Adebanjo, Osoba, Others Mourn Falomo, Abiola’s Doctor
The death has occurred of Dr. Ore Falomo, the personal physician to the late acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.
According to a family source, Falomo passed on at about 2.30 am Saturday, after a brief illness at St Nicholas Hospital, Maryland.
Meanwhile, some notable Nigerians, including nonagenarian and chieftain of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba, former stalwart of NUPENG, Chief Frank Kokori, member of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Dr. Fred Agbeyegbe, Senator Anthony Adefuye and columnist, Professor Adebayo Williams have showered encomium on the late doctor.
They described him as a great physician and loyal ally of Abiola, even at the risk of his own life during the June 12 debacle.
Adebanjo described the late physician as a great Nigerian leader and a professional to the core. “Nigeria would miss him.”
Osoba said: “I knew Ore Falomo for the past 63 years. We both enrolled at Methodist Boys High School in 1956 and he was a very brilliant student with a high profile as a physician. Two months ago, I sent a picture of our alumnus to him. We both lived in Ebute Metta at a time. I monitored him while he was sick…”
Adefuye said Falomo’s death was particularly painful because he was a dignified and honourable man throughout his lifetime. “He was loyal to the core to the principles of democracy and to Abiola, even though he never ventured into politics. He deserved a national honour, as his contributions to the medical world would be missed.”
Differentiating Falomo from other personalities that participated in the June 12 struggle, but later used it for personal and selfish aggrandisement in politics, Professor Williams said: “One important thing that stood the late Falomo out was his absolute loyalty to Abiola, whom he never betrayed. And instead of leveraging on his popularity during the struggle to venture into politics like some charlatans, the physician reverted to his profession and decided to live a glorious life until he departed.”
Agbeyegbe said the physician rendered good service to Nigeria and Abiola during the struggle, just as he wondered if the country still has such professional that could serve without harping on personal gains.
On his part, Kokori said Falomo was a Nigerian that cared for the nation. “He was useful to the country during the struggle for democracy.”
Meanwhile, Spokesman of PRONACO, Mr. Wale Okumiyi has said the civil society organisation “would honour Falomo for the role he played and how he stood as a physician, not only for Abiola but all the activists that sustained injuries during the June 12 struggle.”
