Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti, Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan, Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

President Muhammadu Buhari, governors Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Akeredolu, ex-governors Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and others have condoled with government and indigenes of Ondo over the death of a former governor of the state, Bamidele Olumilua.

Olumilua, who served as governor in old Ondo State (from which Ekiti State was created), died in the early hours of yesterday in Ikere Ekiti during a brief illness.

Buhari, in a statement by his Media Aide, Femi Adesina, in Abuja, yesterday, sympathised with family members, friends and associates of the former governor, who he said worked hard to improve infrastructure and livelihood of people in the state.

He affirmed that Olumilua played an active role in the return of democracy in the country, and served as chairman, Christian Pilgrims Board.

Ekiti Governor, Fayemi, in a  statement by Yinka Oyebode, described Olumilua’s death as a monumental loss to the state.

He described him as a humble servant of the people, a compassionate leader, a politician whose actions were guided by the fear of God and a revered statesman whoimpact positively affected the people he served.

He also described Olumilua as a disciplined and selfless party man and one of the leading lights of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders’ Forum in Ekiti State, adding that the former governor was a stabilising force in the ruling party.

Also, Governor Akeredolu described Olumilua as a great mind who injected a lot of thinking into governance while conducting the affairs of the old Ondo State.

Olumilua, he said, lived a good, worthy and exemplary life from which younger generations can learn and imbibe the attributes of discipline, strong character, forthrightness, patience and hard work.

Former Lagos State governor and APC National Leader, Bola Tinibu, eulogised him as an elder statesman, unrelenting patriot, who was irrevocably committed to the unity and indivisibility of the country.

“A servant-leader, Olumilua provided leadership and mentoring to many of us during the aborted third republic and even after. He believed in democratic principles and worked assiduously to advance them. I knew this about him because we were together in the defunct Social Democratic Party and could attest to all he did to advance the course of democracy in the land and ensure the will of the people triumphed,” he said.

Vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, described the death as a loss of a great elder statesman.

Obi expressed deep sorrow over the death of the former governor, describing his demise as ‘passing unto glory of a fulfilled leader’.

“Our dear nation has, yet again, lost another rare gem, a fulfilled leader and elder statesman, whose leadership knowledge and pieces of advice, are much needed by the younger generation,” Obi said.

Former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose, described Olumilua’s death as a loss to Ekiti and indeed, Nigeria.

“With the death of Olumilua, Ekiti, and indeed, Nigeria, have lost a very upright and courageous leader,’’ Fayose said.

Abiodun Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, described Olumilua’s death as shocking.

Olujimi, who personally signed the message described Olumilua as a democrat, selfless statesman and one of the leading lights of the state, who has remained a unifier, despite political differences.

APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Abiola Ajimobi, said the third republic governor left indelible imprints in the sands of time before his death.

In a statement by Bolaji Tunji, Ajimobi, who is a former governor of Oyo State, said the deceased lived a life of service to the people he served diligently till he breathed his last.