After a great sojourn, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, on Wednesday, exited the world, leaving many admirers and indeed, the nation, grieving, SEYE OLUMIDE reports.
Since 2012 when he actively ventured into the politics of Ondo State as the gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which he lost to former Governor Segun Mimiko of Labour Party (LP), before eventually emerging governor, Rotimi Akeredolu bestrode the political scene of the State and indeed, Nigeria, like a colossus.
While in the saddle, he led so many struggles and initiatives for the Southwest region in the pursuit of cohesion and overall peace. His was an unparalleled courage to stand for truth, fairness, and equity in the Nigerian democratic space.
But yesterday, after a protracted illness and gallant battle for life, Governor Olurotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State breathed his last. The orchestra stopped. And he exited the stage.
Ordinarily, because of the length of his battle with leukemia and a chain of recent revelations about his state of health, Akeredolu’s demise should not have been a surprise to many. Yet, the passage of the 67-year-old former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) came as a rude shock to many politicians, especially those in the Southern region.
No doubt, the late Ondo State governor will be remembered for many things. A politician, a lawyer, an activist, a student unionist, and a detribalised Nigerian who took his wife, Betty, from Imo State, prominent among his sterling qualities was his courage to confront constituted authorities on issues of justice, fairness, and equity.
He demonstrated this quality in 2020 when he confronted the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former President Muhammadu Buhari on why power must return to the south based on a gentleman and rotational arrangement. Many of his ilk would have dodged such fights, most especially when he (Akeredolu) was preparing for his second term in office.
He would also be remembered for the courageous stance he took during the establishment of the new Southwest security outfit, codenamed Operation Amotekun. It is on record that Akeredolu took that stand to confront the excesses of the armed Fulani herdsmen, who were allegedly terrorising towns, villages, and farmlands across Yoruba land.
Although the seating government at the time and the Fulani hegemony singled him out for persecution because of his boldness to defend and protect Yoruba land, the late Governor of Ondo State never bothered, he was never perturbed until Amotekun came to stay. Many known politicians of Akeredolu’s type backed out at that time.
Lastly is his outspoken nature on the subject of restructuring. If there are things to be greatly missed, Akeredolu’s role in return of power to the south, his contributions to the establishment of Amotekun and his courage to speak truth to constituted authority are what Nigerians would remember as his contributions.
Since 2012 when he ventured into Ondo politics, and till he breathed his last yesterday, Akeredolu’s style was very controversial. To summarise his political history, he was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anointed candidate for the governorship election of Ondo in 2012 against many notable names.
The defunct ACN could not manage the aftermath crisis of its governorship primaries as at then and Akeredolu lost the contest to Mimiko.
In 2016, he delved into the governorship race of Ondo State again but in spite of Tinubu. By then, he had become the toast of the National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress (APC), then led by Chief John Odigie Oyegun and the presidency.
Tinubu was then supporting Segun Abraham but Akeredolu eventually won the party’s primaries and also went ahead to become the 18th governor of Ondo State. His sore relationship with Tinubu became pronounced until he took a turn for good when he began to advocate for the southern presidency.
It was not that clear whether he got Tinubu’s support during his re-election in 2020, but he won and thereafter stood by President Tinubu throughout the APC presidential campaign and primary.
His political story, however, changed when the news of his illness first became apparent to the public, which later culminated in his first medical trip abroad sometime in April this year.
Crisis began between Akeredolu and his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa when the governor traveled to Germany for a medical vacation. Power was transmitted to Aiyedatiwa in an acting capacity, but some aides and associates of the governor began a campaign of calumny against Aiyedatiwa, alleging he was being disloyal to Akeredolu.
Some alleged he was happy with the governor’s then deteriorating health condition while others alleged that he was jubilating when it was rumoured that Akeredolu had passed away.
When the governor returned to Nigeria in September and assumed office but was operating from Ibadan, Oyo State, the crisis worsened as the state House of Assembly instituted an impeachment process against Aiyedatiwa, accusing him of being involved in some acts tagged ‘gross misconduct’ while he was then acting governor.
Akeredolu also took decisive action by sacking all the media aides of Aiyedatiwa but the deputy survived the impeachment through a legal process. The intervention of President Tinubu, who directed the governor to transmit power to Aiyedatiwa, later saved the state from political melee.
MEANWHILE, leader of Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has expressed shock over the demise of Akeredolu.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Comrade Jare Ajayi, quoted the elder statesman as describing the late governor as a quintessence gentleman, a thorough professional, a patriot and a very courageous individual.
“Since his youthful days, ever before he became governor, Akeredolu had been an activist who was always fighting on the side of the people. Like another illustrious son of this state, Ondo, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Akeredolu was known to be pro-people in the way he practiced law and in other areas of his public engagements. Even after he became the first citizen, he never relented in his siding with the people as reflected in his various actions and utterances.”
