Daramola, who aspires to govern Ekiti state, in a tribute he authored for late Ajayi, described the deceased as a politician who had great vision and plan for the state.
The former federal lawmaker then Commiserated with Ajayi’s family and relations and asked God to grant them the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
A copy of the tribute made available to Amiloaded reads in full:
“I can’t seem to find appropriate words to convey my thoughts because for some reason I am thinking and hoping that tommorow you will call me and you will tell me in your thick Ekiti accent and you will say ” Awe mo mo da ra han lohun e mo suhun ko se mi o”!
Well I am waiting for that call.
I have known you for all of my life and will try to see you from the prism of the Danshiki or Buba wearing young man, always wanting to speak our dear dialect.
A foremost Old boy of the then Ondo State University, that has undergone several renaming ceremonies, I am sure all Old students will remember your roles toward getting the association started.
I recall you as a publisher of the FORUM (i guess that’s the name) I am not sure if it’s rested because you will resurrect the title as needed and necessary, it was a potent tool for you to express your views and at different times to champion the cause of our dear state.
You studied Biochemistry I think and went on to study law out of the EKITI grit, I recall visiting you in law school once and you said law will help you in your quest to pursue a career in politics much later.
I recall that I had the mandate to get you to back down for Dr Kayode Fayemi in 2014. As Director General I was on your case , then you were the candidate of Accord Party, you insisted on running the race all the way to the end even when I working with a key member of team to take away successfully a good number of your members in accord, they decamped openly at Ajitadidun, yet you insisted. You did all the way to the end.
As opposition, you held on to your views and position and still preached that I support you as a friend and brother, and not as Director General of Dr Fayemi.!!! You never cease to tell me that I am first and foremost your friend and brother before becoming DG. With this Superior argument, I always bend.
You claimed that you are the only one that is not a “Tokunbo” candidate! I recall our arguments, how stridently I sold Dr Kayode Fayemi to you, I must have had meetings to you severally in Fabian hotel Ado Ekiti and your hotel of Balogun stop in ikeja lagos, well good enough you found your way back at the twilight of your years on earth, unknowingly too. I am sure your P.A Ifedayo will be the one to explain to us.
You, in your characteristic manner branded yourself politically as “aberekolokun ludi” an unusual pay off line, difficult to understand for a non native but you stuck to it all the way to the end. It’s a philosophical thematic thrust of your identity to connect you with your electorates because you are wont to say ” ira han I sora ra”!!
When the race to 2018 started, we had meetings upon meetings and you also gave indications and promises but for reasons known to you, those indications did not run it’s course and the promises were capitulated but that is the vintage Kole.
You have your mind and you give expression to it as you deem fit.
We had meetings at whitbaker hotel in Lagos , in Ibadan and the last was at Fabian, you sent me several messages about need to work together and I said go and declare in your ward first! All that discussion I was going to bring up at our next meeting but Alas I did not know that fate would play a cruel one on us.
Those of us who had known you for a longer period know you as “#Kole #Igberiko” because of your penchant to be colloquial in your attitude and presentation deliberately and that cannot mask your innate abilities.
“#Aberekolokun #ludi” means the need that has a thread running through the eye of the needle, which means the need cannot get lost in a haystack and can always be traced, this I guess was adopted to show that you are known and have a recognisable identity, and truly so, I am sure Ado Progressive Union will not forget you in a hurry, because for years you were the spokesperson. You loved your Ado identity and you are always saying ohun ko ba ti sele l’Ado ni ulu yoku a tele!. A little on the impetuous side but its Ok.
Well you wanted to be the Governor of our dear state , twice you tried, the first you went all the way, pushed and campaigned.
The second, I am not sure you really gave it all it required and you charted a course for yourself at the end as you so felt, regardless, you are a man given to dreams, I read your withdrawal statement wherein you clearly suggested that the dream to serve our state as governor remains alive. That will have to be on hold till when next you are on this earthly plane.
I have no doubt about the fact that you will be a people’s governor because of your Spartan outlook and “ordinariness”, you once said as Governor you will be rotating government house from one local government to the other- how ingenous!
Well you have joined saints triumphant now, leaving behind your dearly beloved mum, wife and kids, your departure is as sudden as it is shocking and leaving a trail of friends in serious pains borne out of the fact that Kole Ajayi a.k.a Igberiko and Aberekolokun ludi to your political associate is gone and gone for life, kole is irreplaceable! God did not make you in twos!
Now the thread in the eye of the needle has been pulled out and the needle has fallen out of our grip.
We shall continue to look for this needle till we keep our own dates with our maker.
Goodnight Kole. The labourer is now free from his toils.
Too hard to say goodbye. R.I.P. May God comfort Mummy, who you are so dearly fond of and your dearly beloved wife, kids and your supporters and us your friends and brothers.”
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