Tragedy struck in the early hours Wednesday, when the Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Oke, reportedly died as a result of COVID-19 complications.
It was gathered that Oke, a second-term council boss, who had been sick for a while and recuperating suddenly took ill and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment. before he gave up the ghost in the early hours Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
According to a source, Oke, who contracted COVID-19 recently, was receiving treatment at the Gbagada Isolation Centre until his case became critical and he had to be moved to St. Nicholas Hospital where he died early this morning. (Wednesday).
The latest death will make it the third casualties of council bosses who died of COVID-19 complications in the state.
A senior official of the council who preferred anonymity confirmed the death, saying, “We lost our chairman to the cold hand of death this morning (Wednesday) due to COVID-19 complications. It’s so sad.”
Reacting to the demise, Chairman of Conference 57, a group of 57 council chairmen in Lagos, Mrs. Omolola Essien, expressed shock, describing it as “sad and unfortunate.”
According to Essien, “This is another sad day for chairmen in Lagos. I woke up this morning to receive the sad news of the death of one of us, Babatunde Oke of Onigbogbo LCDA.
“Though, I learned he had been sick for a while and reportedly getting better only to suddenly died this morning to suspected COVID-19 pandemic in a hospital.
“Oke’s death will make it the third in the series of council chairmen reportedly died of COVID-19 complications. We are in a mourning mood. Intact, I’m short of words. Oke was a hardworking, diligent council boss and a faithful All Progressives Congress, APC party leader in all ramifications. He will be sorely missed.”
Commenting on the need for massive sensitization and enlightenment on the part of council bosses to be careful in handling the pandemic, Conference 57 chairman, said, “We (council bosses) have a platform where we discuss and deliberate on issues.
We have constantly been educating ourselves on the pandemic because of our close contact with the people at the grassroots considering the fact that the virus is at the community level now.
“This latest death has brought to the fore the need for our members,(council bosses) to go for COVID-19 test to determine their state of health so that we can prevent this kind of sudden death in the future.
“It has also brought to the fore that COVID-19 is real and there is the need for everyone to keep safe. I marvel when at the rate our people behave in market places, in the streets and other gatherings because of total disregard to social distancing and safety protocols.
“I’m using this platform, therefore, to urge council bosses to go for tests immediately. I have been tested before and came out negative. I will also go for another test because the fact that one has taken the test before and proved negative doesn’t mean he or she can’t contract the virus again.
Thus, based on this fact, I’m ready to take the second test and I will be doing that immediately.” “We also have to be prayerful to God to take this pandemic away. Observing safety protocols and fervent prayers we can surmount this pandemic together.
“On behalf of my colleagues, I commiserate with family and staff of Onogbogbo LCDA on this great and sad loss of their breadwinner and boss. I pray God will forgive the deceased his sins and grant him eternal rest and give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”
VANGUARD
