By Ifeoluwa Adebayo, Abeokuta
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has eulogized the late former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Chief Mrs Ayoka Adebayo, describing her as a true patriot who had unwavering belief in a greater Nigeria and accordingly gave the best of her remarkable talent and ability in pursuit of her goal.
The late erudite and reknowned electoral umpire died on May 18, 2024, at 89 after a brief illness.
In a release signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Kehinde Akinyemi and Mrs Moni Adebayo Abudu (for the family), the late Resident Commissioner would be buried on July 7, 2024 in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
In a tribute, a copy made available to journalists in Abeokuta, on Monday, Obasanjo wrote that Adebayo "wrote for herself an enviable page in history with her service as The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Ekiti State.
"In this assignment, she served with commitment, integrity, dedication, and loyalty, making significant contributions to the growth of democracy in our country. She refused to be comprised and remained resolute to ensure a free, fair, and credible election in Ekiti State.
"Such that at a point the election rerun was turning into a morass of confusion, chaos, violence and threat to her life, for integrity, she honourably resigned her appointment as the Commissioner and fled her operational base for the fear of being attacked or kidnapped to be compromised by desperate politicians."
Obasanjo added that the contribution of the late wife of his late cousin in the public service and that of the country would no doubt inspire future generations in the country.
The vacuum created by her departure, Obasanjo, further stated in the solemn tribute, "will be very hard to fill within Bankole’s extended family and dynasty. Ayoka’s kindness, warmth, and grace touched the lives of so many. Her memory will surely continue to be an endless source of inspiration to those who knew her and those whose lives had been touched by her.
"To Owu community and Ogun State, where she hailed from, she was loyal, devoted, dedicated and faithful generally to Owu cause and interest. She displayed a constant love for Owu Kingdom and worked for its progress while alive by virtue of the fact that she was a thoroughbred Owu daughter on both father and mother sides.
"Her reputation as a great mobilizer, skillful organizer and untiring champion of women empowerment was well known. She displayed a constant love for them and worked for their progress. Also worthy of note is her meritorious service to Ogun State civil service in different capacities. She was industrious, amiable and most genial," Obasanjo was quoted to have stated in the 2-page tribute.
Meanwhile, the two-day burial programme will start on June 6, with a Christian Wake Keep and Night of Tributes at the Marque of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) between 4pm and 8pm, while the burial service holds at the Owu Baptist Church, Totoro, Abeokuta from 10.00am.
The Iya Oba of Ibogun Olaogun (the ancestral home of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo) commitment to ethical standards and transparent practices left an indelible mark on the region’s political landscape, setting a high bar for future electoral commissioners.
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