Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Kehinde Ayoola, died on Thursday morning at the age of 65 after a two-week battle with an undisclosed illness, according to a statement by Mr Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde.
Mr Ayoola died at Frontida Critical Care Hospital Iyaganku in Ibadan, the state capital.
The statement that officially announced Mr Ayoola’s death said the deceased had two-weeks ago driven himself to Frontida Critical Care Hospital for medical checks, after which he was advised to proceed on bed rest.
He pronounced dead on Thursday morning.
Mr Ayoola, who served as the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly during the administration of a former governor of the state, the late Alhaji Lam Adesina, in 1999, represented Oyo East/Oyo West State Constituency between 1999 and 2003 on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD).
Mr Ayoola was the Director-General of the Seyi Makinde Campaign Organisation in 2015 when Governor Seyi Makinde ran for Governor on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP). Makinde did not win the election at the time.
Prior to the 2019 state election, Mr Ayoola also served as the Deputy Director-General of the Omituntun Campaign Organisation that ushered in the present administration of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Governor Makinde.
Governor Makinde in the statement issued by his press secretary, said he “received with deep sadness, the news of the death of my dear friend and colleague, Rt Honourable Kehinde Ayoola. Up until his death this (Thursday) morning, he served as the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in Oyo State.
“I met late Rt Honourable Ayoola in 2002, when we worked together as members of the Fortune Group for the election of Senator Rasheed Ladoja. He also served as the Director General for my 2015 campaign and the Deputy Director-General for my 2019 campaign.
“He was a loyal friend with a dedication to duty that cannot be questioned. He will be sorely missed for his great oratory skills and his love for the people of Oyo Town and Oyo State. May his soul rest in peace.”
The governor also prayed that the God would grant his wife, children, the cabinet and the government of Oyo State, PDP and the entire people of Oyo State the fortitude to bear the loss.
Mr Ayoola was one of the first batch of 14 commissioners sworn into office on August 14, 2019 by Governor Makinde and was thereafter asked to man the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
Mr Ayoola attended St Michael’s Primary School, Oke Ebo, Oyo, Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, and the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, where he studied Animal Science and Environmental Management and Control.
Governor Makinde, described the sudden demise of the commissioner as shocking, adding that he served the state diligently and to the best of his ability.
According information obtained on his Facebook wall, Mr Ayoola, until his death, was a member of Association for Environmental Impact Assessment of Nigeria (AEIAN).
He was born on January 14, 1965 at Oyo town.
He was married to Mrs Olukemi Ayoola, an Associate Professor of Agronomy and the union was blessed with two sons. He was also a Pastor at New Covenant Church, Apata, Ibadan.