Adekunle Fajuyi’s wife dies at 85

Eunice Fajuyi died peacefully in her sleep.

Eunice, the wife of the first military governor of the former Western Region, Adekunle Fajuyi, is dead.

The 85-year-old died in her sleep at about 6.45 a.m. on Friday at the family house in Okesa area of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Her death came 47 years after that of her husband, who was killed during a military coup in 1966.

The deceased’s first and only surviving son, Donald Olufemi, said his late mother would have turned 85 on July 27.

Sympathizers, including the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Modupe Adelabu, and the wife of the governor, Bisi Fayemi, thronged the family home of the deceased to sympathise with them.

The Deputy Governor and Mrs. Fayemi described the late Mrs. Fajuyi as a rare mother and prayed that God gives the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

The deceased’s son, while briefing journalists, thanked former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, for his support to the family, especially for rebuilding the old family house in 2009. He equally thanked the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, as well as the Senator representing Ekiti Central, Femi Ojudu, and others for helping the family in various ways. He said the deceased would be missed by the family.

“We had planned to celebrate her 85th birthday with a three-day event from July 27 to 29. This would have given us the opportunity of marking the 47th anniversary of her husband’s death which is on July 29. We had planned to hold a rally, dinner night and award ceremony and we have paid for the venue. All these will now be put on hold. She showed no sign of sickness except for the normal complaints by old people,” he said.

One of the deceased’s grandchildren, Oluwapelumi, added that the Mrs. Fajuyi did not show signs of illness before her death.

“There was no premonition that she would die. Only yesterday (Thursday), she played with her grandchildren and started mentioning their names one after the other till about 10 p.m. when she was advised to go and sleep and rest.

“Usually, I would go and wake her and ask what she would take for breakfast but this morning, when I got to her room, there was no life in her though her body was warm and I had to call other senior members of the family,” she said.

Members of the family will meet to decide on the burial arrangements.