In an outpouring of emotions, party chieftains, colleagues, and associates have mourned the passing of Comrade Tunde Oladunjoye, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ogun State chapter.
Oladunjoye died in the United Kingdom after a brief illness, aged 58.
The state chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi, expressed sadness over the demise of the Publicity Secretary, Com. Tunde Oladunjoye, describing him as a “pragmatic and loyal party man.”
Announcing his death on Saturday morning, Chief Sanusi said that the late Oladunjoye was always ready to stretch himself beyond the convenience threshold to achieve the party’s goal. He lamented that his exit was a great loss to APC, his family, and Ogun State at large.
Read Also: Nigeria can still qualify for 2026 World Cup – Chelle
He prayed to the Almighty Allah to grant the deceased Aljanah Fridaus, bless and prosper the family that he left behind and also fortify the party leadership and followers against untimely death.
Sanusi said: “With total submission to the will of Almighty God, I announce the sudden departure of our State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Tunde Oladunjoye.
“I can recall that our paths crossed in 2018 when our party leadership appointed him, Mr Ayo Olubori, and my humble self as Caretaker Committee for Ogun APC. Ever since then, I have known Tunde to be an irredentist, pragmatic, and loyal party man who is ready to stretch himself beyond the convenience threshold to achieve the party’s goal.
Also, the Publicity Secretaries of APC in the Southwest have expressed deep sadness over the sudden passing of their colleague, Alhaji Tunde Oladunjoye.
The conference in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaye, described the news of his demise as shocking and devastating because he looked healthy and sound during our recent meeting.
”The departed politician and administrator was a successful journalist, courageous democrat, and loyal member of our great Party whose transition at this critical time has left a void that will be difficult to fill.”
”The conference expressed appreciation to the Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Dapo Abiodun, for making frantic and sincere efforts aimed at saving the life of our colleague.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his immediate family, the Government and people of Ogun State, and the Muslim community, where he served with uncommon zeal during his lifetime,” Kalejaye said.
The zonal group, which comprises Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, and Ekiti States, further prayed that Allah would overlook the late Oladunjoye’s errors and grant his soul eternal rest.
In a tribute entitled ”How not to say goodbye” posted on his social media handle, a friend and classmate of the deceased, Barrister Austin Oniyokor wrote: ”How can I put my thoughts together when a part of me is gone? My friend, brother and benefactor, Comrade Ambassador Tunde Ayinde Oladunjoye (CATO) is gone the way of all mortals! But, how could this have happened so soon and suddenly? Yes, the surprise element may be like death. But, it should not have been CATO!
”Yes, he was a part of me. Ours was a relationship formed about 28 years ago at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba-Ikeja, Lagos. Although I was a year ahead of CATO at NIJ, I was attracted to him by his activism, brilliance, and bluntness.
”During the struggle for the accreditation of the programmes, you brought to bear your contacts in the human rights community such that Mr. Femi Falana, SAN; Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, and others handled our matter pro bono.
”Since then, we have been together as brothers and friends, sharing a lot – personally and professionally. Even when we belonged to different camps or disagreed on issues and our approach to them, we always knew where to draw the lines such that our relationship, which was formed long ago as young student-activist, was not affected.
‘’You were always there for as many whose paths crossed with yours. It was not that you were rich in naira and kobo. Indeed, you showed that being generous is not a function of how rich you are in naira and kobo. Rather, it is a function of how compassionate you are. You were ever giving, always willing and ready to put smiles on people’s faces.”
