Hon Ayodele Shittu, who is a former deputy speaker of the Kwara state House of Assembly is dead.
Shittu was aged 73.
He hailed from Offa, Offa local government area of the state.
The former lawmaker was said to have died in a private hospital in Lagos, where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Before his death, he was the chairman of the state-owned International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC), Ajase-Ipo, Irepodun local government area of the state.
A trained pharmacist and great Awoist, was a member of the first Kwara State House of Assembly representing Offa constituency between 1979 and 1983.
Until his death, he was also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state Confirming his death to our correspondent, his colleague in the state House of Assembly, Chief Wole Oke said: “Kwara state has just lost one
of its most illustrious citizens. A big oak in the political landscape of the state has fallen. He died on Friday night in one of the major hospitals in Lagos where he was receiving medical attention. In his days in the state House of Assembly, Shittu was an active vocal member.
“A versatile contributor in the assembly; by his death the state has lost a veteran with his experience denied the people of the state particularly the young and upcoming potential politicians. I have personally lost my best friend and a reliable colleague.”
In a condolence message the state Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq described his death as painful and shocking.
He prayed the Almighty God to comfort the family and grant the departed statesman al-jannah Firdaus.
“The governor received the news of this death with rude shock. It is a very painful development and a sad loss to the state because the former Deputy Speaker was not just a respected APC leader with widespread goodwill across political divides but he was also a prominent community figure in Offa and the state.
“The governor commiserates with the entire Offa community, especially the family of the late politician. He expresses his deep concern over this loss, and prays that Almighty God comfort the family and repose the soul of Hon. Ayodele Shittu,” Governor AbdulRazaq spokesperson Rafiu Ajakaye said in a statement.
