Slain Olaitan Returns to Mother Earth Tomorrow, as Father Describes the Murder as Normal

Kabiri Olaitan Oyerinde 

Five days after he was brutally cut down by the agents of death, the remains of Principal Private Secretary to Edo State Governor, Mr Kabiri Olaitan Oyerinde, 44, would be committed to mother earth Thursday in his home town, Ede, Osun State.

Olaitan was murdered at his residence in Edo State by yet-to-be identified gunmen. The Police have been given two weeks within which to fish out the suspected killers of the former trade union activist

In a statement released by the Edo State government, the burial would be preceded by a service of songs to be held at the Edo State Government House, Benin City today, at 4pm. His corpse is expected to depart Benin City for Ede in a motorcade at 7.00 a.m Thursday.

But reactions have continued to trail the brutal murder and rising cases of violence in Edo State, as the state prepares for the gubernatorial election on July 14.

In his letter of condolence, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah enjoined Gov Oshiomhole  not to despair as “God often tries those He wishes to use in the furnace”.

“I have just read the tragic news of the brutal killing of our friend and brother, Comrade Olaitan on the internet. I had called in response to the news about your accident and the loss of your staff.

“I want to assure you of my prayers but also to know that God is in charge of everything. You have gone through quite a lot in the last few years. I hope you also understand that God often tries those He wishes to use in the furnace. Please be strong and keep faith,” he said.

Writing glowingly of the late aide, Kukah said,“I really feel even more about Olaitan because he is a man I had grown to love and respect. I know he was such an efficient gentleman, loved and believed in you and your work together. We must thank God for the time you had together and all that God helped you to accomplish. Please give my regards to his wife and children and assure them of my prayers. The Lord is with you”, the Bishop said.

Also enraged by the murder, a socio-political pressure group, the Akoko-Edo Coalition for Oshiomhole 2012 has described the killing as not only callous and ungodly but “a condemnable development in the nation’s growing democracy”.

The group vowed that no amount of intimidation, harassment, misinformation or outright threat will cow comrade Oshiomhole and ACN supporters to submission until victory is achieved in the forth coming elections in the state.

The chairman of the coalition, Engineer Afemikhe Emmanuel Yakubu, while speaking in Bauchi, challenged law enforcement agents to ensure that the killers of the deceased are fished out and made to face the law of the land. He condemned the do-or-die politics of certain persons in the state, declaring that it is a mark of desperation. He further urged Governor Oshiomhole and supporters of ACN in the state not to give up.

But in a rare show of a stoic disposition, Olaitan’s father Alhaji AbdulAzeez Oyerinde has described the assassination of his son, Mr. Kabir Olaitan Oyerinde as normal occurrence in the country saying that, he has taken it as an act of Allah.

Alhaji Oyerinde, a veteran journalist, who had worked with Nigerian Tribune and defunct Sketch, spoke to THISDAY at his Taiwo Isale area of Ilorin residence, Wednesday.

The monarch of Pa Oyerinde’s hometown (in Ede—Osun State), the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal  had paid Pa Oyerinde a condolence visit, when the latter spoke to THISDAY.

Not betraying so much emotion, Pa Oyerinde noted that, " I am very sad like everybody", explaining that the nature of death visited on his son had been ordained by fate, and so has also accepted it as “the will of Allah”

Speaking on security challenges in the country and what he expects from the Nigeria Police Force, Oyerinde said, "all of us know the challenges we are facing in this country”, declaring that “his death is normal".

He argued that, "there is no great nation in this world that has not passed through the stage of life that Nigeria is passing through", asking rhetorically: "Is he the first person to be killed like that"?

Pa Oyerinde added, "what is special there and all the past assassinations  of that nature, their killers are yet to be fished out up till this moment".

On the status of the deceased in the family, Oyerinde said, "all my children are on the same pedestal and I hold them equally without any contradictions whatsoever"

He said that," I thanked God that all my children are well educated including Kabir who read Mass communication at the University of Lagos and with other private courses both home and abroad".

On the relationship of his late son with  Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomohle, Pa Oyerinde said," the family believes so much on the exemplary leadership of Oshiomohle, hence the family named Kabir’s (Olaitan’s) first son as Adams.
Oyerinde added that, "we admire Adams Oshiomhole’s life style, we admire his activities as he always shows us exemplary leadership”.

Olaitan was deputy general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) before his secondment to work with Governor Adams Oshiomhole in November, 2007.

A Mass Communication graduate of the University of Lagos, Oyerinde, a former student activist was also a former Lagos State Chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD).

A former member of defunct Nigerian Tenants Association (NTA), Oyerinde began his trade union career with the Iron and Steel Workers Union as assistant general secretary. He was also the executive director of the Centre for Workers’ Rights (CWR) based in Lagos.

He is survived by his wife, Funke, four children, two sisters and aged parents.