Alex Akinyele: I am hale and hearty

Chief Alex Akinyele, a former Information Minister, has personally reacted to the rumour of his ill health.

He debunked the rumour in a post on the Facebook wall of Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi, his image maker and Magnate Communications Limited boss.

“This is the problem I have with the press. The young man came to interview me and he was told that I am upstairs resting and the next thing he did was go and write his misleading story. He is wishing me sickness, I will not fall sick and I will not wish him sickness.”

Earlier, Olurotimi had reacted to the news report, saying that the story is not only false and absolutely misleading but a figment of the dirty and wicked imagination of the writers.

This misleading story, according to Olurotimi, has not only caused an unimaginable embarrassment to Chief Akinyele, his children and family members but it has caused great panic among his friends and associates.

“The truth of the matter is that Chief Akinyele is in a very good condition of health. He is hale and hearty. It is a known fact that the Ondo high Chief celebrated his 78 birthday on April 24, 2015 in his Lagos residence with his family members and friends. Normally, it should not be expected that a man of this age will be as active and visible at public or social functions and events as it used to be when he was younger.

“As a man who is aging gracefully, Chief Akinyele has decided to take things easy by attending to all his visitors and official matters from his Magodo, Lagos home, a situation which cannot be attributed to ill-health in any way.

“Insinuations that the former Minster of Information is very sick and there are plans to fly him abroad for medical treatment is absolutely false, baseless and irresponsible. With his present good state of health, the Lobosin of Ondo Kingdom does not require any urgent treatment at home and abroad now.

“Chief Akinyele has always maintained an open door relationship with Journalists, one wonders why reporters have refused to cross check this concocted story from him or his associates before publication.”