Pa Fasoranti also recalled the roles played by the late governor, especially on security, saying, “It is on record that he was in the forefront of those agitating for State police to enable states and communities to oversee their own security apparatus. The part he played in the establishment of the Security Network in the Southwest known as Amotekun cannot be underestimated.”
It will be recalled that Akeredolu was conferred with the national honour, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022, owing to the remarkable steps he took to checkmate Fulani herders who were terrorising farmers in Ondo State. Many states took cue from the actions of his administration in this respect.
Fasoranti also described the late governor as a humanist. He said, “Akeredolu has a lot of empathy and is very humane in his relationship with people. Very many, not a few, people would be grieved by his death”.
Reference was also made to the developmental strides that Ondo State was making before the late governor popularly called ‘Aketi’ was slowed down by illness that eventually claimed his life.
The Afenifere leader commiserated with the family of the deceased, Ondo State people and Nigeria on “the loss of one of the illustrious of this land.”
In another reaction, Director General, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) commission, Seye Oyeleye described Akeredolu passing like a dagger drawn into the hearts of Western Nigeria.
His comments reads: “A dagger has been pierced into our hearts in South West Nigeria, darkness envelops the land at this moment, but the darkest part of the night is when dawn is about to break, Aketi has left but his legacies will live with us forever; from his ashes, that Region, indeed Nigeria he desired in his lifetime will surely rise.”
In his reaction, Chairman, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Wale Oshun said the group is deeply touched because that is one of the strongest pillars of the restructuring of Nigeria. He lived for the enablement of Yoruba interest considering the role he played in the formation of Amotekun, and aside from that we all know that he was the former chairman of NBA, who must have made fantastic contributions to the development of the legal system in the country. He was a very courageous politician who stood for all the ideals that ARG advocated for.”
The Ogun State chapter of APC also lamented the demise of Akeredolu, describing it as “the end of an era”.
In a statement signed by Ogun APC Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, the party described the late Akeredolu as a man of courage, who gave all he had to his state, Ondo, and to the nation.
The statement reads: “From his highly successful legal practice which spanned several decades and saw him emerged, not only as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria but also the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), through politics, he bestrode the scene like a colossus and displayed loyalty, tenacity and integrity.
“Our party commiserates with the bereaved members of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), families and friends of the departed governor and the people of Ondo State, while praying that God will comfort them and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss of an Icon.”
President, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, Akin Malaolu said, “To give any picture of Akeredolu in a short space is peculiarly difficult. Perhaps the most important thing to realise about him, if we are to understand his careful steps, is that his cast of mind was one that sees beyond many other leaders of his time. He did battles for his people when it was necessary and amongst his victories were the creation of the Amotekun regional security force at a time when it was very necessary to protect lives and properties.
“He fought for the rotation of the presidency back to the South and in truth, he never minded if the presidency was won by the southeast or Southwest. That was his cast of mind.
“Akeredolu fell to a severe sickness at the beginning of the year 2023 which left him a man mentally crippled while his intellect remained whole.
“We are sad indeed that such a political Titan could be lost by Nigeria and particularly the Yoruba race. He was a good guardian of the Yoruba race and we shall remember him alongside other political Titans like Late Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin, Bola Ige, Gani Fawehinmi, Olabisi Onabanjo and late MKO Abiola and some others.”
A former national vice chairman of Southwest PDP, Eddy Olafeso said Akeredolu was a personal friend, who plays politics behind party sentiments. He recalled how Akeredolu was part of the movement that compelled Late President Umaru Yar’Adua to transmit power to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2009.
The late Ondo State governor was born on July 21, 1956, in Owo, Ondo State to Late Rev. J. O Ola Akeredolu of Owo and Lady Evang. Grace Akeredolu of Igbotu Ese Odo Government Area of Ondo State.
Fondly called Aketi, he started his primary school education at Government School Owo, before proceeding to the famous Aquainas College Akure in 1968. He later proceeded to the prestigious Loyola College, Ibadan in 1969 to complete his secondary school. He also attended Comprehensive High School Ayetoro for his higher Secondary School Certificate.
He was admitted into the famous Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in 1974 where he obtained his LLB degree in 1977 and proceeded to the Nigerian Law School for his B.L in 1978.
As a leader of the Students Union at Ife, Aketi helped to engineer a leadership focused on issues, robust debates and constructive engagements. He encouraged a genuine mobilization of mass consciousness against inequality, injustice, corruption, arbitrariness and recklessness. By the time he was graduating, the startling and sterling leadership qualities of honesty, tolerance, fairness, transparency, endurance, vision, teamwork, justice and self-respect have all become the chisel, which etched out the man’s character and ideological leaning in all of his endeavours in the subsequent years.
