Ekiti plans state burial for ex-deputy gov

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has said the state government will give a befitting burial to a former deputy governor of the state, Bisi Egbeyemi, who died on Friday evening at age 79.

Oyebanji  spoke during a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.

The governor was in company of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, and Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

He urged the family to remain strong and steadfast, knowing that “God remains the author of life, who can give and take at any time.”

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“My charge to the family and the children, of which I am one, is for us to have faith in God and thank him for the gift of Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; you should be proud of him. God will teach you how to sustain his legacy. It is a very big one, but I assure you, you are not alone in this. At the appropriate time, we will sit down and structure how we are going to give him a befitting burial, we have to give him a befitting burial and that government will do,” Oyebanji said.

In his remarks, the industry minister, Adebayo, who was also a former  Ekiti State governor, described Egbeyemi’s death as shocking.

“This is not only a personal loss, but that of the entire state as he (Egbeyemi) served the state with utmost honesty and dedication to duty in all political appointments held by him.

The minister, in a statement by his media aide, Sayo Ifedayo, described the deceased as “a pillar of support for the All Progressives Congress in the state,” saying the ruling party had lost a dependable leader who would do everything for the good of all.

This was as the incumbent Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, described the late Egbeyemi as a progressive politician, who valued integrity and a Spartan lifestyle.

Afuye said, “We will never forget what Chief Egbeyemi did for the progress of Ekiti. He was one of the leaders who fought hard for the creation of our dear state. He was outstanding in politics. He was never a fair-weather politician. He was was outstanding in leadership and his exploits as an entrepreneur  and farmer were also superb.”

The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mrs Olubunmi Adelugba, described Egbeyemi’s demise as “a monumental loss to the government and people of Ekiti State in particular and Nigeria in general.”

Also, traditional rulers, under the aegis of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, said it received news of Egbeyemi’s death with shock.

In a statement on Sunday, the Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Ayodele Adejuwon, who is the chairman of the monarchs’ council, said Egbeyemi was “a distinguished

indigene of Ekiti who deeply respected the traditional institution and worked for its dignity and sustainability.”

Meanwhile, the immediate past governor the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, also mourned Egbeyemi in a statement on Sunday by his media aide,  Ahmad Sajoh.

The statement quoted Fayemi as saying, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Chief Bisi Egbeyemi. He was a remarkable political leader who was selfless and motivated by the common good of the people.

‘’We worked closely for four years and I could not have had a better deputy. He was devoted, committed, outspoken, and unwavering in his support of our vision for a stable and prosperous Ekiti State, built on the Omoluabi values that are the hallmark of our state.”

‘’On behalf of my wife, Bisi, and our entire family, my condolences go to the Egbeyemi family. We pray for a sweet repose of his soul and wish the family the courage and fortitude to bear his loss.”