DESECRATING THE LATE FUMILAYO ADUNI OLAYINKA’S TOMB COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE BEST FROM GOVERNOR AYODELE FAYOSE
Humanity, with all strides of life has not been able to conquer death. It is a process that all mortal beings will mandatorily and naturally pass through into inevitable eternity. This aphorism was true to the life of Her Excellency late (MRS) Funmilayo Aduni Olayinka. She was the former deputy governor of Ekiti State From October 16th,2010 – April6th,2013.
2. Cancer, that deadly disease snuffed life out of her at her very prime when the curve of her services rising steadfastly to develop Ekiti was most desirable. Her death was untimely, a pain and anguish to her hubby, siblings, family and Ekiti State as a whole. She was no doubt an illustrious and a leading light daughter of the land of honour.
3. Late Funmilayo Aduni Olayinka was a typical Ekiti woman personified who epitomized patriotism, honour, dignity and respect for all and sundry. She would do everything possible to put Ekiti interest, above all primordial considerations even when her individual interest was involved. She drew no line between people on party partisanship. All she knew was that we all belong to Ekiti and hence the instrumentality of the government must be devoted to the overall interest of the people irrespective of their religion, the party they belong and even where they come from. She believed life is all about service and sacrifice. This earned her the acronym of MOREMI of Ekiti Land.
4. Her death came as a rude serious shock across the country and this again brought into focus the deadly cancer infection and why more attention should be given to its enlightenment, causes, prevention and if achievable it’s cure especially amongst women folks. Experts of international repute on cancer besieged Ekiti State to do the worthiest to expose everything about cancer including the establishment of a cancer diagnostic and wellness facility named after her; Aduni Olayinka was given all honours that she deserved.
5. Burying the former deputy Governor became a big issue largely between the tripartite factors of the Ekiti State Government, the Ado Ekiti community and the Olayinka Family. The primogenitary culture of Yoruba came into play as Olayinka Family was insistent on burying her at Abeokuta. On behalf of the Ado Ekiti community, the kabiyesi, HRM, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III JP, CON, Ewi of Ado Ekiti insisted and requested that no heroine in Ado Ekiti history is ever allowed to be buried out of the native land. On this very tenable and vigorous persuasion, the Olayinka Family conceded and insisted on a very befitting burial.
6. The Heroes Park was muted by the government of the former governor His Excellency, Dr. Kayode Fayemi in tune with the global best practices to honour all heroes and heroines of Ekiti origin as a mark of honour. In order to sustain this noble idea, the heroes park was created within the prism of the law. It was indeed a creation of the Ekiti State House of Assembly. An infraction will be a disservice and deliberate impunity. As a mark of honour, the late deputy governor was interred in the heroes park in compliance with law. The park was beautifully fenced and decorated with a potential for improvement to accommodate more Ekiti heroes and heroines.
7. The Ado Ekiti Local Government chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) and its numerous supporters in and outside Ekiti State and other well wishers view seriously with reservation the claim of His Excellency Mr. Ayodele Fayose , the Governor of Ekiti State that he is honouring her by building a women centre within the confine of the park and almost right on the tomb of the late Funmilayo Olayinka. To us this is a disservice and deliberate extreme partisanship to fight and dishonor Moremi even in death. There are lots of open and undesignated spaces across the state capital that could be used for the so called women centre.
African Culture and value do forgive th

. To us this is a disservice and deliberate extreme partisanship to fight and dishonor Moremi even in death. There are lots of open and undesignated spaces across the state capital that could be used for the so called women centre.
African Culture and value do forgive the dead and respect it even the more. We cannot fathom why Mr. Ayodele Fayose has chosen the path of war against the dead all in the name of partisan politics. Don’t we all belong here as sons and daughters of Ekiti Land sharing the same norms, values and the holistic cultural appreciation? We are gravely concerned. If she had indeed offended you please we are ready to appease your Excellency to stop and relocate the woman center to the state secretariat and not in the high civic and business centre of the state capital.
The huge golden statue of the indefatigable MOREMI stands boldly right in front of the uncompleted Ultra Modern Aduni Olayinka Civic Centre started by your immediate predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi the former governor of Ekiti State. Ironically there is already a more befitting women centre right inside the abandoned Civic centre. It pained us to the marrows that this edifice could be abandoned only to start from the scratch a mini women centre as you claimed, right on her very tomb. To us this is not honour but an honour slaughtered, on the stab of hatred, bitterness and quite un-Ekiti of extreme partisanship. Her tomb must not be a back yard phenomenon with a potential to be unkempt and overgrown with weeds.
8. The Fajuyi memorial park today has become a monument of tourism pedestals that everyone references with utmost regard. It all started the way Ekiti State Heroes Park took off and ultimately becomes cynosure of all eyes. The founding fathers of this great ideal are today captured in history as men of understanding whose initiative will continue to guide people on what is service to humanity. This is the ultimate essence of governance. Mr. Governor is therefore implored to have a second look at the personality of Late Aduni Olayinka who had served this state meritoriously, her place in history and circumstance of her death, the heroes park and the law that established it and of course its future potential and that a mini women centre heroes is not by all intent and purposes desirable in the park and on the tomb of the Late Deputy Governor.
Ekiti State belongs to us all, sons and daughters irrespective of our divergent social and political inclination. It is an onerous task to keep, guide and constantly revitalize the dreams of our forebears to make Ekiti a united, progressing and prosperous land in which all should be proud of being indigenes. The good people of Ekiti State should intervene for the sake of posterity.
Signed:
D.O ADIGUN
CHAIRMAN,
ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS,
ADO EKITI LOCAL GOVERNMENT
EKITI STATE.
JULY 13TH, 2015