As Akeredolu Goes Home Today…

Fidelis David reports that former governor of Ondo state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, will be laid to rest today in his Owo country home after a nine-day funeral rites.

It is often said that death is inevitable and is a debt everyone owes. Thus, we must all reckon with death, because someday we will all confront our own end, but along the way, we will also witness beloved friends and family pass from this life into the next.

Late former Governor RotimiAkeredolu has reckoned with death. He died on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 after a prolonged illness at the age of 67.

‘Aketi’, as he was fondly called by friends and admirers, died in “God’s grace and friendship” and  indeed assured of eternal salvation as he’s laid to rest today.

The event is expected to be a gathering of governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers, captains of industry, friends, family, political associates and other dignitaries from all walks of life.

During the COVID-19 tsunami, Nigeria saw the death of many influential and top politicians. However, since the end of the disease in Nigeria we’ve never recorded the death of a titan in such circumstances that are unexpected and shocking. This is because, it seems not believable that the former governor battled leukaemia and prostate cancer, which resulted in his death.

People in the real world always say, when something terrible happens, the sadness and loss and aching pain of the heart will lessen as time passes, but it seems not to be true in all cases, particularly, in the case of Akeredolu.

He was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and former Attorney General of Ondo State, and a two-term governor who served as the Chairman of the South West Governor’s Forum before his death.

He was elected Governor of Ondo State on the Platform of the All Progressives Congress in November 2016 and re-elected in 2020, he was also the Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997-1999 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998 as well as, the President of Nigeria Bar Association from 2008 to 2010.

Arakunrin

Akeredolu who declined chieftaincy titles but officially adopted the sobriquet “Arakunrin”, the Yoruba equivalent of “Mister” was seen by many people as not just a political figure but a visionary leader and a beacon of hope.

Most people who know Akeredolu have often said he was not the conventional politician whose main preoccupation is to talk and act in ways that sway the voters and endear them to support him. 

Unfortunately, he was the third Nigerian governor who died in office since the country returned to democracy on May 29, 1999.

Others are Patrick YakubuYakowa, who died in 2012 in a military jet crash, and Mamman Ali of Yobe state, who died in 2009 after a long battle with leukaemia.

Progressive Governance

For Akeredolu, the people of Ondo State, Nigeria and the world at large will forever remember him as the great governor, who gave it solid footing.

Development experts have often said that one of the major problems bedeviling Nigeria, apart from corruption, is the spate of abandoned projects all over the country, stemming from the tendency of drivers of successive administrations to rubbish the policies of their predecessors and start afresh for purely egoistic reasons, ultimately leading to incalculable damage to governance and economy.

Realizing this, upon assumption of office in 2027, Akeredolu  came under relentless pressures from different quarters asking him to dislodge the larger than life image of his predecessor, DrOlusegunMimiko, popularly called Iroko which loomed large in the Sunshine State landscape following his eight- year reign in the state.

Basically, Akeredolu was told that he could only carve a niche for himself through the removal of the imprimatur of Mimiko, such as revisiting programmes and projects of Mimiko for possible cancellation since the former governor also did the same for the policies and projects of the Agagu Administration.

However, Akeredolu did not budge. He  continued with Mimiko’s Administration’s projects, including the Mother and Child Hospital Project, extending it to Igbokoda, Owo and Okitipupa.

Akeredolu’s Infrastructural Drive

The success of any government is measured by how well an administration has successfully and positively impacted the lives of the people it was elected to govern. During his tenure,  ‘Aketi’ prioritised his people’s well-being, driving progress and development in all sectors. His leadership resulted in significant improvements, particularly in infrastructure, security, and industrialization.

So, for Akeredolu, he was truly focused about where he is was taking the state to, as he within six years in office focused on infrastructural drive of the state.

This include construction of over 450 kilometres of roads across the state which encompasses; the dualization of the once bloodsucking Oke-alabojuto road; dualization of Emure-Owo road; dualization of Ikare Township Road; dualization of Oba Osupa road in Akure; dualization of Owo township road; construction of Iyere-Ipele road, and dualization of Nepa-Hospital Road in Akure.

Others are dualization of CBN – Bishop Court, Akure; the ongoing dualization of Oda road in Akure; construction of OAUSTECH Internal access road in Okitipupa; construction of Sabomi township road; construction of 12km Okitipupa – Igbokoda bypass road; construction of 16km Idanre – Ijoka virgin road; construction of Iwalewa – Hospital road; construction Of Abusoro-Ijoka road and Alagbaka SIB/Appeal Court road in Akure.

In addition, the construction of Gaga community road; construction of Oke-Ogba community road; reconstruction of Ijapo road; construction of Club 20 road; reconstruction of Iwaro-Oka road; reconstruction of Jubilee – Ugbe-Akoko road; Asphalt overlay of Okitipupa township road; construction of Igbara-Oke/Ibuji/Ekiti boundary road, among others.

These are beside the construction of Ore Flyover Bridge; construction of a new office complex for Ondo State Internal Revenue Service as well as  the Civil Engineering Building at Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.

Insecurity

In the face of security challenges, he demonstrated exceptional leadership by championing the establishment of the South-West Security Network Agency, codenamed ‘Amotekun’ which was launched in Ibadan on  January 9 2020, following incessant attacks by bandits on farmlands, highways, among other places within the South-west states.

Education

Majorly on education, his legacies include construction and rehabilitation of over 700 Public Primary schools, provision of 16, 874 sets of pupil’s furniture , ICT facilities, solar systems and playground equipment to the schools and promotion of teachers as and when due.

