Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has narrated how the
late human rights activist and columnist, Yinka Odumakin, supported Bola
Tinubu’s candidacy for Lagos State governor in 1998.
Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, disclosed this
in a tribute on Saturday titled, ‘Yinka Odumakin: The exit of a convinced
humanist’.
Odumakin, who was the spokesman
for pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, died on April 2 at the Lagos State University
Teaching Hospital Covid Isolation Centre.
Odumakin was a staunch critic of Tinubu, Aregbesola and many
other politicians in the country. The late activist canvassed the ideas of
restructuring, fiscal federalism, decentralised policing as solutions to the
country’s socio-economic challenges.
In the tribute, the minister said he was proud to have
known, interacted and worked with Odumakin whom he said doggedly fought for the
dignity of the Nigerian people.
Aregbesola said, “Yinka has had to publicly criticise me a
couple of times, especially when I was governor in Osun, our relationship
notwithstanding. I took it in good faith, as it never affected our
relationship. His criticisms were consistent with his convictions on what
constitute public interest.”
“He was a tenacious advocate of his convictions; never gave up on whatever he believed in, regardless of the opposition,” the minister added.
Aregbesola, who was a ranking member of the Alliance for
Democracy led by Tinubu, was Director of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign
Organisation in 1998.
Aregbesola recalled how he met the late Odumakin back in
1998 during the preparation for Nigeria’s return to democracy after the dark
years of military tyranny.
He said, “How did we meet? Yinka Odumakin and Bunmi
Omoshehindemi walked into my office as the CGS of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign
Organisation office at Sunday Adigun St., Alausa Ikeja. It was in November of
1998.
“Both came to declare support for the candidacy of Bola
Tinubu unequivocally. This was in defiant opposition to those then opposed to
any form of accommodation for democratic building process without a clear
resolution of the June 12 imbroglio. This was a courageous step, then
considering that their position would have been considered anathema by the
movement. We had since then built a robust relationship, sometimes very smooth
and at times frosty, but all the time remarkable till his translation on
Friday, April 2, 2021.
“I said we had a remarkable relationship because Yinka was
consistent in standing up to fight for democracy, federalism, justice and rule
of law. These to me are the factors for defining the dignity of man. Whoever
has this commitment is an ally and a humanist.”
Apparently, the late Afenifere spokesman later entered
another political boat as he was known in the last couple of years before his
death as a fiery critic of Tinubu, who is now a chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress.
However, Tinubu, last Monday, paid a condolence visit to Mrs
Joe Okei-Odumakin, widow of the late activist. He also said the story of
Nigeria’s democracy will not be complete without mentioning Odumakin.
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