The death of Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, is a devastating loss to the family, the government and people of Ekiti State and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) family according to former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu.
“The sudden demise of Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka is a big blow and comes at a time when she is most needed to play a vital role in the transformation of Ekiti. She rose like a meteor and brought compassion and grace to the exalted office of the Deputy Governor. She was a leading light amongst women of her generation and creed. Alongside the people of Ekiti, I share in the sudded and painful loss of this great daughter of Oduduwa and rising star, Mrs. Olayinka,” Senator Tinubu said.
In a personal letter to Governor Kayode Fayemi and the people of Ekiti State, Senator Tinubu prayed for solace for her family and Ekiti sons and daughters through the trying period. Tinubu asked for strenght for her husband and the family she left behind and encouraged Dr. Fayemi to be strong and remain undeterred in the onerous task to fully develop Ekiti State, which his deputy and himself committed to when they came to power.
Speaking further, Tinubu lamented the state of health facilities in Nigeria. “Her painful death sadly reminds us of the parlous state of our health care system in Nigeria,” he said. “The lives of millions of our men and women are in jeopardy as they suffer under the disease of cancer without early detection and adequate treatment. A national cancer centre of international status needs to be established with proper funding and subsidized cost for testing and treatment.
“Nigerians must continue the struggle against cancer and hold out their candles for all that have died and those suffering from this terrible disease and by so doing, we will get the government doing something and keep hope alive.”