Yinka Odumakin, National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, is dead, The PUNCH has reported.
According to the online edition of the reputable newspaper, Odumakin died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Covid Isolation Centre.
The PUNCH reports that the deceased’s wife, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, confirmed the development.
Odumakin got married to a fellow rights activist, Joe, in 1997. He was a vocal critic of the present Buhari-led administration.
“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,” the wife was quoted to have told PUNCH newspaper.
He died at the intensive care unit of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital after a brief illness.
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.
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 are criminals.
He said the initiative is for the protection of the ordinary people within the Southwest.
He played a major role in the National Democratic Coalition that fought the regime of late military head of state, General Sani Abacha, after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.
As Afenifere spokesman, Odumakin spoke tenaciously for the rights of the Yoruba and the people of the South-West geopolitical zone. He was also a staunch critic of the policies and programmes of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).
–The Rainbow with online reports.
