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THE NATION THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
NEWS LAMIDI ADESINA (1939-2012) Lam had kidney ailment, says UCH
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HE management of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, yesterday spoke on the death of the former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, who was initially admitted in the hospital. Though the management said its personnel did their best to save the life of the political icon, “there is little anyone can do when the nature strikes.” The ex-governor was reportedly admitted in the hospital for some weeks before he was transferred to a private hospital in Lagos, an action the UCH management said was at the request of his family and political associates. UCH’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr. Temitope Alonge, said this while fielding questions from reporters at the beginning of the 55th anniversary of the hospital. The Professor of Orthopaedic, however, insisted that the death
ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI (1933-2012)
From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan
of Lam Adesina had nothing to do with his transfer to a private hospital in Lagos. He said death would occur when it would occur and it could be anywhere. Recalling the efforts made by his hospital when the deceased was brought there, Dr. Alonge said he was almost in a coma, but he recovered after about 24 hours. He said it was then it was discovered that he had kidney problems and was placed on dialysis. While stressing that the discharge and transfer of the late politician out of UCH was not due to inefficiency or lack of equipment to take care of him, the CMD said the hospital offered him the best service that could be offered a personality, “but we had to bow to the wishes of his associates to get him transferred.”
•The widow-Deaconess Florence (middle) and her son, Senator Bukola Saraki (at the back), the late Saraki’s sister, Alhaja Ramota Sanni; the deceased’s daughters - Mrs. Gbemisola Saraki-Fowora (second right); Mrs Tope Edu and others at the airport, Ilorin...yesterday
Ibadan community mourns Adesina
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HE Kasumu Estate Residents Association (KERA), Odo-Ona Elewe, Orita Challenge, Ward II, Oluyole Local Government in Ibadan, Oyo State, has commiserated with the family of the late political icon, former governor, National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader in the state, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina. Members of the association said his death was a great loss not only to the ACN and Oyo indigenes, but also to Nigeria. Describing the late Adesina who ruled Oyo State from 1999 to 2003 as a political leader and lover of the masses, they said his death has left a vacuum in the progressives’ camp. In a statement signed by KERA’s Chairman Mr. Niyi Fagbemi Public Relations Officer Mr. Wale Afinjuomo and Secretary, Mr. Abdulraham Abdulazeez expressed their heartfelt condolence to the widow, Alhaja
•The late Adesina
Saratu Adesina, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, the Adesina family and Oyo State indigenes on. The community suggested that the Ajimobi administration should name The Polytechnic Ibadan after the late politician, being the first Ibadan indigene that ruled Oyo State for four years as a governor. “His was a straight forward and detribalised person. We will sorely miss him, but we seek solace in the fact that he impacted positively on humanity and Nigeria as a whole. May Allah grant him aljaana firdaus,” the association said.
•Hon. Ahmadu Alli (left) and Senator Jim Nwobodo at the airport...yesterday
Adesina was a patriot, says Afenifere
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HE Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) said it has received with shock the death of Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, the former Oyo State governor. The group, in a statement by its Media/Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, described Adesina as a patriotic, illustrious Yoruba son and a dogged fighter for the progressives. The group said: “As we mourn his departure, we believe that he will rest in peace because he spent his life fighting for the welfare of the masses.
“We send our heartfelt condolence to the family of GREAT LAM, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo State indigenes and Nigerians who will miss his unique contributions to the political development of the country. “The belief of Lam Adesina in true federalism and the par- •Alhaji Kola Abiola...yesterday liamentary system of government as a better option to the current presidential system of government and the integration of the Southwest should be pursued with vigour in his memory.”
‘A patriotic Nigerian leader has passed on’
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HE Initiator and Chairman of the Movement for Nigeria’s Total Transformation and a renowned author, Chief Areoye Oyebola, has said with the death of Lam Adesina, Nigeria has lost a patriotic leader who exercised genuine gift of leadership throughout his life. He said: “Lam Adesina, my close friend of over 50 years, will be greatly missed at this hour when our country badly needs its best citizens to rescue it from the pit where it now prostrates. “Lam was very bold, selfless, altruistic and humane. When the struggle was fierce against the tyrannical rule of the late Gen-
eral Sani Abacha, Lam, who travelled with me from Ibadan to Owo, the home of the late former Governor Adekunle Ajasin for the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) meetings, demonstrated his dogged fighting spirit. “At one of the meetings, he nominated me as the chairman of a three-man ad-hoc committee, which was assigned to carry out espionage on the activities and manoeuvres of Abacha. “Nigeria will miss a great educationist, a man of deep knowledge, a thoughtful columnist and a man of uncompromising integrity who was kind •Muslim clerics at the Ilorin home of the Sarakis...yesterday to a fault.”
•A relation...yesterday