The remains of the late Oyo State chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde, will be committed to mother earth on today at his Elebu house, between 9.00-10.00am.
Fele, as he is fondly called, died yesterday at the age of 58.
Fele, who doubles as the South West chairman of NURTW, died at the Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, No. 5 Atom Kpera Close & Off, Joseph Gomwalk Street, Gudu, Abuja after many months of sickness.
Oyerinde, according to sources, had been managing an undisclosed ailment for sometimes now, and last appeared in public six weeks ago when he held the state executive meeting of the union at their new office in Ojoo, Ibadan.
National president of the union, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, who is on his way to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia where he is performing hajj, officially confirmed the death through phone call to a Yoruba programme on Petals 102.3 FM on Tuesday evening.
OYO INSIGHT gathered that his remains were on transit en route Ibadan.
Yasin’s announcement where he eulogized the deceased as man of peace threw the state chapter of the union into a state of mourning.
Yasin later said he was on his way to Nigeria for the burial.
He said “I am making an announcement that one of us, a prominent member of NURTW, South West and chairman of Oyo state chapter, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde , popularly known as Fele died this afternoon at Zenith kidney hospital, Abuja.
“Since then (Oyerinde’s death was confirmed), we have make arrangements to bring his remains to Ibadan, by the grace of Almighty Allah, his remains will arrive Ibadan tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and he will be buried between 9.00-10.00am in his house at Elebu, Ibadan.”
“As I am speaking now, I am currently in Saudi Arabia, and was the first person to call when the incident happened.”
Immediately the news about his death filtered into town, situation around his house, Nigerian Tribune reported, changed immediately as Eid-al-adha celebration in his house ended abruptly.
All tents and chairs in use were hurriedly packed as the atmosphere turned sober as family members were all looking helplessly at the current situation.
On succession plan to fill the vacuum created by his death, Yasin said the deputy chairman of the chapter, Alhaji Abideen Olajide popularly known as Ejiogbe to step in in acting capacity according to the constitution of the union.
“Now, for his death, according to the constituion of our union, we have accepted the appointment of Alhaji Abideen Olajide, popularly known as ‘Ejiogbe’ who is the deputy chairman as of the time of this incident in Oyo state to act as chairman for now.
“We enjoined members to support and work with him.”
Born precisely on October 1, 1960, Taofeek Oyerinde, who said he became a commercial driver in 1978, and succeeded Alhaji Lateef Salako fondly called Eleweomo who was murdered in a political party congress in Ibadan in December 2010.
