By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, has passed away.
He died at the intensive care unit of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital after a brief illness.
Sources within the Afenifere and his close associates have confirmed his death.
His wife, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, was also quoted to have confirmed the news of the death.
“A part of me is gone. A part of me is gone. He fought hard at the intensive care unit. Pray for me to survive this. My love is gone.
“He was OK before. Even on March 10, he was still attending meetings. He was recovering yesterday but he died this morning. I am at the intensive care unit. A part of me is gone,” she told PUNCH newspaper.
Odumakin was a renowned human rights activist who played a key role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that fought the regime of General Sani Abacha after the annulment of June 12, 1993 election.
He was also one of the spokespersons of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), the body representing ethnic nationalities in the South-West, South-South, South-East, and the Middle Belt.
Married to another activist, Dr Joe Odumakin, he is one of the strongest critics of the present Buhari-led administration.
He has strongly condemned the activities of some killers in Yorubaland.
In his recent interview on Channels Television, he said those who are afraid of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Operation Amotekun were criminals.
He said that the initiative was for the protection of the ordinary people within the Southwest.