A crowd comprising students, workers, and artisans on Wednesday, February 21, thronged the streets of Akure to bid farewell to the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Students from various secondary schools lined Oyemekun road, extending through Oba Adesida to the Ondo State High Court premises, waving the Nigerian flag.
Workers of the State Ministry of Works donned reflective jackets as they gathered by their entrance gates, awaiting the hearse carrying the remains of late Akeredolu to pass through.
The day’s agenda included a special court session at the Ondo State High Court and lying in state at the Akure Township Stadium.
Inside and outside the courtroom, crowds amassed as numerous residents flocked in to pay their respects and catch a glimpse of their former Governor’s remains.
In his remark, Chief Judge of Ondo State. Justice Olusegun Odusola said late Akeredolu’s adoption of Arakunrin was the least expression of his (Akeredolu) self-effacing personality.
Justice Odusola noted that Akeredolu repositioned the Nigeria Bar Association as a responsive profession to the needs of society.
He said: “Arakunrin was a courageous fighter, who faced the serious security challenges in the State with such ingenious courage that his approach has become a national model. He was amazingly down to earth and this great asset is also his major weakness in a society where sycophancy is the order of the day.
“Whatever he promised to do, he would fight to accomplish. He had a desire to build an ultra-modern facility for the High Court (and had started the journey), but could not do so partly because of his ill health but largely because the individual who stood as the eye of the Executives in the administration of the judiciary could not interpret that dream.
“It is a delight, to note that Arakunrin never interfered with judicial activities even when it did not favour his desires. He would always tell us “Milord, deliver your judgment in your true conscience, if I am not satisfied I will appeal.
“That is the man we are all gathered here to bid farewell on his last journey. I am paying tribute to a man who understood the principles of separation of powers and lived it, not only in words but in action.”
A former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Adetokunbo Kayode, in a tribute, said the late Akeredolu left a lasting impact on the legal profession through his dedicated service to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
He said: “Aketi’s contributions to the legal profession, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a Life Bencher, and his service first as Attorney-General of Ondo State and later as Governor of Ondo State, will be remembered and cherished.
“As Governor of Ondo State, Aketi made significant contributions to national security through the establishment of the Amotekun corps which was aimed at enhancing security and safeguarding the lives and properties of the people in the state, in the Southwest and Nigeria.
“This initiative demonstrated his commitment to the well-being of the citizens and his proactive approach to addressing security challenges. His legacy in the field of national security will and must undoubtedly continue to inspire this and future generations.
“Aketi loved life and living. Which is just very well because life is a storm. An ephemeral storm. He never tried to calm the storm. Only Jesus could do that. He would rather calm himself as every storm must pass. Aketty’s storm has passed. He is calm where he is now.”
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), Chief Olusola Oke, said the body of lawyers has lost one of the most consequential personages in the legal profession in the country Nigeria and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Chief Oke said late Governor Akeredolu practised law with the highest ethical standards and stood for truth and justice.
“Aketi was a thoroughbred legal practitioner, with the sharpness of mind, and dexterity of arguments throwing him up as a cerebral mind with an indomitable resilience for human emancipation. In league with other silks, he made deliberate contributions to improve the legal profession, with insightful initiatives that birthed sweeping reforms and enhanced professional practice.
“His onerous contributions to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), as a barrister and President, earned him the recognition and decision of the association to name its secretariat in Abuja after Akeredolu in 2012.
“Aketi’s entrance into the Nigerian political space was not only positively disruptive but reformative, as he brought to bear in his public life uncommon honesty of purpose, predictable courage, innovative vision and sacrificial truthfulness. He did not just defend his people against marauders, Oluwarotimi emboldened them and generated national discourses that pointed to the direction of a new constitutional order that would enhance Nigeria’s nationhood.
“It is on record today that his one-time lonely vociferous voice for true federalism and creation of state police has received resounding acclamation, with the recent unanimity between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors on the latter.”
“Governor Akeredolu played a leadership role to other Governors of the South West in coming up with the formation of the Amotekun security outfit, to address these security challenges. Even the greatest critics of his regime would concede to the remarkable contribution of the Amotekun Corps in warding off attacks by marauders, kidnappers and terrorists in Ondo State and the South West of Nigeria.
“The list of several other people-oriented and life-changing projects implemented by Aketi in Ondo State is inexhaustible. I do sincerely hope that government’s chroniclers would not miss any one of them out.”
Ondo state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in his remark, said Akeredolu would be remembered for the direct, open and unambiguous condemnation of the military invasion of the private residence of Kate Papa Michael Adekunle Ajasin even when he (Akeredolu) was serving as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
Aiyedatiwa said his late boss dared to challenge a military governor under whom he served as a Commissioner on a matter of human rights and abuse of office and privilege.
He said: “We remember with pride today, his sense of urgency and intervention and unusual dedication to the cause of access to justice. His support for the Multidoor Court System, improved delivery of the Alternate Dispute Resolution system and welfare for judges and judicial officers, are well documented.
“Shall we forget his drive for necessary and expeditious law-making? For records, it was as Governor, who sponsored the executive bill for a law to establish the Ondo State Security Agency and Amotekun Corps, to assist in maintaining law and order in the state. His government also sponsored a bill for a law to provide for the establishment of Ondo State Security Trust Fund.”
“We will continue to remember him for his good deeds, his clear mind on all issues, his partisanship on all matters he believed in. We will remember him for his industry and erudition, his disdain for half-measures, hypocrisy, backstabbing, sycophancy and mediocrity. We will miss his charm, wit, firmness and activism. Beyond all, we will miss his company, vitality and energy.”
At the lying-in-state ceremony where Akeredolu’s casket was displayed for public viewing, a large crowd gathered to say goodbye to him.
The crowd waited for several hours until the hearse arrived.
Governor Aiyedatiwa in his speech, said late Akeredolu took uninsured risk in service of a greater goal for the people in the heat of the avoidable farmers – herders/kidnapping and other security challenges in the country.
Aiyedatiwa noted: “He, without fear took an unusual sacrifice that many considered a suicide mission. He raised his voice high to the roof to speak truth to power. He condemned inequality, complacency, divisiveness and double standards. He asked for the supremacy of the rule of law. He asked for fairness, love and true nationalism. He faced the troubling issues of the times with the candour of a statesman. He not only condemned indolence of thought, he proffered solutions that guaranteed peace. He not only talked, he walked his talk. He advocated for a new thinking, a new action and a new direction.
“He took these risks against bigger powers whose might is determinate and final. He took a great risk at the peak of his reelection attempt.
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“This, in my view, is the type of leadership our nation needs today, from the family unit, even to the highest level in the land. We need men who will look neither left nor right but gaze straight ahead to sacrifice their comfort for the greater good of the majority.
“We will never forget the life-changing interventions you used the power of government to bring to the people of Ondo state. We remember and still benefit from your industrialisation efforts, your infrastructure projects, and your intervention in education, health and human capital development. We remember your vision, your laughter, your warmth and firmness. We remember your zeal and compassion for the vulnerable. Most importantly, we will continue to remember forever, your integrity, character and faith.”
Among the dignitaries present were the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Idris Derby.
Speaker Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Olajidi, State Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, traditional ruler, legal luminaires, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko
Minister for Youth State Affairs, Olawande Wisdom Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri amongst others.