Tag: Akeredolu

The Diocesan Bishop of the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, Imola Owo, Revd. Stephen Fagbemi, has described the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as an exceptional politician who championed the cause of the people.

Akeredolu, who passed away last December after battling prostate cancer, was honoured at a memorial service held in Owo, Owo Local Government Area, to celebrate his legacy.

Speaking at the event, Bishop Fagbemi emphasized the importance of prioritizing agriculture and security to address the country’s pressing challenges.

He also highlighted Akeredolu’s dedication to the church, describing him as a devoted member and an exceptional Chancellor who rendered outstanding service.

“As a politician, he was known for his integrity and advocacy for justice, particularly his vigorous campaign for the southern presidency and power shift from the north.

“If he were alive today, no doubt he would have spoken against the current state of hunger and hardship in our land. Corruption continues to rob the people of the true dividends of democracy. We must prioritise security and sustainable farming to address these challenges.

Read Also: Aiyedatiwa to name Ondo High Court complex after Akeredolu

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by his Deputy, Olayide Adelami, said late Akeredolu was a courageous leader and advocate of good governance.

Governor Aiyedatiwa said Akeredolu’s memorial service was not a jamboree but a desire to immortalise the former governor for what he stood for as well as his contributions to the development of the state and the country at large.

“We will continue to remember him for being at the forefront and for rallying his brother governors to institutionalise the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, a homegrown security outfit that is currently doing a tremendous job at combating insecurity in our land. This is in addition to other laudable infrastructural initiatives midwifed by our late leader.”

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, said late Akeredolu was not afraid to speak truth to power at all times.

He said, “At our meetings at the level of the Governor’s Forum, Aketi will say whether they like it in Abuja or not; we will do it; nothing will happen.

“In politics, it is not a common quality to have people who are as compassionate as politicians.” Many are competent, some have capacity, but what really makes a fundamental difference is courage. Aketi had the courage in abundance. Even when things are not going well, he is unfazed.”

First son of the former governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Jnr,

said they felt like their father was gone for five years.

A book titled ‘The Life and Times of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,’ written by Dr. Wale Okediran and forwarded by Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, was launched at the event.

Ondo state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has announced that the new ‘Judiciary Village’ (High Court Complex) will be named after the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu upon its completion in 48 weeks.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony for the project, Governor Aiyedatiwa described the construction of the High Court Complex as a historic milestone for the state.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to advancing justice and prioritizing the welfare of judicial officers in Ondo State.

According to Aiyedatiwa, the vision for the Judiciary Village was conceived during the administration of his predecessor and former boss, Akeredolu.

The complex will feature a ceremonial court, modular courts, a registry, a library, exhibition buildings, a utility building, and modern parking facilities, among other state-of-the-art amenities.

According to him, “Since the creation of Ondo State in 1976, no attempt has been made to provide a modern edifice for the administration of justice. Today, we are not only making history but also fulfilling a long-standing dream of the judiciary.

“This development is the actualization of the dream and vision of our late leader, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. It was his desire to provide a state-of-the-art High Court Complex to enhance the workload and welfare of our judiciary. Naming this project the Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu Judiciary Complex is a fitting way to immortalize his legacy.

“Let me state with all sense of responsibility that we are embarking on this project at this time not because the state is too buoyant financially but because of our commitment to providing a good working environment with modern facilities that will enhance the welfare of our judicial officers, workers, and people seeking justice, with the overall aim of speeding up the dispensation of justice in Ondo State,” he said.

 Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olusegun Odusola, said tbe project would elevate the stage judiciary to global standards with modern facilities capable of competing with any judicial system in the world. 

A Non-Governmental organisation, BEMORE Empowered Girls Foundation, on Saturday empowered no fewer than 70 girls with laptops and home solar system in Ibadan.

This is as the founder of the group, Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu,  the wife of the former Ondo State Governor, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, charged the girls to make positive impacts in the world and among people around them.

Speaking during the closing of the Summer Bootcamp organised by the NGO, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu said there was a connection between Gender- Based Violence (GBV) and poverty stressing the need for girls to be empowered so they can be financially independent.

