Dr. Joe Odumakin, the wife of the late Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, revealed yesterday that her late husband promised to write his story when he comes back from the hospital. But he never did. He died on Friday, April 2, at 54 after battling with respiratory problems occasioned with COVID-19 complications.
Dr. Odumakin made this revelation yesterday while speaking with newsmen in Odumakin’s residence at Moro, Osun State.
The remains of the late Afenifere spokesman yesterday arrived at the country home of the activist, Moro town in Ife North Local Government of Osun State.
A delegation of Osun State Government, led by the Chief of Staff, Dr. Charles Akinola, received the corpse at Asejire area, the boundary of Osun and Oyo states.
Akinola, addressing the wife of Odumakin, Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin and other family members from Lagos State, informed them that the delegates received the remains on behalf of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
He said, “Mournfully and painfully, our brother, an illustrious son of Osun, one of one finest, Yinka Odumakin. His loss is a great loss to the nation generally. The governor has asked us to receive him into the state and escort his body to his final resting place. Odumakin was not just a leader of conscience; he is one of the finest human right leaders. He was not just a nationalist; he was the finest Yoruba nationalist.”
Responding to the delegations, Joe Okei Odumakin, wife of the deceased, said, “My husband was a comrade, my friend and soulmate. Here is Yinka’s corpse. He owns a part of me as I owe a part of him. If I come back to this world over and over, I will get married to him.”
We are grateful to Osun State for the great reception at this sober moment. When a spokesperson stops speaking, you know how heavy it is, but our consolation is that Yinka’s ideal legacies live forever, she said.
Akinola was accompanied by some cabinet members, Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Hon Olalekan Badmus, Commissioner for Political Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, Hon Taiwo Akeju, Information and Civic Orientation Commissioner, Funke Egbemonde, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ismail Omipidan and others.
Also, the Coalition of Osun Civil Society received the remains at Gbongan Town, headquarters of Aiyedaade Local Government Area.
The remains got to the residence of the activist around 3:15 PM at Ewuru street, Moro via Origbo Anglican Grammar School.
The corpse of Odumakin was later moved to a morgue against
preparations for his final lying in the state and private interment at the premises of his house in Moro today, Saturday.
The grave for his final internment has been dug and they are mounting canopy for the final lying in state at the open field of Origbo Anglican Grammar School, Moro.
