By AKEEM ABAS

Some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have called for fervent prayers to an end to the spate of deaths in the state.

They made the calls in separate statements on Friday in Ibadan following the sudden death in the UK of Angela, wife of Sen. Teslim Folarin, APC-Oyo Central.

In a statement he personally signed, Chief Sharafadeen Alli, an APC chieftain, expressed shock over the death and described the deceased as a woman of virtue, who supported her husband in his political and humanitarian endeavours.

He called for prayers over the death of prominent people in Nigeria and Oyo State in particular.

The senior Ibadan chief and former Secretary to the State Government condoled with the immediate family of Angela, particularly her husband and the entire Ibadanland.

He said that Angela, a lawyer, died at a time her husband needed her support and urged the widower to consider and accept her death as the will of God.

“Madam Angela was a great wife of Ibadanland. Her death came at a time her husband needs her support.

“I know her to be a good wife of Ibadanland in spite her background as a non-Yoruba.

`I call on the teeming indigenes of Ibadanland and Oyo State as a whole to devote time for prayers for the state,” he said.

Alli recalled the recent deaths of prominent people across the state, which included, Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Gov. Adebayo Alao-Akala, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“I condole with my friend and brother, Sen. Teslim Kolawole Folarin on the demise of his wife. I pray God in His infinite mercies to comfort him and the family of the late wife,” he said.

Also, Dr Olusola Ayandele, a renowned businessman and APC Chieftain, commiserated with Sen. Folarin over the wife’s death.

Ayandele in a statement, said he received the news of Angela’s death as a rude shock, describing it as sad and devastating.

He said that the deceased was a virtuous woman and great pillar of support for her husband, saying her death was a huge loss.

The Ibarapa-born politician said the death of prominent people across the state in recent times called for fervent prayers.

“What we are witnessing at this period calls for fervent prayer from all. Truly, death is inevitable, but these losses are too huge to bear.

“Within a space of two months, we lost three prominent traditional rulers, a former governor and some other illustrious Indigenes.

“Today again, we lost the wife of our Senator, Angela Folarin. All these are too huge to bear. We need to pray fervently to God over these losses,” he said.

Ayandele commiserated with Sen. Folarin and Angela’s family and prayed that God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

He also prayed that Almighty God grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest. (NAN)

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