A delegation of the Oyo State Government, led by the Deputy Governor, Barrister Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, on Friday, January 24, visited the family of the deceased Engr. Sunday Makinde, eldest brother of Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde.
This was made known in a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser (Media), Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju.
The delegation included wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja, commissioners and other political functionaries.
The Deputy Governor stated that the death of Engr. Makinde struck everyone hard, noting that it was a great loss to everybody.
He condoled with the immediate family of the deceased as well as the entire Makinde family.
The Deputy Governor described Engr. Sunday Makinde as an ebullient personality, who carried on admirably as the oldest sibling of the governor.
Barr. Lawal also prayed to God to uphold the members of the Makinde family and the deceased’s friends and associates.
He said: “I need to say that his death struck us like a thunderbolt. Yesterday, he was around at the Secretariat, speaking and joking with people, only for us to discover today that he had gone.
“We thank God Almighty that inspired all of that. He didn’t subject us to worries; he was not carried about asking for help. He passed on peacefully.
“Engr. Sunday Makinde, as we all know, was the eldest sibling of the Makinde family and he carried on admirably as an elder brother to all of the siblings.
“He was an ebullient and cheerful person to everyone who came across him. We lost him but his memories linger.
“We can only pray that God should uphold members of the Makinde family and his associates as well because this is a great loss to all of us.”
Also speaking, Alhaja Ladoja said Engr. Makinde’s death was a great shock, saying: “It was a great shock to me. When I received the news of his death this morning, I was surprised and said it couldn’t be true. Those who saw him yesterday said he was very okay.
“Engr. Sunday was a very easy-going person. His wife died close to a year ago. So, how can such a thing be happening to the children at this time? But let us take it as the will of God. There is nothing one can do when the time comes. God can call us home anytime.
“My prayer is that God should grant him eternal rest, uphold the children and the entire family he left behind. He was a nice man.”
In his response, the immediate younger brother of the deceased, Mr Kayode Makinde, said the family would miss him as well as the leadership and guidance he provided.
“We are going to miss our brother. He was a very intelligent and industrious man. We will miss his leadership position in the family,” the younger brother said.
Also speaking, one of the children, Fisayo, described the deceased as a fighter and a father indeed, saying he would be remembered for different things, including being a great father.
