My father dies as poor man even as military governor , Fajuyi son laments as 50th memorial anniversary of Col. Adekunle Fajuyi kicks off in Ekiti.

The late former Military Governor of the old Western Region, Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, was yesterday honoured in his hometown, Ado Ekiti, with the laying of wreaths at his tomb.

The event marked the beginning of the Golden Jubilee anniversary of his assassination while serving as the No. 1 citizen in the Western Region under the Federal Military Government led by the late Maj.-Gen. Johnson Thomas Ummunakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi.

Fajuyi was killed in the Government House, Ibadan, the capital of the region, with Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi in a counter-coup staged on July 29, 1966, by military officers of northern extraction.

His widow, Mrs. Eunice Ayodele Fajuyi, died in June 2013, at Ado-Ekiti.

Yesterday’s event was held at Adekunle Fajuyi Park, where his remains were interred. It was attended by Governor Ayo Fayose, who laid a wreath in honour of the fallen hero.

Others, who laid wreaths, were Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade; Deputy Speaker, House of Assembly Segun Adewumi, and the Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti, who also chairs the Council of Obas, Oba Oladapo Oyebade.

Fayose, who was represented by his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, extolled the virtues of the late Fajuyi. He acknowledged the supreme sacrifice he paid to ensure the unity of the country at a critical period in the nation’s history.

The governor said: “He is a man who has set legacy that no man has been able to match. He demonstrated heroism, uncommon loyalty to his boss (Ironsi); the cause of his assignment.

“He has the option of saying I don’t want to die. He sacrificed his life for the sake of nation and his profession. We will continue to remember him. He has faith in the nation; that was why he didn’t hesitate to sacrifice his life.”

One of the daughters of the late Fajuyi, Mrs. Monica Olajuyigbe, said the family instituted an education trust to offer support and welfare to the children of soldiers, who died in the battle field.

Mrs. Olajuyigbe said the Adekunle Fajuyi Education Trust would organise entrepreneurship and scholarship programme from donations received.

The grand finale of the celebration holds in Lagos tomorrow with a public lecture at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos.