It is the end of an era in Ondo State. Southwest is united in sorrow. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is in sober reflection; its rank is depleted. Above all, the Akeredolu family in Owo is hit by a blow of fate.
Yesterday, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu (SAN), lawyer-son of a Christian priest, former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and governor of the Sunshine State, bade farewell after a long and protracted battle. He never revovered from the precarious ill-health, which had diverted his attention from governance for months.
He was the first Ondo governor to die in office, trailing the likes of Patrick Yakowa (Kaduna) and Danbaba Suntai (Taraba) who died in helicopter crashes, Senator Mamman Ali (Yobe) who died after illness and Sheu Kangiwa (Sokoto), who died in the course of polo game.
Akeredolu led a life of battles from childhood. After losing his cleric-father at a tender age, he embraced the reality of hard times and faced the vicissitudes of life with courage, a virtue that henceforth shaped his steps, career as a legal officer, politician, and administrator.
He was never given to frivolities. He had no room for prevarication. Ever forthright, he was opposed to any embellishment. Never diplomatic, he spoke the truth to power; unpretentious, outspoken, bold, brave, principled, strong willed, audacious and permanently fearless. He was a vocal advocate of justice who built a solid wall of restriction against oppression.
Either as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, NBA president, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and later All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, governor, Chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum, or Chairman of Southern Nigerian Governors’ Forum, he exhibited sterling qualities in times of ‘peace and war.’
Fondly called by his prefix, Arakunrin, and Aketi, his nickname, by his admirers, Akeredolu bestrode the political and governance space, the same way he was a colossus at the bar. He was not a politician without a second address. An outstanding lawyer, he was a Managing Partner at the law firm of Olujinmi and Akeredolu, which he co-founded with Chief Akin Olujinmi, a former Attorney General and Minister for Justice .
Akeredolu was born on July 21, 1956 in Owo to Reverend Ola Akeredolu and Lady Evangelist Grace Akeredolu of Aderoyiju family of Igbotu, Ese Odo, in Ondo State. He started his primary education at Government Primary School in Owo. He proceeded to Aquinas College in Akure, Loyola College in Ibadan and Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro, for his secondary school education and Higher School Certificate.
Akeredolu attended the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study Law, graduating in 1977. He was at the Nigerian Law School in 1978.
He was appointed Attorney-General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999. In 1998, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He was Chairman of the Legal Aid Council (2005–2006). In November 2009, he faced allegations of corruption when the Bar Association’s third Vice-President, Welfare Secretary and Assistant Financial Secretary circulated a petition entitled: “Complaints against your fraudulent manifestations, violation of the NBA.” However, the allegations against him were reviewed and dropped by the National Executive Council of the NBA.
As an activist lawyer, he advocated for the rule of law, due process and sanctity of the ballot box.
He also called for vote or mandate protection. In a lecture in December 2009, Akeredolu said no amount of electoral reform or judicial system could give Nigeria free and fair elections if Nigerians themselves refused to take practical steps to ensure that their votes count.
During the period of grave national emergency when President Umaru Yar’Adua was indisposed for a long time, Akeredolu said he ought to have handed over to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan in an acting capacity. The position was backed by the NBA, which said he was authorised to speak on its behalf. The position gave an impetus to the invocation of the doctrine of necessity.
A Life Bencher, Akeredolu was Member of Council, Int’l Bar Association, 2008-2010; Member of Council, Pan-African Lawyers Union, 2008-2010; Chairman, Legal Aid Council (2005-2006); Member, Council of Legal Education (1997-1999); Vice Chairman, NBA, Ibadan Branch (1992-1994), National Publicity Secretary, NBA (1988-1989), member, National Executive Council, NBA.
In 2012, the NBA named its new secretariat in Abuja after him, with its president citing the reason being the need for “generational identification and recognition of those who had contributed immensely to the development of the association.
On February 4, 2022, he made Grand Patron of the NDLEA by the Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa.
In October 2022, the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on Akeredolu by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Politics has always been in his blood from his campus days. A Student Union leader, he promoted robust debates and mobilised against inequality, injustice, corruption, arbitrariness and recklessness.
His disposition cast him in the mould of a progressive. In fact, Akeredolu was actively involved in the battle for the liberation of the Southwest from the conservative Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) forces. He was counsel to ACN governorship candidates whose mandates were stolen.
However, in November 2011, Akeredolu joined the fray. He was among the crowd of ACN governorship aspirants. Indisputably, he was the best. He flaunted his credentials as a respected president of the Bar and an experieced technocrat who understood the problems of Ondo State. His manifesto was captivating- agricultural development, fish farming for export, free education and healthcare, 30,000 jobs for youths in the first 100 days, roads, increased subsidies and greater local control over public spending.
On July 28, 2012, Akeredolu was selected as ACN governorship candidate at a congress in Akure. But, he was defeated by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party (LP).
Akeredolu never abdicated. Although he wanted to be National Legal Adviser of the party, he had to drop the bid as Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN) was favoured for the position. But, he started nurturing his political structure ahead of 2016. His Aketi Movement became unstoppable.
On September 3, 2016, Akeredolu defeated Dr. Segun Abraham and Olusola Oke (SAN) at the primary on the platform of the APC. On Sunday, 27 November 2016, he was declared winner of the keenly contested governorship poll. He defeated Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) of PDP.
During the first term, crisis erupted between him and his deputy, Agbola Ajayi. Thus, when he ran for a second term, he chose Lucky Aiyedatiwa as running mate. Akeredolu was re-elected in 2020, defeating Jegede for the second time. He won in 15 of 18 local governments.
After securing a second term, he started drumming support for governorship zoning to Ondo South. That is why the district has the highest number of governorship aspirants, including Finance Commissioner Wale Akinterinwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Oke, and Aiyedatiwa.
As governor, Akeredolu was a dogged fighter. He was the motivator of the initiative that led to the establishment of the security outfit, Amotekun, which has reduced insecurity in the Southwest.
Akeredolu objected to the invasion of reckless herders and he demanded for state police, devolution of power and restructuring to strengthen the capacity of states and governors as chief security officers. After the Owo massacre, he became more vociferous, decrying the over centralisation of the security architecture.
On a number of occasions, he was an ardent critic of the Buhari administration.
Akeredolu, who was Chairman of Southern Nigerian Governors’ Forum, mobilised his colleagues across parties to canvass presidential zoning to the South.
During the 2023 engineering, Akeredolu was a staunch supporter of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for president at the primary and general election.
However, in the last one year, Akeredolu’s health had deteriorated. He was flown abroad for treatment for medical condition in June.
He transmitted power to his deputy, Aiyedatiwa, in accordance with 1999 Constitution. He returned to Nigeria from Germany in September. He stayed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
As controversy brew over his protracted ill-health and the state was enveloped in crisis, President Tinubu intervened twice to resolve the conflict.
Akeredolu will be remembered as a colourful politician; he was principled, honest and straightforward.
He was a believer in national unity in diversity.
