Ex-Speaker, Dimeji Bankole loses 7-year-old daughter to sickle cell

The loss of a child is the most devastating experience a parent can face-and missing the child never goes away. The age of the child at the time of death does not lessen the hurt or devastation. It feels completely unnatural for a child to die before his or her parents. This explains why Dimeji Bankole, the former Speaker has been feeling irregular in the past last days. In case you are still in the dark, let’s tell you that Dimeji recently lost his 7-year-old daughter to the cold hands of death.

In a press statement released by the family, it reads in part: “With gratitude to Almighty Allah and with heavy hearts we announce the demise of our daughter Yewande Semiat Bankole aged 7yrs at a London hospital. Yewande is the granddaughter of Chief Alani Suara Bankole and the daughter of Rt Hon. Dimeji Sabur Bankole.”

According to findings, Yewande was born with HbSS Sickle cell disease. She was a radiant girl who struggled with the disease. Her parents originally managed her condition at a Lagos hospital but later transferred her to a London hospital. But sadly, she gave up the ghost at 10.30pm on Wednesday October 1st, 2014. At the time of filing this report, her remains were still at the mug while her parents were planning to bury her according to Islamic rites.

Prior to his daughter’s death, Dimeji Bankole has been nursing the ambition of becoming the governor of Ogun State come 2015 under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and he is said to be having challenges with some party members who are opposing him.