Oyo APC : How best to honour the memories of Omodewu

By Sola Abegunde

Death struck a fatal blow on Monday, the 19th of August, 2024.

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo state, Barr. Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu passed away in the United States of America.

Omodewu’s death sent shock waves across the spines of family, friends, associates and the APC family, most especially in Oyo state.

I had the opportunity to see for a brief moments, the kind of person that the late Chairman was.

My interactions with him was momentary but it was enough to see in him his natural character traits.

He was a very cool, calm, easy going, pleasant and charismatics personality.

The personal interactions I was opportuned to have with him were made possible through a friend and brother, Barr. Lawal.

Since the news of his death was announced by the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, I had read quite a lot of tributes in his honor.

Deep and glowing tributes from friends, associates and party men have continued to pour in praises of the deceased Chairman.

I have thought and thought about how best to honor the departed state Chairman of the APC, who no doubts gave his all to the development and well being of the party till his last moments and I concluded that the only way to honor his memories is for the Oyo APC to unite in purpose, seeking genuine reconciliation and put a stop to the mockery of being in the opposition in Oyo state for good.

Oyo APC is too big, too blessed and too endowed to be playing opposition to any political party in Oyo state.

The party is equally too big and too important to be neglected or ignored in the scheme of things.

Had Omodewu returned to the shores of this country alive, the obvious fact is that he would have began from where he left the processes of genuine reconciliation of critical stakeholders and repositioning of the party ahead of the challenges ahead.

No matter how we choose to honor him, the only thing that the Leaders of the party could give this great party man is to use the occassion of his passing to reflect and come together to finish what he could not.

In the days of old, the deaths of heroes served as motivations to surmount difficulties, even through the pain of the loss of the loved one.

As we continue to honor him through our tributes and condolence messages, we must equally take time to reflect on what Omodewu would have wanted the most and I am certain that nothing was uppermost in his heart more than the unity of the Party.

Please, let’s do it for him.

Sola Abegunde writes from Eruwa