• SDP, Ayoola, Alatede Mourn •
One of the longest serving council chairmen in Nigeria, Alhaji Kamorudeen Abiola Shittu is dead. He died in a private hospital in the early hours of today, in Oyo town, at 57.
According to a family source, the late politician had been battling an health challenge for long. “He was rushed to the hospital yesterday but we lost him in the early hours of today.”
The remains of the Oke-Apo born politician were interred at a Muslim cemetery in Eleekara part of the ancient town around 10 a.m.
Popularly called Kamo Shittu, he was council chairman thrice in Oyo East local government. He contested the House of Representatives seat of Oyo federal constituency under the Social Democratic Party during the last national assembly election.
Before he ventured into active politics, he was a biology teacher at the Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo. He had a B.Sc in Botany and before studying Forestry Management for his second degree at the University of Ibadan.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State chapter of SDP has described the death of the politicians as a big loss to the party. A statement signed by its publicity secretary, Alhaji Akeem Azeez, said the deceased “will be missed by the party especially at this particular time because we appreciate his valuable contributions as a seasoned politician who was three time chairman of Oyo East local government an area of Oyo State,” he said, praying God to comfort his nuclear and political families and give them fortitude to bear the loss.
National financial secretary of SDP, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola, said that the death is a big loss to him and the entire campaign structure of Engr. Seyi Makinde.
According to Ayoola who described Shittu as his role model in politics explained that he had been looking up to the deceased since when he first contested the chairmanship election in 1992. “Since then, I vowed never to contest against him even if I have interest in the same position. I believe he is capable. They were two – Alhaji Kamo Shittu and Engr. Yunus Akintunde. I vowed not to contest against the duo. His movement into Omi Tirun -the campaign platform of Engr. Seyi Makinde was motivated by me. I spoke to him and he accepted to be with us. He also believed in me. He later became a member of our strategic, contact and mobilization committee. All I can say is to pray for the family,” Ayoola, who was speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly remarked.
In his own tribute, one of the former students of the deceased, Barr. Muideen Olagunju, said he received the news with shock.
Posting on his Facebook wall, Olagunju, who currently represents Oyo East / Oyo West State Constituency in the State Assembly said: “I received with shock the death of my school teacher and political leader, Alhaji Kamoru Abiola Shittu (alias Kajue) this morning. Last time we met was at the funeral of Hon. Baky about two months ago. One day, the appointed time shall come…May Allah bless his soul.”
