CORNELIUS ADEBAYO: AFENIFERE CELEBRATES A COMMITED AWOIST AND GREAT SON OF NIGERIA.
The passage of Chief Cornelius Adebayo, former Governor of old Kwara State is a great loss of a most distinguished son of Nigeria who committed his entire life to the services of humanity in several spheres of life.
To us in the Afenifere, he was a great compatriot in the Obafemi Awolowo political family in the struggle for a Nigeria where every group and nationality will have a true sense of belonging to the federation with requisite autonomy for the agreed federating states in the pursuit of their legitimate and peculiar regional interests.
Within his short tenure as Governor of old Kwara State, C.O, as fondly called, distinguished himself in the faithful implementation of the four cardinal programmes of the Unity Party of Nigeria, particularly in the area of educatio, where he laid the foundation for mass education of the citizenry.
Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo was a multidisciplinary icon as a University lecturer, a statesman, Politician as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Governor of the old Kwara State and Minister of Communications.
A great Awoist who never wavered in his commitment to the restructuring of Nigeria for true federalism which he advocated through membership of great national platforms like the Afenifere, NADECO, Middle Belt Forum and the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum all of which he served at their apex leadership. He was indeed the Chairman of the Political Committee of Afenifere.
C. O will be remembered for his principled rejection of a ministerial appointment from Sanni Abacha in deference to his unalloyed commitment to the restoration of the June 12 1993 mandate of MKO Abiola as a leader within the NADECO.
Afenifere celebrates the glorious exit of a comrade, compatriot and a life of purpose in the service of humanity.
Oba Oladipo Olaitan
The Leader, Afenifere.
Chief Sola Ebiseni
Secretary General.