Adeboye Amosu
Ekiti State governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose has debunked reports he backed out on his earlier promise to fund the return of Nollywood actress, Moji Olaiya’s corpse back to Nigeria, apnewsng.com can report.
The popular actress, daughter of veteran musician, Victor Olaiya died in Canada last week from cardiac arrest.
There were reports that Fayose promised to fund the return of her corpse from the North American country back home.
His media aide, Lere Olayinka has however moved to deny such claims describing it as misleading and false.
“It is totally irresponsible on the part of the said Olukayode Salako, who is said to be the husband of actress, Foluke Daramola to have taken to online media to disparage the person of the governor when even family members and genuine friends of the deceased are mourning her and seeking means of according her a befitting burial.
“On Thursday, last week, I was contacted on phone by a journalist friend, Yomi Fabiyi on the need for the Ekiti State Government to
assist in raising a sum of $15,000 needed to bring Moji Olaiya’s corpse to Nigeria.
“On Friday, I informed the Chief of Staff to the governor, Chief Dipo Anisulowo of my telephone conversation with Yomi Fabiyi, and my response that official letter should be written to the governor.
“Up till today, the letter has not been sent and as such, no official request has been made to the State Government.
“When my attention was drawn to online publication that Governor Fayose had elected to fund the flying of the deceased corpse to Nigeria, I called the journalist who did the report and told him pointedly that no such decision was taken by the governor.
“It was on the strength of this that Mr Yomi Fabiyi issued a press statement on behalf of the Burial Committee, stating that no request had been made to the government of Ekiti State and the official letter requested was yet to be sent.
“It therefore beats our imagination that certain characters like Olukayode Salako could take to the online media to make derogatory comments on the governor, purportedly on behalf of the family.
“While we condole with the Olaiya family of Ijesha Isu Ekiti, Moji Olaiya’s friends, fans and colleagues in the movie industry, we wish to advise that the family should saddle only responsible people with the task of according their daughter a befitting burial,” Olayinka wrote.
Former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has reportedly paid for air freight of her body back to Nigeria.
