Stop Politicizing the Sudden Demise of Ijumu APC Chairman, Hon. Mayowa Solomon Oyewole: Dr. Funsho Olumoko’s Hands Are Clean – Ogidi-Omo Movement Media Team
The Ogidi-Omo Movement has moved to distance its Convener, Dr. Funsho Olumoko, from mounting public speculation surrounding the sudden death of Hon. Mayowa Solomon Oyewole, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area, who collapsed during a party reconciliation meeting he had convened.
In a statement signed by its Media Team, the group described the reaction to Hon. Oyewole’s death as “reckless and insensitive,” accusing unnamed political actors and social media commentators of attempting to politicize a tragedy and unfairly link Dr. Olumoko — a prominent Ijumu community leader and Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin — to the circumstances of the death.
What Happened
According to the statement, Dr. Olumoko had called the meeting in his capacity as a respected elder statesman within the Ijumu APC family, with the stated aim of reconciling factions within the party ahead of ongoing political realignments in the local government. The Ogidi-Omo Movement said the gathering was proceeding without incident when Hon. Oyewole was suddenly taken ill, and efforts to save him were unsuccessful.
The group has not disclosed further medical details of the collapse, and neither the APC state chapter nor the Kogi State Government has issued an independent account of the circumstances as of the time of this report.
Since news of the death spread, sections of the Ijumu community and online commentators have questioned the timing and nature of the meeting, with some calling for scrutiny of the event and, by extension, its convener. It is this line of commentary that the Ogidi-Omo Movement has now moved to counter.
The Group’s Defense
In its statement, the Ogidi-Omo Movement laid out what it described as a long history of support between Dr. Olumoko and the late Hon. Oyewole, presenting three central points in his defense:
- Career patronage: The group said Dr. Olumoko was instrumental in securing Hon. Oyewole’s appointment as Senior Special Assistant to Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, describing it as an act of mentorship rooted in belief in the late chairman’s capacity to serve.
- Community development: The statement credited Dr. Olumoko’s influence with securing infrastructure projects for Ijumu, including the extension of electricity to Aduge community, among other initiatives.
- Personal relationship: The group characterized the two men’s bond as fraternal, asserting that Dr. Olumoko’s concern for Hon. Oyewole persisted “even at the point of death.”
Describing attempts to implicate Dr. Olumoko as “wicked, callous and ungodly,” the statement argued that his record of support for the late chairman — both professionally and personally — should preclude any suspicion of ill intent. The group further alleged that those encouraging community protests over the matter were “not being sincere” and were treating Dr. Olumoko unfairly.
A Call for Restraint
Beyond defending its convener, the Ogidi-Omo Movement used the statement to appeal for calm across Ijumu and the wider Kogi APC family. It described Hon. Oyewole’s death as a significant loss to his family, the APC in Ijumu and Kogi State, and the Ogidi-Omo family as a whole, and urged that the period be treated as one of mourning rather than political point-scoring.
The group specifically called on political actors and social media commentators to refrain from spreading unverified claims and to allow the bereaved family and the party space to grieve. It closed with a prayer for the repose of Hon. Oyewole’s soul and for strength for his family, friends and party colleagues.
Context
Hon. Mayowa Solomon Oyewole served as Chairman of the APC in Ijumu Local Government Area and, more recently, as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Usman Ododo. His death comes at a sensitive period for the party locally, with reconciliation efforts among aggrieved APC members in Ijumu reportedly ongoing before the tragedy.
Dr. Funsho Olumoko is a prominent figure in Ijumu’s political and educational circles, serving as Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin, and as Convener of the Ogidi-Omo Movement, an association associated with the Ijumu community.
Neither the Kogi State APC secretariat nor state government officials had issued a formal statement on the circumstances of Hon. Oyewole’s death at the time this report was compiled. Funeral arrangements are yet to be publicly announced.
This report is based on a statement issued by the Ogidi-Omo Movement Media Team.
