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Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has described the death of former lawmaker, Kola Fakiyesi, as a great loss to the state and the camp of the progressives.
Fakiyesi, whose remains have bee buried in his country home in Iyin-Ekiti, died on August 7. He was 51.
The late former lawmaker, a former minority leader in the Ekiti House of Assembly, was the only opposition member in the second Assembly on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) against the majority from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He represented Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 1 between 2003 and 2007 in the state.
Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Fuminiyi Afuye, past speakers of the assembly and lawmakers from outside Ekiti all poured encomiums on the late lawmaker at the obituary session held in his honour at the House of Assembly complex.
They described the deceased as a dogged politician who was energetic till death and whose doggedness reflected in the way he remained in the party through thick and thin from the Alliance of Democracy (AD) through to the All Progressives Congress (APC.
In his tribute, Fayemi said: “Fakiyesi’s death was very shocking and unfortunate, a great loss to Ekiti State and the progressives’ family. The deceased, a very loyal party man, was elected as a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly in 2003 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and did not waver in his political belief as he remained a progressive throughout his lifetime and represented Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency in the second assembly meritoriously.
“Fakiyesi’s pedigree as an astute and loyal party man earned him the position of minority leader in the assembly and later he served as a member of the State House of Assembly Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission respectively. He spent his life in service to humanity with dynamism and diligence.”
In his tribute, Hon. Femi Bamisile, a member of the House of Representatives, described Fakiyesi as a very intelligent young man who ruled the hearts of the people
“Here lies a man who never ceased to talk about his family. There are some who rule this land and think themselves to be kings. Kola ruled the hearts of people around him and will do so in paradise, Sleep on brother.”
A close friend of the deceased, High Chief Dapo Akinwunmi, reminisced on how Fakiyesi always restated that life was indeed one of vanity whenever they got engaged in any discussion.
“Kolu, as he was fondly called, hardly could we discuss without you saying ‘Ile aye, Ile asan’ (This life, all vanity). You left us suddenly for a long walk that everybody must walk, to a long loneliness everybody must experience, to a place of defining quietness we will all go through. You have left a big vacuum among your friends and family. The love for your family was great and you cry silently for not being able to see them. Sleep on, Kolu.”
In his sermon, Ven. Adekola, who preached on behalf of The Most Reverend C.T. Omotunde of Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin Ekiti, said Fakiyesi would be remembered for the best he did while on earth. The cleric charged all to do their best, noting that death is a debt to be paid by all.
“But after you might have left, what shall you be remembered for?” the cleric wondered.
