Adieu, Rotimi Akeredolu

THOUGH the information was within the public domain that he had been in and out of hospitals in the past few months, the announcement of the passing of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, few days ago, was received with shock, pain and a great sense of loss arising from his antecedents and legacies. He was a dogged fighter, a bastion of the rule of law and a democrat par excellence who deployed and leveraged his skill and clout as a  vibrant senior lawyer to support this conviction. A politician of the progressive hue, Akeredolu brought his background in legal and socio-political activism to bear on his activities in the political arena and, more significantly, to governance in Ondo State where he served as governor from  February 24, 2017 until December 27, 2023 when death abridged his tenure that would have ended in February 2024. Born in Owo on July 21, 1956, Aketi, as he was fondly called by admirers, made significant contributions to the legal profession, the human rights community and politics.

Akeredolu was a successful legal practitioner who rose to the pinnacle of his profession when he was appointed Attorney-General of Ondo State in 1997. Thereafter, he was honoured by his peers through his conferment with the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998. He had a meritorious stint as the chairman of the Legal Aid Council. Ten years after he became a SAN, his colleagues gave him a stellar endorsement by electing him the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 2008. Till date, his tenure as the NBA president remains a reference point in the annals of the association in terms of the credibility, vibrancy and charisma that he brought into its leadership. A gadfly to the oppressors and purveyors of injustices, Akeredolu was fearless and blunt, almost to a fault. He spoke the truth without minding whose horse was gored. His first major foray into politics happened in 2012 when as the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), he contested to be governor of Ondo State but he lost in the general election. In 2016, he contested again. This time around, he succeeded both in the primary and the general election even when some prominent chieftains of his party, who had supported his earlier attempt,  showed a lukewarm attitude to his aspiration due to intraparty squabbles. He also contested for and won his re-election in 2020 and he was reputed to have done a lot to lift the fortunes of the Sunshine State.

Akeredolu was a leading campaigner for restructuring and contributed immensely to the creation of the Western Nigeria Security Network, otherwise known as Amotekun. He demonstrated sterling leadership quality as the Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum where he worked with his colleagues, including those belonging to a different political party, to set up an alternative local security outfit to tackle the menace of killer herdsmen that was posing a grave security challenge to the geopolitical zone then. And as the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, he was in the forefront of the advocacy for equitable distribution of federal appointments and, in particular, the rotation of the office of the president between the North and South. Indeed, he and his colleagues started the spadework and campaign that ensured that the office of the president was rotated to the South and that was what ushered in the present dispensation. He was not a man who closed his eyes to injustice and oppression on the altar of partisan politics. He would always differ from his political party on issues he strongly believed had compromised fairness, equity and justice. For instance, he rose in defence of the South-West against killer herders and repudiated the Buhari presidency’s defence of the outlaws even as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Aketi would always have a lucid viewpoint on any topical issue. He was not the type to sit on the fence or be ambivalent. He was a very interesting and engaging personality that was difficult to ignore or be indifferent about. You would always know where he stood and so you either liked or hated him, but he was always on the side of the masses and the downtrodden. He was reputed to have helped the careers of many up and coming lawyers through various developmental programmes he initiated, including letting office spaces to junior lawyers free of charge in his Ibadan palatial law office codenamed the ‘Law hub’. As is customary with humanists, behind Aketi’s tough and steel nature was the milk of human kindness which propelled and motivated him to fight and reject injustices and oppression on behalf of the masses in the first place. Ironically, he also had an incredible sense of humour which he often displayed in his characteristically brave and blunt fashion. Akeredolu was a quintessential family man and a jolly good fellow who loved the arts. He had been a prominent member of the Kegites Club in his university days and remained one till he passed on recently. The late governor of Ondo State will be sorely missed for his remarkable selflessness, doggedness and forthrightness in  the two areas of endeavour,  law and politics,  where it is somewhat difficult to possess these virtues for altruistic reasons.

Our condolences go to  Aketi’s immediate family, the government and people of Ondo State and the NBA. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.