A leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ondo State, Chief Wunmi Adegbonmire, died on Friday in Akure at the age of 77.
The late Asiwaju of Akureland, who served the late Governor Adebayo Adefarati Administration as the Secretary to the State Government, was a member of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-political group.
Members of his family said he passed on peacefully around 3am, two days after he celebrated the 75th birthday of his wife, Mrs. Solape Adegbonmire.
The former SSG, who was also a literary icon and an astute politician, was born on July 23, 1935, and studied English language at University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife.
Later he worked as a Students Affairs Officer with the university and rose to become the librarian.
Reacting to his death, the Secretary of Afenifere, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, described the late Adegbonmire as "a powerful writer, speaker whose pen and language were strong"
He said, "The late Adegbonmire was one of the leading members of Afenifere even since the days of the late Awolowo. We have mutual respect for each other as literary men and politicians."
The Ondo State Government described the death of Adegbonmire as painful because he was one of the leading politicians whose contributions had led to the emergence of a modern Ondo State.
Adegbonmire was a member of the Action Group, which later metamorphosed to the Unity Party of Nigeria.
He served as Secretary to the State Government under the late Adefarati between 1999 and 2003.
Until his death, he was the leader of the ACN in Ondo.
