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How APC lost 4 chieftains in 4 days

This is certainly not the best of times for All Progressives Congress (APC), South West zone. The party lost four prominent members within four days.
From Thursday, April 20, 2017, to Sunday, April 23, 2017, four prominent members of the party lost their lives to the cold hands of death. Out of these four members, three were from Lagos State branch of the party while one was from Osun State chapter.
The four prominent members were Pa (Alhaji) Safiriyu Abiodun Sunmola, (APC leader of Osun East Senatorial District), Prof. Olu Akeusola (the Provost of Michael Otedola College of Primary Education), Hon. Farouk Adegboyega Oshodi and Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke.
The, first to give up the ghost was Pa Safiriyu Abiodun Sunmola. Pa. Sunmola, who was a member of Governor’s Advisory Council in Lagos State had gone to United States of America for medical treatment. He was in the US for two weeks and was believed to have recovered fully. He went with another prominent member of the party and a member of Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Osinowo.
It was on their return to the country that he collapsed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and never regained consciousness. He was 77. He was buried according to muslim rites on Friday, April 21, 2017, at his Surulere Street, opposite Otunba Tunwase Court, Ijebu-Ode residence.
He was survived by his daughter, Mrs. Sofolu, the wife of former chairman of Kosofe Local Government Council.
Pa Sunmola was a member of Lagos State Advisory Council popular known as G4. Other members of that council are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, Chief Henry Ajomale, APC chairman in Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola and many others.
As members of the party were leaving Ijebu-Ode after the burial of Pa Sunmola, information filtered in that another prominent member of the party in Epe in the same Lagos East Senatorial district has given up the ghost.
The news of the death of Prof. Olu Akeusola sent shock waves down the spine of members who first heard it. This was because he was a young and ebullient man that was full of life. Like Pa Sunmola, Akeusola has just arrived from a trip.
He was at the National University Commission (NUC), Abuja on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, to submit necessary document for the upgrading of Michael Otedola College of Primary Education to a university awarding institution. He came back on Friday, April 22, 2017, around 2.30pm.
He went straight home from the airport and took his bath. He told his aide that he wanted to rest for some time. He told them to wake him up by 5.10pm.
When the aide went to wake him at exactly 5.00pm, he told him to come again at 6pm. When the aide went back at 6pm, he met him in an unresponsive situation. He did not respond to the aide’s call and when the aide moved closer, he discovered that his breathing was no longer normal and the pupils of his eyes had almost disappeared. He raised an alarm and the late professor was rushed to General Hospital, Epe, where he was declared BID (Brought in Dead). He was buried on Saturday, April 22, 2017, around 1.30pm according to muslim rites. He was survived by three wives and many children. Professor Olu Akeusola was a brilliant scholar.
He emerged the best student at Lagos State College of Education, Ijanikin, where he studied French. He was also the best student at University of Lagos, Akoka, where he obtained his first, second and doctorate degree in Comparative Grammar in French, English and Yoruba. He was also a prominent member of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos. As an indigene of Epe, he played a prominent role in the election of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Though, born into a muslim family, he was a traditionalist too. He held as many as 20 traditional titles before he died. He was 55.
The death of Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke did not only send shock waves around the country, it led to rioting in Ede, Osun State, his home town where his supporters believed he was poisoned.
Senator Adeleke died on Sunday, April 23, 2017, after he had complained of chest pain and fatigue. He later developed heart attack and was rushed to Biket Hospital, Oshogbo where he was pronounced dead.
Senator Adeleke was a three term Senator representing Osun West Senatorial district in the National Assembly. He was the first civilian governor of Osun State from 1992 – 1993.
He was also eyeing 2018 governorship seat of the state. As a matter of fact, he was said to have held political meetings with his supporters on Saturday, April 22, 2017, towards actualizing his November 2018 governorship ambition. He was 62.
The death of Hon. Farouk Adegboyega Oshodi, the former Deputy Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly between 2003 and 2007, didn’t cause any shock because he was old and had been out of political radar for some years now. He was 80.
He was a two term member of Lagos House of Assembly from 1999 – 2007. He was first the Majority Leader and later the Deputy Speaker. He was a chartered accountant and a contemporary of late Chief MKO Abiola at ITT. He is survived by wives and many children.

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