Mayor Tayo Situ - rest in peace, brother

In politics there are very few people you can describe as a thoroughly honest and decent man. A man who has so much integrity you almost don’t expect them to be in politics. The first African Mayor of Southwark Mayor Tayo Situ was such a man. Sadly he passed away on the 9th May from an illness he was carrying.

A family and community man with his heart never far from his native Nigeria, Tayo gave his life serving us as a role model and public servant. The former Deputy Prime Minister Harriet Harman said he was a wise man who she would call upon him to help her guide her with work in the Southwark constituency.

From time to time I worked with him for over a decade, and watched this mild mannered man bring communities together to face and or confront tragedies, as with Damilola Taylor, or deprivation which concerned him no end.

Just a few weeks ago at an empowerment seminar we organised on a Saturday we laughed and lamented that the time we give to the community we lose with our families. However, at one point he turned to me and said, ‘But Simon our community is our family too’.

Right now our thoughts are with your loving wife and five beautiful children and we know in our hearts brother Tayo that you are resting in peace.

Simon Woolley