Immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has described the death of the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Funminiyi Afuye, as a huge loss to Nigeria and Ekiti people at a critical period of the nation’s history.
Dr Fayemi, in a statement during his condolence visit to the family of late Hon Afuye said he received the tragic news with shock.
He described Afuye who passed on at the age of 66 years as a selfless leader, an astute politician and a pro-democracy activist who fought relentlessly for peace, stability, and development of his fatherland.
The immediate past Governor noted that the deceased, during his lifetime, was passionate about wider national developmental issues and fanatical about matters that concerned Ekiti.
He said the deceased’s sterling leadership qualities became quite visible to the people of Ekiti during his tenure as Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, and later Commissioner for Integration and Intergovernmental Affairs before he was re-elected to the 6th House of Assembly where his colleagues found him worthy to lead them as the Speaker.
The former Governor added that Afuye promoted the beliefs and values which he demonstrated throughout the pro-democracy struggles till the end; noting that his contributions to the democratic enterprise in Nigeria cannot be forgotten.