Diran Odeyemi, an aide to a former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, said his boss probably had a sense of foreboding that he would pass on to the world beyond.
In a tribute on Wednesday shortly after the death of Alao-Akala, a grieving Odeyemi shared his last moment with his boss.
“How do you start writing about the obituary of a man you saw bubbling with life three days ago and hearing he passed on on the fourth day,” he wrote in an emotion-laden post on Facebook.
Continuing, he wrote, “What can I write, where do I start from about a man who God used to make me whatever I am today?
“Death has made a double mistake, taking away the wrong person at a very wrong time.
“Death, why must you take away the kind-hearted leaving behind the wicked or did you not know that Akala was a different human being christened ‘Oyato’ because ‘O meto’ Death why why?
“My Oga, my mentor, is that the end? just like that? You broke to me (on Sunday) the death of your friend ‘Solo’ and you talked about vanity of life. Could that be a passing message to me?
“Oga, but we were together on Sunday, laughing, joking as usual! You were not sick at all, your were bubbling and was full of life in your usual character.
“Oga, you did not give us any sign that you would soon join your creator when we were together just this last Sunday now why why
Were those words of wisdom and lectures that “Governance is all about the welfare of the masses” and that “Good name and legacy should be the hallmark of service to humanity” meant to be a premonition?”
Odeyemi took solace that the deceased left “good name and legacy of service to humanity” and a “clean bill that erased what could have been a dent” on his name by detractors who dragged him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Alao-Akala died in the early hours of Wednesday at the age of 71.
Alao-Akala, who ruled the state between 2007 and 2011, was said to have died in his home town, Ogbomoso.
The late politician was the deputy to Senator Rashidi Ladoja when he was the governor of the state from 2003 to 2007. Ladoja was removed from office as governor by the State House of Assembly on January 12, 2006 and Alao-Akala was sworn in to replace him.
Coincidentally, Alao-Akala died exactly 16 years after he was sworn in as the governor.
He spent 11 months as the court reinstated Ladoja in December of the same year he was removed.
Alao-Akala went on to contest the election as governor and won. He ruled the state for four years but failed to win a second term.
