EVEN as members of Ekiti State government executive tried to celebrate the life and times of the late Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, at a special meeting held in her honour Thursday, most of them could not control their emotions and wept profusely.
Mrs. Olayinka, until her death on April 6, was the vice chair of that council. Her remains will be buried today at the newly constructed Hero's Park at Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti.
The state governor, Kayode Fayemi, who chaired the Council and the Chief of Staff, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu, could not be consoled realising that their feminine colleague during their three-and-a-half years' struggle to reclaim their mandate was no more.
At yesterday's sitting, all the members of the Council, consisting mainly of commissioners and special advisers, wore black bands on their arms to depict a moment of grief and they later spoke in turns, commending the virtues of the late deputy governor.
To them, the last time Ekiti was thrown into mourning mood of this magnitude was in 1967 when the body of the late Military Governor of the defunct Western Region, Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, was brought to the town for burial.
Also, the state House of Assembly also held a special session in her honour where all the legislators, including those representing the state at the National Assembly, eulogised Mrs. Olayinka.
At the lying-in-state and afternoon of tributes organised for her at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, the governor branded Mrs. Olayinka as a reliable partner in the struggle for the emancipation of Ekiti people from the claws of poverty.
According to him, "Funmi Olayinka was indeed the Moremi Ekiti. In the true tradition of the legendary Moremi, she gave her all in defence of our people. Indeed, there are bound to be many people who will insist that had she stayed away from politics and Ekiti, she probably would still be alive. Funmi would disagree with that. As a devout Christian, she believed we all have our appointed time with our Maker.
"In the six years that I was privileged to be her political partner and boss, she was never given to regrets. She was pleasant in disposition, but always business-like in work. She focused on our goal of bringing succour to our people in Ekiti with extra-ordinary dedication. I had no reason at any point to doubt her commitment, loyalty or integrity. She was stellar in the performance of the tasks assigned to her and she was clearly central to the success of our administration to date".
Wife of the state governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, in her tribute, said: "I solemnly pledge before you today that henceforth, your children would be mine, your husband my brother and your parents my parents till the end."
She said the death of Mrs. Olayinka had further imbued her with the determination to intensify awareness campaign among the people of the state on cancer and ways to reduce the scourge among the populace.
The stadium had been filled to capacity as early as 9.00 a.m. for an event that was scheduled to start at 12 noon.
Husband of the deceased, Mr. Lanre Olayinka and the children -Yeside, Ololade and Olamide -joined the dignitaries at the state box.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, the home state of the deceased's husband, said a chapter of a glorious life has been closed with the death of Mrs. Olayinka.
Amosun, who was represented by his deputy, Segun Adesegun, urged the crowd to learn from the Book of Ecclesiastes in which King Solomon emphasised on the vanity of life.
Daughter of the deceased, Olamide, in a tribute on behalf of her siblings, described their mother as God-fearing, brilliant in many ways and amazingly intelligent.
"She knew that even if cancer won, God would be there to take her to heaven. She would ask me to recite Philippians Chapter Four Verse Three, which says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".
"She was an epitome of beauty, her sense of style was exceptional though fun-loving, she was a disciplinarian. You know you are in trouble if she called you by your first name", Olamide said.
The Guardian