By Balogun Aderemi Adetokunbo Adetayo
“Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.” – Hebrew Proverb
Mr. Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, popularly known and called Aketi by friends and admirers, died in a hospital near Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27, 2023 after a protracted battle with cancer. The news of his death came like a thunderbolt. Many had thought his health was on the mend and that full recovery was only a matter of time especially after he returned to the country on November 2, 2023 following 84 days of medical treatment in Germany.
His exit at the age of 67 dealt a big blow to those of us who knew him closely, his devotees and lovers of good governance given his immense contributions to peace building and security in Ondo State where he was governor, and indeed the entire SOUTH WEST NIGERIA, and his passion for fairness, unity, development and progress at the national level. It is, therefor e, not a surprise that eulogies have continued to pour in since his passing.
As Ernest Hemingway once said, “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguishes one man from another.” I can say without equivocation or any fear of contradiction that Aketi led a very distinguished life privately, professionally and politically. I shall come to this in a moment. He was a great human being, leader, legal luminary, brilliant administrator, quintessential nationalist and democratic icon who made tremendous sacrifices for the unity, stability and development of Nigeria. On matters of national interests, he spoke his mind freely, frankly and fearlessly even when battling a debilitating illness. He was well loved for his humility and simplicity. These uncommon attributes characterised his actions, brilliance, comradeship and demeanour. It is indeed noteworthy that unlike his peers, who prefer to be addressed as Your Excellency, Akeredolu throughout his sojourn in the public space chose “Arakunrin” as his prefix.
Some aspects of the life and times of Arakunrin Akeredolu’s are worth recounting here. Born on Saturday July 21, 1956 in Owo to Reverend J. Ola Akeredolu and Lady Evangelist Grace B. Akeredolu, he started his primary education at Government Primary School in Owo, his hometown before proceeding to Aquinas College, Akure, in Ondo State and later Loyola College, Ibadan in Oyo State for his secondary school education. Our paths first crossed in January 1972 when we both started Higher School Certificates (HSC) in the foremost model secondary school, Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro in Ogun State. He later studied law at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) from where he graduated in 1977 and was called to the Bar in 1978.
It is, perhaps, apposite at this juncture to dwell a little on our time together at Compro, in Aiyetoro. Aketi and I were both in Crimson House. Young, debonair, and ‘well connected’ we hit the ground running. The famous Aiyetoro Gangway was a haven. Our beards grew fast, requiring us to shave regularly using the then new magic Shaving powder. He and I made a ritual out of our shaving routine and took great delight in making fun of our mates who were not so endowed. He was, in every sense of the word, a fun person to be with. He infused his surroundings with laughter, life and love. I still have vivid memories of our numerous clandestine shindigs. But one remarkable thing about him was that in spite of his gregarious nature, he never joked with his academics. He had a beautiful and riveting handwriting and a dress sense to match. He was a natty dresser and his influence on buddies like Dr Dokun Adedeji, Tunde Adegbola, Jimi Disu, Deji Osibogun etc was not so subtle.
I dare not delve at this time on his fine boy attraction to the Ladies.
Professionally, Mr. Akeredolu was a notable lawyer who served the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in various capacities before joining politics. He was the Secretary and Vice Chairman of the Ibadan branch of the NBA in 1991 and Chairman from 1992 to 1994. He was appointed Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999. In 1998, he was conferred with the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He later served as the Chairman of the Legal Aid Council (2005–2006) and went on to become the President of the Association from 2008 to 2010. He is fondly remembered by colleagues as one of the most consequential and courageous Presidents ever to lead the NBA. It was, therefore, apt when in 2012, the NBA decided to name its new secretariat in Abuja after him. The NBA president at the time in his speech, most fittingly, noted the need for “generational identification and recognition of those who had contributed immensely to the development of the association. The sheer courage for him to go through the rigour is a testimony to his selfless service.”
John Lewis, the U.S. representative from Georgia obviously had leaders like Aketi in mind when he said, “We have a right to protest for what is right. That’s all we can do. There are people hurting, there are people suffering, so we have an obligation, a mandate, to do something.” As a worshipper in the sacred temple of justice Aketi believed in law and the use of the instrumentality of the legal profession to unshackle the downtrodden and make decisive changes in society. Since his death, I have read and heard numerous heartwarming testimonies of those who benefitted directly from him and/or his law firm, Olujinmi & Akeredolu, which he co-founded with Chief Akin Olujinmi, a former Attorney General and Minister for Justice.
To broaden and deepen his impact on his people, Mr. Akeredolu in 2012 took his interest in politics beyond mere advocacy and exhortation. He threw his hat into the political ring. In July of that year, he emerged as the Ondo State gubernatorial flagbearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and went on to contest against the incumbent, Dr Olusegun Mimiko of Labour Party and Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Although he came short at the polls, the experience and learning equipped him with the wherewithal for the challenges ahead. Four year later, he bounced back better, bigger and bolder. He won the ticket to represent the newly merged All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2016 elections for Governor. On Sunday, November 27, 2016, he was declared winner of the keenly contested election. And in 2020 he was re-elected governor after sweeping the polls in 15 out of 18 local governments in the state.
As governor, Aketi prioritised the safety and security of the citizens. He did not pay lip service. Instead, he took practical steps despite limitations imposed by the country’s constitution. Like Nelson Mandela he knew safety and security of life and property just don’t happen, but only as a result of collective consensus and public investment. To his eternal credit, as the Chairman of South West Governors’ Forum he championed the establishment of the regional security network, Amotekun, to address security concerns in the western region despite stiff opposition from within and outside. Although it is not yet Uhuru in the region, no one can dispute the fact that Amotekun has been pivotal in improving the security situation and curtailing the scourge of terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping and banditry, and remains a model for other regions to adopt or adapt.
He also achieved the long-awaited approval of the Ondo Deep Sea Port by the Federal Government of Nigeria which is a significant milestone in the state’s history. He tripled the internally generated revenue from the paltry N700m per month he met in 2016 to over N2billion. Also, he made remarkable strides in the area of infrastructural development, industrialisation, education, healthcare, and youth empowerment.
Aketi’s belief in Nigeria was steadfast and his confidence in the ability of the country to come good, despite the myriad of challenges, never wavered till he bade us goodbye. He walked his talk. Thankfully, this belief was reinforced and rewarded by some notable awards he received while in office. In February 2022, he was named Grand Patron of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency by its chairman, retired Brigadier General Mohammed Marwa. Also, in recognition of his contributions to the progress of Nigeria, the Federal Government conferred on him the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in October 2022.
But why does death take glee in snatching some of the very best among the living? I look forward to the day someone can offer a satisfactory answer. Until then we accept the harsh reality that there is nothing so pitifully certain, so painful as death. If we are all visitors on earth as some argue we must return home, someday. And death is the only known natural exit from life.
We grieve because Aketi is gone but we take solace in the beautiful and eventful life he lived. We are very proud of the leader he became. Emperor as we fondly called him, he turned out to be a most benevolent Emperor. Thus, as we continue to bask in the love and warmth he left behind and celebrate the life he lived, I remember the inimitable words of Mahatma Gandhi, “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.”
Aketi’s life was a blessing, his memory, an enduring treasure.
Balogun Aderemi Adetokunbo Adetayo
BALOGUN AKE
LADERIN EGBA
