By Dapo Akinrefon

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South West and former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, yesterday, described the demise of the party’s former National Vice-Chairman, Chief Ishola Filani, as a colossal loss to the party.

Ishola Filani

Chief Filani, 72, who was the party’s South-West PDP chairman between 2012 and 2014, died yesterday in London, United Kingdom.

The South-West PDP Chairman, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, said the party received the news of his death with a rude shock, adding that its prayers are with the family.

He said: “While alive, he was a democrat  and gave his all. He is a committed, resourceful and loyal leader of the party.”

On his part, George said: “He could disagree with demonstrated fervor but without acrimony. He was a patriot with passion, a distinguished lawyer with assertive merits.

“He will be sorely missed wherever commitment, honour, candor,  pursuit  of excellence are basic ingredients of polished attainments. He has now finished his course. His duty is done. He now reposes in the bosom of the Lord.”

“He was a man of warmth, full of devotion, enveloped within whatever cause he pursued with vigour and sheer honesty. He resonated with settled intelligence and  far reaching  determined articulation. He could be combative in  debate  but without malice.”