She said women should be concerned and work towards eliminating feminised poverty that breeds violence at home and on the streets.

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She reiterated the importance of aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by UN member states in 2015, a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

Betty said, “At the hearts of these 17 SDGs are urgent calls for action by all countries- developed and developing in a global partnership.

“They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand in hand with strategies that improve health and education.

“And reduce inequality and spur economic growth- all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forest.”

Pastor Akin Olotu, the former senior special assistant on Agric and Agribusiness to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has revealed that his ex-principal successfully cultivated 87,000 hectares of oil palm out of a 100,000-hectare target as part of the ‘Red Gold’ revolution.

According to Olotu, this initiative created over 30,000 jobs.

Speaking at the annual lecture series organized by the Correspondents Chapel of the Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Olotu urged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to allocate 24 percent of the 2025 state budget to agriculture to boost food production.

The former Akeredolu aide who said his previous warning on the food crisis was ignored said this year’s climatic condition was not favourable to farming.

Read Also: Ondo 2024: Akeredolu’s kinsmen pledge support for Aiyedatiwa

He lambasted agricultural research institutes for not living up to Nigerians’ expectations to tackle the food crisis as well as bridging the gap between research and knowledge.

His words, “There should be aggressive rural transformation. The government needs to curb rural-urban drift. If we do not have a rural transformation, we are going nowhere.

“In the months ahead, there will be more food crisis. The present climatic condition is not favourable to farming activities.

“Something has to be done. The food crisis is still ahead. President Bola Tinubu has to set targets for the state and local councils. Presently, Nigeria’s poultry industry has collapsed.

“Ondo State has a comparative advantage in tree crops. We targeted 100,000 hectares for oil palm but we did 87,000 hectares. We also succeeded in tomato cultivation in Ondo.

“Nigeria is importing oil palm heavily. We need a concerted effort to tackle food shortage. We need to plan, we need to know where we are and where we are going.”

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi, said his administration has embarked on several initiatives to boost food production in the country and improve the welfare of the citizens.

Chairman of the Chapel, Tosin Ajuwon, said journalists need protection and support in the coverage of the November 16th governorship election.

Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, Elepe of Epe, Sagamu, Oba Wale Osiberu, Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Afolayan and Nigeria’s first female Senior Advocate, Chief Folake Solanke, are among dignitaries who poured encomiums on what they described as the glowing legacies of the former governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.

The event was the 68th posthumous birthday celebrations of the late legal luminary and former chairman, Southern Governors Forum of Nigeria.

The dignitaries, who attended the events from all walks of life, including family members, relatives, friends, old schoolmates, colleagues, professional associates, partners, among others, said they were missing the late former governor for his virtues and values.

The organisers, under the aegis of Friends of ‘Aketi’ (FOA), treated guests to varieties of fun, which they said represented the social and cheerful lifestyle of Akeredolu.

The event also saw the public presentation of a book written in honour of the late governor, titled: ‘The Essential Aketi’.

It was also attended by ‘Aketi’s’ widow, Betty, his children, his younger brothers, members of his immediate and extended families, political partners and others.

Chairman of the Planning Committee, the Elepe of Epe, Shagamu, Ogun State, Oba Wale Osiberu, said the friends of ‘Aketi’ saw the need to pay their last respect to their beloved friends, as they could not be much involved in the burial when he died last year.

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He said the friends saw the need to celebrate ‘Aketi’, whom he described as “a great man”

He said: “A friend. He was a great man. He was a good man. We all came together as friends to say there is need for us to celebrate him. When he was being buried, it was a state burial and as such we felt we could not really participate that much. Most of the things we wanted to do then had been done and were being planned by the state and the family.

“So we now said wait, let’s do some things after the burial and that was why we decided to come up with a book in his honour. It’s not necessarily the real book as such, photographs, writings, different things, speeches and all that. We did this so that people can always remember him when they are always in their living rooms or offices.

“We (FOA) are the authors of the book. You know everybody, all friends of ‘Aketi’. You can’t say there is somebody who is not an author. You know, if you look at the book it’s a compilation of different things and it was inspired, I mean we all came together as friends of ‘Aketi’.