The Adviser on Political Matters to the Governor of Kwara State, Hon. Abdulwahab Femi Agbaje Whyte, has expressed sorrow over the passing of the revered community leader and elder statesman, Chief Banji Olawoyin, popularly known as “Double Chief.”
In an emotional tribute made available to the media today, the Offa-born political juggernaut lamented the sudden demise of a man he described as “simply different” and irreplaceable.
“Death! How cold thy hand is…..If we all weren’t going to die someday, the tone of my message would have sounded far differently. This time, death has really dealt me a cold blow that feels hotter than hot… and I must say, it really hurts and is very difficult to take,” he partially wrote.
Recounting his last moments with the late Chief, Whyte said he had spent the previous day traveling from Offa to Abuja, during which Chief Olawoyin persistently called him — calls he could not take due to the demands of the journey.
“What is killing me inside is his insistence that we see yesterday… A request the traveling toll wouldn’t make possible — and now never will,” he said with deep regret.
Whyte further shared that their final conversation was centered around politics and personal reflections, stating that Chief Olawoyin had instructed him to call upon arrival so they could continue their discussion, which is the final exchange that now remains painfully incomplete.
He described Chief Olawoyin in glowing terms, affirming the late elder’s extraordinary character and unmatched influence in both public and private spheres.
“I have read a couple of names different people have been calling Chief since his demise. While some may feel those adjectives sound hyperbolic, I make bold to say he is all of them — and more. And I am not being exaggerated,” Whyte declared.
The Special Adviser concluded his tribute with prayers, wishing that Chief Olawoyin’s legacies be preserved and his unfinished dreams fulfilled through his children.
“Rest on, Double Chief,” he wrote.
