Immediate past Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and Speakers of Lagos and Osun Houses of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa and Dr. Najeem Salam, respectively, have extolled the virtues of the late Chairman of Punch Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gbadebowale Aboderin, who died on Wednesday in Lagos.

Late Chairman of Punch Newspapers, Mr Wale Aboderin

Fayemi, who commiserated with the Aboderin family and the Punch management and staff over the death of  Aboderin, said he was a distinguished sports enthusiast and philanthropist.

In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Yinka Oyebode, the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress’ governorship candidate, described the news of Aboderin’s death as shocking and devastating.

Fayemi noted that Aboderin was a man of great humility and ever bubbling with life and great ideas.

In his condolence message, another former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Chief Sarafa Tunji Isola, said that the demise of Aboderin was a sad loss not only to his family and Punch but also to the entire nation.

He noted that this was because his death came at a most critical time in the history of the country when his cosmopolitan outlook, maturity, wisdom and wealth of experience were highly needed to address the myriads of social and economic challenges facing the country.

On his part, Obasa said the country would miss Aboderin’s versatility.

In a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Musbau Rasak, the Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly condoled with the Aboderin family.

Salam, in his own message, condoled with the Aboderin family and Punch over the sad incident, describing the deceased as a man of vision and substance who led the widely read newspaper in Nigeria well before his death.

A prominent lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), expressed shock over the demise of the Punch Chairman.

Keyamo, in a statement, said that he received the news of Aboderin’s death “with utter shock and disbelief.”

He said Aboderin, whom he fondly called “my egbon” (my elder brother), “was a close friend, a gentleman par excellence, kind, humble to a fault and extremely jovial. “He graciously attended my party at the Civic Centre, Lagos sometime last year to celebrate my conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”