The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Kazeem Abiola Ayilara, died yesterday morning.
He was also buried yesterday at his residence located at Kuola area of Apata-Ganga, Ibadan, according to Islamic rites. Ayilara, who was in the Assembly from 2003 to 2011, died at the University Teaching Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, at the age of 44 years.
A former Special Adviser to the late politician, Mr. Adeniyi Adeoti, who confirmed this, said Ayilara died after a brief illness. Born on April 5, 1969, the deceased attended Government College, Ibadan, GCI, and The Polytechnic, Ibadan, for his secondary and tertiary education.
He was elected to represent Ibadan South-West Constituency II on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2003 with the support of the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu. Ayilara was among the Group of 18 members of the Assembly that carried out the controversial impeachment of former Governor Rasheed Ladoja in 2006.
He was re-elected in 2007 and became the deputy speaker but was suspended alongside seven other lawmakers after a failed attempt to impeach the then Speaker, Hon. Moroof Atilola Olawale.
In November, 2010, Ayilara escaped assassination as gunmen numbering about 20 attacked his home, killing one policeman and a night guard attached to his house.
