Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has mourned the death of a renowned lawyer and frontline leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Anthony Ademiyiwa Adeniyi (SAN).
The late Senator Adeniyi, who represented Ekiti South Senatorial District in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, passed on Wednesday. He was aged 75 years.
Governor Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, described the death of the late Senator as a huge a loss to Ekiti State, and Nigeria as a whole, as well as the legal profession and the APC family.
According to the Governor, the story of the restoration of the mandate of the progressives in Ekiti State, which culminated in the swearing-in of former Governor Kayode Fayemi in 2010 would not be complete without a generous mention of the legal expertise of the late Senator Adeniyi.
Governor Oyebanji said the late senior lawyer gave a vibrant and result-oriented representation to the people of Ekiti South Senatorial District during his tenure as a Senator in which he championed issues relating to constitutional reforms, electoral reforms, independence of the judiciary, better services by telecoms service providers and attraction of investment into the nation’s economy.
Describing the late Senator Adeniyi as a consummate Bar leader, the Governor hailed the deceased for being a faithful officer in the temple of Justice with roles as Chairman of the Akure Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) between 1990 and 1992 and a National Executive Committee member of the association for many years.
He also hailed the tenure of the late Senator Adeniyi as the Chairman of the Board of the defunct Omega Bank during which the bank grew in capital base, expansion and corporate services to the banking public in Nigeria.
The Governor said the Ikere Ekiti-born legal luminary will be remembered for the worthy legacies he left behind and his selfless service for a greater Ekiti and a more prosperous Nigeria during his national service.
“The death of Senator Adeniyi is a huge loss to Ekiti and Nigeria as a whole. We lost a decent politician, a distinguished senior advocate of Nigeria and an illustrious son of the Land of Honour.
“While we pray that the Lord grant him eternal rest, I encourage his children and members of his family to be comforted with the fact, the late Adeniyi lived a fulfilled life of service and leafy behind a good name and legacies that outlive him. May God grant him eternal rest”, the Governor added.
