By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday mourned the demise of Senator Isiaka Adeleke

Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke

The three in their separate messages said that the country had lost a colossus whose wealth of knowledge was needed at the present critical time in the nation’s political history.

A message signed by the media office of the Speaker described the late senator as a distinguished gentleman, saying that his death was shocking huge loss to the country.

He said, “Senator Adeleke was a leader who left giant footprints and lasting legacies as the first civilian governor of Osun State.”

Dogara recalled that the late senator was credited for establishing tertiary educational institutions across Osun State when he was governor in the third republic, thereby laying the foundation for the development of the State.

He said, “On behalf of all members of the House of Representatives, I condole with the Adeleke family, the Senate, government and people of Osun State over this big loss.”

The Deputy Speaker in his own message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Wole Oladimeji described the death of Adeleke as a rude shock.

Lasun said that the three-term Senator currently representing Osun West Senatorial district was a grassroot politician, adding that the late Adeleke would be remembered for his uprightness iand lack of bitterness in politics.

“His personality uniquely designed in his form of traditional cap,” said, regretting that Osun state had lost one of its good and straight forward politician who believed in improving the condition of his people.

While consoling the people and government of Osun State over death of their illustrious son, Lasun said late Senator Adeleke would be remembered for his good deed‎s while serving the people, the state and also by his colleagues at the National Assembly.

Also commiserating with the people of Osun State and the family of the late Senator, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said late Adeleke was a colossus whose sudden death has left a huge void in Nigeria’s political firmament.

Ngige in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Nwachukwu Obidiwe, further described the late lawmaker as a rare breed.

He said, “Prince Adeleke belonged to the special breed of the political class who strongly believes in politics without bitterness. He would be missed by the common people of his immediate Ede community, the good people of Osun whom he served as governor between 1992-1993, the people ( Osun East) he also represented in the current Senate. He lived for the people. He shall live in the hearts for a very long time .”

The statement addd that ” a big political void has been created in the South West political firmament while a shining star has been lost in the National Assembly . Nigeria has in deed lost another great. May God grant eternal rest to his gentle soul.”