By BOLANLE LAWAL

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed condolences on the death of a former Military Administrator of Bayelsa, retired Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade.

Olubolade, also a former Minister of Police Affairs, died on Sunday in a Lagos hospital at the age of 70.

Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, rued the demise of the former minister, saying ?Ekiti has lost a great son who made indelible impact in his military career, public service and in politics.?

The governor described Olubolade?s death as a huge loss not only to Ekiti State, his home town, Ipoti-Ekiti, but to Nigeria, a country he served during his stellar military career, and as a distinguished politician and public servant.

He noted that the late Olubolade?s legacies will forever be remembered in Bayelsa, where he helped lay a solid foundation for the development of the South-South state and also at federal level where he served as a minister in three different ministries.

The governor noted that Olubolade shone like a glittering star as Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Minister of Special Duties and later as Minister of Police Affairs during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He noted that the deceased?s foray into politics after his retirement from the military was borne out of his desire to serve and contribute to the development of Ekiti where he ran for the governorship position on the platforms of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC) and later People?s Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor described the deceased as an apostle of politics without bitterness who believed in the Ekiti project and worked assiduously with other patriots for the development of the state.

He prayed God to grant the immediate family, friends and associates of the deceased, the people of Ipoti-Ekiti as well as the entire people of the State the fortitude to bear the great loss.

?On behalf of the Government and good people of Ekiti, I express condolences to the children, members of the immediate and extended families of the late Navy Captain Olubolade on the demise of this illustrious Ekiti leader.

?I pray that God grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the departed eternal rest,? the governor stated. (NAN)

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