Hashim Pays Condolence Visit To Family Of Late Activist Bolakale In Kwara

The presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has paid a condolence visit to the family of late civil rights leader and labour activist, Comrade Bolakale Salihu, popularly known as CB, in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Hashim visited the deceased’s family at Ikokoro Compound in Ilorin South Local Government Area, where he commiserated with the family, friends and associates of the late activist.

Bolakale was a prominent human rights campaigner, labour unionist and pro-democracy advocate in Kwara State, known for his involvement in civic engagement and struggles for democratic governance.

He was a leader of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) and played an active role in civil society advocacy in the state. He was also associated with Kwara Must Change (KMC), a civic advocacy organisation, and the Otoge political movement, which marked a significant period in Kwara’s political history.

Beyond the state, Bolakale maintained links with the wider labour and pro-democracy movements in Nigeria. He was associated with the Joint Action Front (JAF), a Lagos-based labour-oriented civil society coalition that has worked with organised labour on issues concerning workers’ rights, social justice and democratic accountability.

The late activist was also a close associate of Comrade Biodun Aremu, popularly known as Aremson, a Marxist-Leninist thinker and socialist activist whose decades of engagement in public affairs were closely linked to workers’ rights and Nigeria’s progressive civil society movement.

Aremu was a prominent figure in the country’s labour and civil society circles and a leading member of the Joint Action Front. His relationship with Bolakale reflected the connections between activists in Kwara State and the broader national movements for labour rights, social justice and democratic reforms.

Despite his involvement in activism, Bolakale also pursued a professional career as a staff member of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at Ilorin Airport, combining his official responsibilities with his commitment to human rights and civic engagement.

His death has been described by associates as a significant loss to his family and the wider community of human rights defenders, labour activists and pro-democracy campaigners with whom he worked over the years.

During the condolence visit, Hashim paid tribute to the deceased’s contributions to public service and civil society activism, while expressing sympathy with the bereaved family and other associates over his passing.

The visit also provided an opportunity for members of the activist community to reflect on Bolakale’s involvement in Kwara State’s civic and democratic struggles and his connections with like-minded campaigners across the country.

Hashim was received by the deceased’s uncle, Justice Toyin Kawu, who was his classmate at the School of Basic Studies, Ilorin.

For many of those who worked with him, Bolakale, fondly called CB, represented a generation of activists whose commitment to public affairs went beyond electoral politics to include the defence of human rights, workers’ welfare, democratic participation and accountable governance.