Increased IGR

As part of his determination to jerk up the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR), of the state, Akeredolu’s administration had it boosted from the initial N500 million monthly of the previous administration to N3 billion monthly, which implies that the current administration generates N36 billion annually.

Offsetting Inherited Seven Months’ Salary Arrears

Akeredolu’s administration also cleared  seven months’ salary arrears inherited when it took office in 2017 while workers’ salary, have been paid up till date.

Defender of the Defenceless

A former Governor of Ekiti State, DrKayodeFayemi, in his tribute described Akeredolu as the commander-in-chief in defending the defenceless people of the Southwest, Nigeria.

“His relentless advocacy for community policing has now gained widespread acceptance, transcending political affiliations. His greatest joy was serving the public good and building a united nation. He fearlessly spoke truth to power.”

Courage, Empathy, Love and Justice

Former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy to late Akeredolu, DoyinOdebowale, in his tribute said the deceased during his lifetime symbolized courage, empathy, love for justice, admiration for honesty and unwavering dedication to truth and love for family.

“I had attempted to scribble words which could convey, aptly, the depth of my sadness and shock since I received the sad news on the 27th December, 2023, from Ibrahim Lawal, the Head of Olujinmi and Akeredolu Chambers, even if most of us, who were very close and fiercely to him, had waited with disconsolate apprehension, hoping for the best while expecting the worst.

“Some beneficiaries of sustained and unmerited benefaction from this very good man had anticipated, just as famished vultures, the morbid trophy. They had wanted his passing to be quick. They wanted power. The moral dwarfs, near-illiterates, unscrupulous and rootless elements, converged to create a situation of uncertainty and urgency.

“The subsequent developments, since his demise, is evidence of their depravity. No tactic of infamy was spared in their attempts to kick a man who was down, undeservedly. His death has revealed the depth of perfidy. It is not surprising that the main beneficiaries of Aketi’s quiet philanthropy, large-heartedness and fairness, including some close associates, kinsmen and women, rescued from penurious mendicancy, joined the “transmit power orchestra”.

“Several years of a relationship, anchored on mutual beneficence, respect and unalloyed loyalty to true friendship transited into a transcendence above all other considerations. The synergy forged from this symbiosis created myths, rumours and outright lies surrounding our personalities. The curious craved understanding, the mischievous peddled mendacities. I met an emerging brand which symbolized courage, empathy, love for justice, admiration for honesty and unwavering dedication to truth and love for family. 

Courage, Patriotism

Odebowale said Akeredolu’s service as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, between 2008 and 2010, announced the brand, which represented courage, patriotism and passionate determination to the law as an instrument of social engineering, to the people of the country.

“The foray of the essential Aketi as a brand in the Nigerian politics, especially Ondo State, demands a comprehensive rendition, of whatever version one was privileged to have partaken in. I witnessed history between 2011 and 2023.

“He was not a Governor who sat in the office only to award contracts and indulge in issuing platitudinous hypocrisies as to the people. He knew the mandate liberally given to him was not that of frivolity. He stood to be counted at critical moments in the State of his primary assignment, Ondo State, and Nigeria. He was the spirit behind the establishment of the Western Nigerian Security Network, Amotekun. He did not mind losing his second term bid as Governor. And the hawks came after him with all the ferocity of vengeful marauders. He barely escaped losing his seat as Governor through legal technicalities. He remained undaunted.”

Akeredolu’s Love for Humanity

Immediate past vice-chancellor (2017 – 2022) of ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife), Professor EyitopeOgunbolodede  in his tribute, titled: “Requiem for ArakunrinOluwarotimiOdunayoAkeredolu”, said the major lesson to learn from ‘Aketi’s’ life and times is that when we think as mere mortals that it will be long, God in His own mysterious ways may decide to make it gloriously short for His own purpose.

“Dying at 67 years is untimely and saddens us but it is comprehensible because we are mere mortals that can be called home at any time or age. In the case of Akeredolu, we have every reason to be thankful because, while he has physically departed, his legacy, good deeds, love for humanity and memory will live forever.

“Aketi demonstrated very clearly the numerous positive contributions that can emanate from the toils of a genuine patriot, committed leader and political strategist.

He was an epitome of humility, commitment, competence, tenacity of purpose and absolute dedication. He was a political leader that refused to play “politics” with his people. When I challenged him on his posture on some trending issues during his campaign for second term, he simply retorted “Tope, I will only promise what I know is possible. If I fail, I will go back to my law practice. It is not a do-or-die matter”.

“No doubt, Akeredolu’s vision and resolve to further promote the development of the land and people of the Sunshine State have been deleted by the merciless hand of death because he provided leadership, not only for the South West zone, but for the entire Southern part of the country, when it become most imperative for courage to speak.

“Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum. He led the Southwest Governors to establish the Western Nigeria Security Network, otherwise known as Amotekun, at a time the ruling party, to which he belonged, was vehemently opposed to its establishment. Akeredolu will forever be remembered as the Lion-heart of Nigerian politics. He was down-to-earth, extra-ordinarily bold and daring, the architect of Amotekun, and a dominant force in Nation-building.”

Death is a Real Enemy

Yes, we have lost, death is a real enemy — a frightening enemy. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26).

We will never again share sweet fellowship with Akeredolu  in this life. But, the loss is never beyond Jesus’ words: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory.”

Now that Aketi has gone home to rest, we take solace in the fact that he positively touched numerous lives and that his legacies will endure.

Besides, it may be short, but, it is sweet, colourful and it’s memorable because it was an active one

May the soul of Akeredolu rest in peace!