A secessionist agitator and Publicity Secretary of pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, is dead.
Details of his death were not available as at the press time but we gathered that Odumakin, who along with others had been behind the recent Sunday Igboho’s declaration of Yoruba Independence from Nigeria, died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
A delegation of Yoruba leaders were reportedly on their way to the residence of Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, to break the news to him.
The DEFENDER reports that Yinka Odumakin was a leading light in the heat that ethnic profiling generated which culmilated to killings and arsons carried out against Fulani communities in Yoruba Land by Sunday Igboho and his actualized quit notice to the Sariki Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Salihu AbdulKadir.
Odumakin also played role in the ethnic unrest when, as Afenifere spokesman, he confirmed the boycott of cow meat which was billed to start from 12:01 am on Friday, March 5, 2021 to midnight.
He had said on Thursday, March 4, in a media interview that Yoruba leaders would not continue to watch while their people were being killed in the name of cattle rearing although Yoruba figures kidnapped by kidnappers and which were the evidence being cited by the ethnic agitators had since been proved to either be by criminals of Yoruba ethnic group or political motivation.
While urging the people to respond positively to the boycott, the spokesman added that cows are not the only source of protein available to the people.
However, Kehinde Akinremi, a spokesperson with the Aare Onakankanfo said his boss was not involved in the planned boycott.
It remains on record that Odumakin’s threat urging YORUBA to stop patronising Fulani’s cow meat came after the leadership of cattle and foodstuff dealers had decided to lift the blockade placed on the supply of food to the southern parts of Nigeria.
Recall the Northern traders were responding to the killing of Northerners and burning of their properties and goods during #EndSARS protests and Sunday Igboho-led ethnic cleansing that saw many Northerners killed in Oyo State, al destructions happening in Southern Nigeria by Southerners.
The group under the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) arrived at the decision to lift the ban after a meeting with some governors in Abuja on Wednesday, March 3.
In the meantime, the death of the Afenifere chieftain has been described as shocking.
Afenifere reacts
The Secretary-General of Afenifere, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa, has described the death of the spokesperson of the group, Yinka Odumakin as a terrible blow to the country and the group.
Arogbofa, who reacted in Akure, according to a Vanguard report,, said: ”It’s a terrible blow. A terrible blow to me as a person because we’ve been so intimate.
“He’s been my right-hand man in Afenifere management. It’s terrible. Yinka should not have gone at this time.
“It’s a terrible blow to Afenifere and Nigeria.
“We’ve lost a brilliant chap with intelligent and brilliant ideas. This is sad, very sad.
“What a pity. I pity his wife Joe.”
