TheCable

A group of Igbo and Yoruba leaders has mourned Yinka Odumakin and Innocent Chukwuma, both leading activists who died of illness.

The group, which was led by Pat Utomi, chairman of the board of trustees, Nzuko Umunna, visited the families of the late icons on Wednesday to commiserate with them.

Odumakin died on April 2 at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) where he was being treated for COVID-19 complications.

Two days later, Chukwuma died after battling leukaemia.

Utomi recalled how Odumakin helped to facilitate the “Handshake across the Niger” conference, an initiative of Nzuko Umunna which was jointly hosted by Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Afenifere.

“The conference would go down in history as one of the many laudable contributions of Odumakin to peace-building and national development,” he said.

When the group visited Chukwuma’s family, Utomi also said the late civil society leader was a “towering figure in Nigeria’s human rights community.”

He said Chukwuma’s exploits during the military era would remain evergreen, adding that he would be “sorely missed not only by Nzuko Umunna but by all lovers of freedom and development.”

Members of the delegation included Chris Anyanwu, a former senator; Modupe Adelaja, a former minister; Onyeka Onwenu, ace singer and actress, Folake Marcus-Bello, a former Nigerian ambassador; Paul Bankole, a pastor; Chido Nwakanma, communications strategist; Greg Muonyililo and Pat Okoye