Aderemi, who was also Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, died
yesterday.
He was 74.
He was the Chairman of the Ekiti State Education Trust Fund until his
death.
The late Aderemi, a native of Ayetoro-Ekiti and a chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), died at the State University Teaching Hospital,
Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state.
He was elected in 2003 to represent Ido/Osi Constituency 2 at the Ekiti
State House of Assembly.
An Electrical/Electronics engineer, the late Aderemi became the Speaker
of the House of Assembly in 2004 after the impeachment of his predecessor, Sola
Ajigbolamu during the Ayo
Fayose-led administration.
Governor Kayode Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr.
Olayinka Oyebode, said the late Aderemi served Ekiti State diligently in
various capacities and contributed immensely to the development of the state.
The governor said Aderemi, who also served as Speaker of the House of
Assembly before becoming Acting Governor, presided over a historic state
parliament that protected the interest of the people of the state during a
trying period.
He said Aderemi’s death has robbed the state of a great leader who could
be looked up to by younger generation in nation building, peacemaking, conflict
management and building strong institutions that will stand the test of time.
Fayemi described the late Aderemi as an uncommon statesman who served
the people with humility, diligence, enthusiasm, selflessness and commitment to
the cause of the common man.
The governor said the history of Ekiti, as a political entity, would not
be complete without a generous mention of the late Aderemi’s contributions as a
teacher, legislator, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Acting Governor and
chairman of the Education Trust Fund.
Fayemi said although the late Aderemi sat on the governorship seat for
two days (between October 16 and 18, 2006) before a state of emergency was
declared by the then Federal Government, the late politician acted in the best
interest of Ekiti people.
Fayemi explained that the late Aderemi’s life was exemplified by service
to humanity as a teacher who moulded the future of the young ones for over
three decades in public schools before venturing into politics.
The governor said the deceased was privileged to have been elected into
the House of Assembly twice, first in the old Ondo State in 1983 and in 2003 in
Ekiti State.
He said electing Aderemi again into the state legislature after 20-year
break spoke volumes about the trust reposed in him as a dependable servant of
the people.
The governor added that the late Aderemi’s humility was unparalleled in
accepting to serve as the Chairman of the State Education Trust Fund after he
had left office as Speaker and Acting Governor.
Fayemi said: “Chief Aderemi saw politics as an opportunity to serve the
people and he did that to the best of his ability serving as a worthy
representative of his constituency in the old Ondo State and Ekiti State.
“He was a decent politician and diligent parliamentarian no wonder he
was elected Speaker in the Second Assembly in Ekiti State and he brought
maturity to bear in presiding over the affairs of the Assembly.
“Providence thrust the governance of the state on his shoulders when he
emerged as Acting Governor on October 16, 2006 and acted in the interest of the
people for the two days he spent in office.
“Despite his attainment of enviable political heights in life, he lived
among his people in Ayetoro-Ekiti and was ever ready to contribute to the
development of his community in particular and the state in general.
“May the gentle soul of this great Ekiti son and legend continue to find
rest in the bosom of the Lord as we all mourn his demise.
“On behalf of the government and people of Ekiti State, I commiserate
with his immediate family, friends, associates and other Nigerians whose lives
have been touched by this patriot.”
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