•Late Adebanjo and Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo today paid tribute to the late Chief Ayo Adebanjo, describing him as a great man, a committed nationalist, an effective representative of his people, and an unpretentious personality.
Obasanjo said, “It was with a deep sense of personal loss that I received the sad news of the passing of my beloved friend and senior brother, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, while in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I am currently attending the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly.”
The former president disclosed this in a tribute made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi.
Obasanjo stated that the unfortunate news came as a shock, lamenting that Adebanjo’s passing was “undoubtedly a huge loss not only to me and Ogun State but also to the country as a whole.”
He further revealed, “The unfortunate news came as a shock because when I last visited him on 3rd February 2025 at his Lekki residence, though he was in a fragile state, I had no inkling he would leave us so soon.
“His transition is undoubtedly a huge loss not only to me and Ogun State but also to the country as a whole. He was a great man, a committed nationalist, and an effective representative of his people.
“Looking back, Adebanjo had a highly successful career, rendering selfless service to his community, state, and, indeed, the entire nation.
“As a foundation member of the Action Group Party, he will be remembered as a foremost nationalist and patriot who gave his best as an active community leader and an exemplary politician with integrity, demonstrating that politics is not an avenue for mindless enrichment but for rendering faithful service to humanity.”
Obasanjo noted that Adebanjo’s “commitment to enthroning democracy in our dear country, his tenacity in the face of daunting odds and mortal risk to his life, is well known and marks him out as a courageous political leader and true patriot.
“Not surprisingly, he came to be regarded as one of our most notable elder statesmen, bringing an enviable track record of purposefulness, honesty, and integrity to the promotion of national unity.”
The former president recalled, “As a democratically elected President of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, we sometimes disagreed only to agree in our commitment to regenerating and repositioning our country to meet the hopes and aspirations of the Nigerian people and chart the course for our nation’s glorious future.
“He was such an unpretentious personality! His thoughts, utterances, and deeds were completely devoid of political partisanship. He had friends from all over the country, and he led a life filled with remarkable experiences.
“Until his death, he fought with courage and tenacity to see the restructuring of the Nigerian nation, through which good governance—based on democratic principles and practices—would lead to unity in diversity, justice and equity, political stability, nationalism, popular participation, peace and security, and socio-economic progress with strong leadership.
“It is unfortunate that his dream to see this through could not be realised in his lifetime. Indeed, Chief Adebanjo’s contributions to strengthening our fledgling democracy will be missed by the entire nation.”
He also commiserated with Adebanjo’s immediate and extended family on their painful loss and prayed that God grant them, his friends, and admirers the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
“May the soul of our dear Chief Adebanjo rest in perfect peace, Amen.
“I will undoubtedly miss my amazing and beloved Egbon Ayo, with the hope of holding on to the good and remarkable memories we shared until we meet to part no more,” Obasanjo stated.
