Yinka Odumakin,Afenifere Publicity Secretary, Dies at 54

Yinka Odumakin, the publicity Secretary of Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba Socio-Cultural Organisation is dead at 54.

Yinka Odumakin died at the intensive care unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, on Saturday morning.

In a  statement released on behalf of his family by his wife, Joe Okei-Odumakin, the late politician was “was managed for respiratory issues due to complications from COVID-19 which he had recovered from about a week ago.”

Mrs Joy Okei-Odumakin further announced that a burial arrangement that would accord a benefitting burial to the seasoned politician will be announced in due course.

There was an unconfirmed report that Mr Odumakin had told journalists he would not be able to pick calls due to his failing health. He reportedly introduced an associate to be in charge of his official communications.

This is not the first time that Mr Odumakin would experience a major health complication. In February, he fell critically ill during a visit to the Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, and the government had to promptly respond by offering him emergency medical care. He made his way back to Lagos after he was stabilised by medical personnel.

He immediately returned to Lagos after he was stabilised by medical personnel.

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The Man

Born on December 10, 1966, Mr Odumakin hails from Moro, Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State. It is the same town where the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, hails from.

The deceased, who studied the English Language from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, graduated in 1989.

While at the university, the deceased served as the public relations officer of the university’s students union.

He was employed by The Punch Newspaper as a reporter and later joined The Guardian Newspapers.

Mr Odumakin resigned from the Guardian in 1993 and established Effective Company Limited, a media and publishing company in partnership with fellow journalist and former schoolmate, Femi Ige.

Mr Ige, who also resigned from The Guardian in 1994, later returned to the mainstream media and was the chief operating officer at the now rested Newswatch Dailies.

Speaking exclusively with our reporter on the phone, Mr Ige said he had lost a buddy. He said their company was responsible for the publication of some books.

He was part of the National Democratic Coalition that fought the regime of late military head of state, Sani Abacha, after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.

He also took part, alongside his wife, in the National Conference which was held in Abuja in 2014.

Mr Odumakin, who was appointed the spokesman for the presidential campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2011, later turned his back on Mr Buhari in 2015 when he supported the then outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan.

In 1997, Mr Odumakin married his wife, Dr Joe Odumakin, and they are blessed with children.

Until his death, Mr Odumakin was the spokesman for Afenifere and had been vocal about Nigeria’s development

Odumakin was a human rights activist who played a vital role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that fought General Sani Abacha’s regime after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.

He was the Apex Yoruba group’s spokesman for over two decades, coordinating the publicity and public relations activities of the group.

He was also one of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) spokespersons, the body representing ethnic nationalities in the South-West, South-South, South-East and the Middle Belt.

He has consistently taken on the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government over alleged impartiality and favouritism in appointments into various offices.

His voice was also very loud in condemning the activities of killer herders in Yorubaland.