Tributes are still pouring in for elder statesman Ayodele Adebanjo following his death. President Bola Tinubu, politicians, governors, and the pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere have all sent in their tributes for the man who died at 96.
Pa Adebanjo as he was fondly called in many quarters died “peacefully” in his Lagos home on Friday aged 96.
In his tribute to the late Afenifere leader, President Tinubu said he received the news of Adebanjo’s passage “with profound sorrow”.
“Nigeria has lost a political leader whose decades of unwavering struggle for justice, democracy, and national unity have left an indelible mark on our nation’s history,” Tinubu said in a statement on Friday.
‘Deep Personal Bond’
The president described Adebanjo as a “principled voice, which resonated through decades of political activism, will be deeply missed.
“As a nation, we will miss his regular interventions in national affairs, which enriched our political discourse. Though we mourn his departure, we are also grateful to God for blessing him with a long, remarkable, purposeful life—96 years of unrelenting advocacy for progress and equity.”
According to him, in times of national crisis, the late Afenifere chief’s ” courage shone brightest”.
“Though our political paths diverged in later years, my respect and admiration for him never wavered. Until his death, I shared a deep personal bond with Baba Adebanjo; he was like a father figure,” Tinubu said, paying condolence to the family of the deceased.
Afenifere Will Greatly Miss Him
For Afenifere, the group Adebanjo led and played a pivotal role in its activities, the death of one of its pillars came with ” great shock and sorrow”.
“A patriot par excellence, his contributions during the struggle for Nigeria’s independence as well as during struggles for the restoration and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria shall remain indelible in the annals of Nigeria’s history,” the leader of the group R. F Fasoranti said in a statement.
“He was an unrelenting ideologue who fought for many noble causes under the auspices of Afenifere where he was once the Acting Leader. Members of the Afenifere family will greatly miss this fallen hero.”
‘Commitment to Fairness’
The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election Peter Obi also had glowing words for the departed patriot.
“My family and the Obidient Movement got the shocking news of the passing on of our dear father and leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, who was a great pillar in the struggle for a new Nigeria,” Obi wrote about a man who backed him in the country’s last round of elections, extending his condolences to the family.
Obi said Adebanjo was “a steadfast advocate for a united and progressive Nigeria” and had an “unwavering commitment to fairness”.
“As we mourn his departure, let us also celebrate a life well-lived in service to humanity and commit ourselves to upholding the values he so passionately championed,” the LP chieftain said. “May his death not be in vain. Instead, let it serve as a renewed call to action for all who believe in justice and fairness.”
