FORMER MINISTER OF EDUCATION, Dr ONI OLAIYA DIES AT 72

Former Minister of Education and pioneer Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Dr. Olaiya Oni is dead. He was 74.

Oni, a seasoned technocrat and former Secretary to the old Ondo State Government (SSG) died yesterday at an hospital in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Family sources told The Nation that the former Head of Service (HoS) has been having health challenges since 2012, which was why he relocated from Akure to his home town, Ise-Akoko, in Akoko North East Local Government Area.

It was gathered that Oni’s health degenerated three days ago and he was rushed to Owo.

He was appointed Minister of Education during the regime of Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar.

Oni played a crucial role in the political adventure of the Labour Party (LP) which kicked out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by the late former Governor Olusegun Agagu on February 23, 2009.

Incidentally, the late Agagu and Oni were friends before Oni joined forces with Governor Olusegun Mimiko to send Agagu out of the Alagbaka Government House through an Appeal Court verdict in Benin City.

He parted ways with Governor Olusegun Mimiko shortly after the 2011 general elections and later resigned as LP Chairman on August 12, 2011.

The late Oni joined the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in October 2011.

He became critical of the Mimiko’s administration to the extent that he was attacked by some suspected LP thugs at the fifth memorial lecture held in Akure for former Governor Adebayo Adefarati.

But his journey in the ACN was shortlived as he parted way with the party’s leaders , following the emergence of Rotimi Akeredolu as the party candidate in the 2012 governorship election.

Due to his political sagacity, he was lured back into the PDP by the late Agagu and his staunch supporter, Saka Lawal, emerged as the running mate to Olusola Oke.

Oni quit politics in 2013 on the grounds that he could not cope with a party battling for recognition with its national leaders.

According to a source, “it is so painful that Baba Olaiya Oni died. I recalled he called me that he was quitting politics that he can’t cope with the lifestyle of PDP national leaders who preferred to recognise Mimiko, who was in the LP but abandoned their candidate, Oke.“Baba said he will be focusing on his wallet packaging factory on Ilesa road in Akure where he produced cartons for goods package. But, he was frustrated when the electricity power line that brought light to the area was cut off.“We believe that this was deliberately done to him just because he parted ways with the then LP.“He has no choice than to close down the company. He relocated to Ise-Akoko and since then, his health status started degenerated until he says goodbye to this sinful world.”

Saka, in a text message, said Oni’s death was very devastating. “May his soul rest in peace”.

Former Commissioner for Natural Resource in Mimiko LP’s government, Mr. Solagbade Amodeni, described his death as great shock.

A former Commissioner for Transport, Otunba Omoniyi Omodara, said: “How are the mighty fallen. A leader who served with sincerity, very upright, frank and unshaken in any course he believed in.”