in a chartered helicopter at about 1:55 pm and was received by the representative of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the Osun State Head of Service, Elder Segun Akinwusi. Oshiomhole explained that the reason why he appointed the late Olaitan Oyerinde as his Principal Private Secretary was because he understood him more than anyone else. He added that Oyerinde was also invited to join his administration to remind him of the ideals and principles they stand for and to caution him anytime he was drifting from guiding ideology.
Oshiomhole told the gathering that “late Oyerinde 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 to be a dependable ally.
He recalled, “When I was considering running 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 immortalize him, assured that his family would not be allowed to suffer in his absence.
He sent his condolence to his aged parents, the Osun State Government and the people of the state.
Governor Aregbesola in his speech entitled, “A Committed Revolutionary Departs”, which was delivered on his behalf by Elder Akinwusi who 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.
He stated, “Today we mourn the loss of a graceful life devoted supremely to the pursuit of humanism, egalitarianism and abundance of good for all. We mourn the loss of a life so noble and rich in compassion, intellectual depth and uncommon valour. Our hearts are greatly burdened with sorrow for the loss of this unassuming revolutionary.
“As we mourn the tragic exit of Olaitan Oyerinde, we grieve over the irrecoverable loss of a seasoned soul mowed down callously by a cowardly pack of graceless souls alien to any good cause.
“The rabid agents of death, darkness and retrogression have taken Olaitan Oyerinde from us. But his nobility and all the good he stood for they could not. Write largely on the page of every heart who knew him are the invaluable records of goods and heroic deeds that he selflessly undertook. Though his physical presence is no more, he lives on soldierly in our hearts.
“I say to all family members, comrades, colleagues, friends, and associates of our beloved departed comrade of all time, let us draw consolation from the exemplary life he led. Let us for our inspiration find happiness in the fact that Abdul Kabir Olaitan Oyerinde’s time here on this earthly plane was done gloriously in the service of humanity. Everyone who knew him, everyone who observed him as he comradely dissipated his energy in just pursuit of the common good would certainly bear witness that his was a life lived purposefully”.
He further noted, “In the most turbulent times when the wind of poor government policy threatened to blow away the humanity of workers in the country, Olaitan Oyerinde was among the clan of comrades who waded in gallantly to still the wind. He was an epitome of selfless service. He personified uncanny confidence. He was a patriot who struggled and believed genuinely that his fatherland would fulfil its manifest destiny. He exuded unusual strength and was unwaveringly effective in the face of weighty challenges”.
“We will miss his uncommon sense of loyalty. Olaitan Oyerinde was a paragon of unalloyed loyalty. At a time when it was fashionable to sell out, betray good causes and become a turncoat, our comrade maintained a principled stand. He demonstrated courage in times of trouble. We mourn him for this. Let us work to preserve his memory; his labour will not be in vain. Comrade Abdul Kabir Olaitan Oyerinde, forever you will remain in our hearts. We will all miss you greatly”, Aregbesola stated.
The fiery Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Femi Falana, challenged the students to emulate the good spirit of the late Oyerinde, whom he said proved himself a selfless and dedicated activist.
Falana, who enjoined the students to always take responsibility for their actions, urged them to ask if they are on the side of justice and truth.
Recalling that he spoke with the deceased four weeks ago, Falana said the late Oyerinde planned to return to activism to re-organize the youth movement, challenging 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”.
During the turn of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade AbdulWaheed Omar and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart Peter Esele to deliver their farewell messages, the students at the gathering nearly disrupted the programme as they used the platform to berate them for their role in the controversial subsidy removal protest and strike in January, this year.
Comrade Omar, who called for justice on the murder of Oyerinde, also gave a seven day ultimatum to the government to produce Oyerinde’s killers, stressing that labour groups would protest across the country should the government fail to unravel the killers of the late labour leader.
He said, “Though they have succeeded in killing Oyerinde, they cannot succeed in killing what Oyerinde stood for. If the government and security agencies fail to fish out his killers we will be on the street to look for his killers”.
Also speaking, an Osun State based human rights activist, Comrade Amitolu Shittu also described the late activist as a rare gem who has made his mark in restoring democracy back to the country and its sustainability, saying that the gap left behind by Oyerinde in the human right community would not be easy to fill.
Shittu, who is National Coordinator, Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People (CDRP) urged the members of the human rights community not to allow Oyerinde to die in vain.
The Special Adviser to Governor Aregbesola on Environmental Matters, Comrade Bola Ilori, also a student activist in his university days, described Oyerinde’s death as a wakeup call to all on the security issues in the country.
Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who spoke on behalf of the students, stressed the need for the federal government to fish out the killers of Oyerinde, failure of which he said would lead to mass protest across the length and breadth of the country.
The Secretary, Ede South Local Government, where the Late Oyerinde hailed from, Mr Lukman Afolabi said the local government has concluded arrangements to immortalize Oyerinde by naming an edifice after him in Ede, his home town.
LEADERSHIP recalls that on Wednesday, a service of songs was held at the Government House for the late Oyerinde, where the officiating Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said God and time will reveal those who killed Oyerinde, describing him as a lover of freedom and a man who devoted himself for a better Nigeria.
He said, “He was quiet, unassuming, friendly, firm and focused. 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 about an evil mission of an opposing political party to kill some of them in the cabinet of Oshiomhole, adding that many of them took extra measures to protect themselves but late Oyerinde never believed anybody would harm him.
The remains of Oyerinde was later interred at their Ojereku’ family compound in Ede, Osun State in the evening of Thursday 10th of May 2012.
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