- Senate, Ohanaeze, others mourn lateOndo governor
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has condoled with the widow of the late Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Akeredolu.
The First Lady, who was at the Ibadan residence of the Akeredolus, noted that the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu fought gallantly to stay alive, but “every human existence is subject to the will of God.”
First Lady Tinubu noted that the nation had lost one of its great men, telling the widow “he did his best. God will be there for you. When God shows up for you, that is what really matters.”
According to a statement issued by her spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady admonished Mrs Akeredolu and the family to take solace in God and trust in Him alone at this trying time, praying that God may continue to uphold the family.
Responding on behalf of the family, brother to late Governor, Professor Oluwole Akeredolu, said the exit of Governor “is a painful one at this time, but the family is consoled by the fact that he has gone to rest.”
He thanked the First Lady and her entourage for the condolence visit which he described as a great honor.
Her entourage included the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shetima, wives of members of the National Assembly, wives of state governors of Lagos and Ogun, wife of the APC National Chairman and others.
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday observed a minute silence in honour of the late Ondo State governor and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba.
The resolutions of the Senate followed motions moved by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC – Ondo South) and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC – Kano North) respectively on the floor.
Barau was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations during Na’Abba’s tenure as the Speaker between 1999 and 2003.
Moving the motion, Senator Barau said the late Speaker stood firm for the independence of the legislative arm of government during his tenure as Speaker.
He said the deceased was instrumental to the successful take-off of the House of Representatives by putting in place all necessary structures needed to galvanise a new legislature to perform its functions.
He called on the Senate to honour Na’Abba’s contributions to the development of the legislature in the country by observing a minute silence.
”This is to officially inform this august sitting of the death of the founding presiding officer of the House of Representatives of the Fourth Republic, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba, who died on Wednesday. He died in Abuja and was buried in Kano according to Islamic rites.
“He was the Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003. He fought to put in place the necessary structure for the take off of the House of Representatives of the Fourth Republic. He was a dogged fighter who stood firm for the independence of the legislature.
”He will ever be remembered for the sacrifice he made to make sure the House of Representatives was put in the best place to perform its functions. He needs to be honoured by this distinguished Senate for his contributions to the development of the legislature of this country. I hereby urge that a minute silence be observed in his honour,” Senator Barau was quoted in a statement by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir.
Seconding the motion, Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central), said the late Na’Ábba played a prominent role in the Fourth Republic as the Speaker.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, said Na’Abba was a pillar in defending the independence of the legislative arm at the onset of the Fourth Republic.
He recalled that it was during Na’Abba’s tenure that elaborate rules of the legislature were formulated.
On his part, Jimoh Ibrahim described the late Akeredolu as an impactful leader who championed the development of the Southwest in particular and the country in general.
“He was instrumental to the establishment of Amotekun Security outfit and he was President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),” he said.
He was a veritable voice of reason- Reps Southern caucus
In a related development, the Southern Caucus of the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Hon. Nicholas Mutu expressed its heartfelt condolences to the Ondo State government and the immediate family of the late governor.
The caucus in a statement by its Secretary, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, described the death of the governor as painful.
It also condoled the Ondo State House of Representatives members over the demise of the governor.
It described Akeredolu who was at a time President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as an accomplished legal luminary, intellectual and courageous voice of reason whose individuality and unambiguity on issues of societal and national importance were never in doubt.
Hon. Ogene said further, “Aketi was a charismatic personality, who contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria’s legal profession and democracy, with passion, grace and fearlessness.
“He loved his people so passionately that it was never in doubt where he stood on matters that concerned the Yoruba race, the south and his immediate constituents, the Ondo people.
“Arakunrin was always there in the forefront, to speak for his people, fight for their interests and was an advocate for equity and fairness in the Nigerian system, till the end.
“The nation will miss Aketi. The South West has indeed lost a warrior. A courageous fighter. And the law profession has lost a voice, an intellect and a giant.
“As a caucus, we pray that the good Lord would grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful exit of this remarkable leader, family man and father. May his soul find eternal peace in the bosom of his creator.”
Ohanaeze mourns late gov
Apex Igbo sociocultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, described the late Akeredolu as a courageous man who spoke truth to power.
The Igbo group also described him as a great in-law, inter-ethnic genius and a soldier of democracy and the popular sentiment of the Southwest politics.
In a statement issued in Enugu yesterday, through its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said it received with grief the news of the passing of “an Angel of history; a robust visionary, purveyor of morals, the jinx breaker, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, a legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, an inter-ethnic genius, the two-term governor of Ondo State and the former Chairman of the South West Governors Forum, His Excellency, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN; CON.”
It said the former governor was not only an exceptional in-law of the Igbo; he was also their noble son by the reason of marriage to their adorable daughter, Her Excellency, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu- Akeredolu.
“It is noteworthy that the Ohanaeze Constitution confers Igbo citizenship on our in-laws and their offspring.
“As long as the marriage with Betty lasted, Akeredolu displayed an unflinching fidelity, marital exemplariness and a profound commitment to the welfare of the Emeabiam community, Owerri-West, in Imo State.
“Such a magnanimous relationship was extended to the Igbo community in Ondo State.”
It added that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, could not withhold his emotions on hearing the sad news of the demise of “one of our best”.
The Igbo leader recalled the audacious roles that Rotimi Akeredolu played in the creation of the Western Nigeria Security Network, otherwise called the Amotekun: the zest and steadfastness with which, as the Chairman of the South West Governors Forum, coordinated the zoning of the Presidency to the Southern part of Nigeria.
Chief Iwuanyanwu cited with freshness how Akeredolu chaired the meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum in Enugu which emphatically re-echoed the earlier Asaba Declaration for Southern Presidency. Akeredolu demonstrated an extraordinary acumen in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The Igbo Leader aded, “Throughout his career, Akeredolu displayed an amazing social skill, dispositional humility, character comeliness, legal wizardry, irresistible charisma, intellectual prowess and a disarming political acumen.
“Although Rotimi did not live long enough, but Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) had asserted that it is not the length of life but the depth of life that matters. In other words, the Rotimi Akeredolu trajectory is a distinctive tribute to audacity, selfless service, humility, group loyalty, awesome generosity, resilience, perseverance and Levite spirituality. He has by his granite convictions, left indelible marks in the sands of time”, it added.
