EKITI SPEAKER MOURNS OLD ONDO STATE SPEAKER , AKINYEMI ...Says a legislative gem is lost The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye has mourned the death of a former speaker in the Old Ondo State, Rt. Hon. Clement Akinyemi. Akinyemi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, died on March the 23rd at the age of 78. In a press statement signed by his media adviser, Babajide Agbeyo, the Ekiti Speaker noted that the late Akinyemi exhibited the typical Ekiti attributes of integrity adding that his death marks another loss of an invaluable Ekiti man. "We've lost a legislative gem and giant, man who typified integrity, dignity and principle. It may not always be easy to find a replacement for an invaluable man like Rt. Hon. Akinyemi but we are consoled by his positive legacies" Aribasoye said his path first crossed that of the deceased when he(Aribasoye) was a Student Union leader in Ekiti State University. He recalled that his encounter with Akinyemi at that time revealed a man with utmost humility and simplicity coupled with a knack for doing things right and promoting peace. The Ekiti Speaker, who led a number of other lawmakers to the Ado Ekiti residence of the deceased to commiserate with the wife and family, underlined the need for the younger generation to study his trajectory and life journey so as gain from the derivable in his life and time. The spokesperson of the family Elder Bisi Agunbiade thanked the speaker and his team for the condolence visit, the honour accorded the late Akinyemi and the willingness to support the family in relevant capacities. Born to the Royal Family of Ajagemo of Afao Ekiti, the late Rt. Hon. Clement Akinyemi contested for the Irepodun- Ifelodun Local Government Council Chairmanship position under the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991 and won. However, around the same time, he won the Irepodun/Ifelodun constituency 2 ticket to the then Ondo State House of Assembly, won the general election and later emerged as the Speaker. He was the Ondo State Coordinator of Hope '93 led by Chief MKO ABIOLA. In 2004, he was appointed as the Director, representing Ekiti State on the Board Oodua Group of Companies and Conglomerate Investment Ltd and became the Chairman of the company in 2005. Babajide Agbeyo Special Adviser (media) to the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly.