Oyo govt to immortalise Fajuyi at Lalupon community

Oyo State government has put machinery in place to further immortalise the first Military Governor of Western region, the late Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, by constructing a memorial park and garden in Lalupon area of the state.

This is a follow-up to the promises made by the Senator Abiola Ajimobi-led government during the just concluded activities organised by various groups in Ibadan to mark the 90th posthumous birthday of Adekunle Fajuyi.

Commissioner for Information, Youth and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, made this known recently, adding that the monument and park would be constructed at the very spot where he was killed in Lalupon.

It will be recalled that representatives of the state government had, during a visit to the site where the former governor and a former Head of State, Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi were assassinated during the bloody coup of July 1966, in the company of the traditional rulers of Lalupon, highlighted the virtues of the late administrator.

Arulogun, who led the delegation, reiterated that the gesture became imperative to further celebrate the gallantry and selflessness of the former military administrator displayed at the face of death, which projected the virtues of honour, bravery and loyalty.

He explained further that paying the supreme price was a no mean feat, noting that although a previous administration in the state had immortalised the former governor by naming a road after him, the opportunity presented by the availability of the spot where he and his supreme commander were killed 50 years ago, is not just a divine but golden one that the present administration will not allow to slip by.

“The Oyo State government has, therefore, taken the onus upon itself to further honour the worthy patriot to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death,” he said.