Minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, on Saturday, mourned Yinka Odumakin, the deceased spokesman of pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere.

Keyamo said Odumakin’s death was a personal loss to him, adding that he knew the deceased and his wife Joe Okei-Odumakin before they met and got married.

“Yinka’s death is a personal loss to me. Himself & the wife, Joe, have been my long-time friends & allies,” the minister tweeted.

“I knew them separately before they met & got married. I just called the wife’s line & they’re still at the hospital. My deepest condolences to Josephine & the Odumakin family.”

Yinka’s death is a personal loss to me. Himself & the wife, Joe, have been my long-time friends & allies. I knew them separately before they met & got married. I just called the wife’s line & they’re still at the hospital. My deepest condolences to Josephine & the Odumakin family https://t.co/4iN23BtXxS

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 3, 2021

Odumakin died early Saturday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital isolation centre after contracting the COVID-19 virus.

His wife, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, confirmed the activist death.

Okei-Odumakin also requested prayers to “survive” the loss of her husband.

“A part of me is gone. A part of me is gone. He fought hard at the intensive care unit. Pray for me to survive this. My love is gone,” she said in a Punch report. “He was OK before. Even on March 10 he was still attending meetings. He was recovering yesterday (Friday) but he died this morning. I am at the intensive care unit. A part of me is gone.”