Aketi was a dogged fighter and wouldn’t be intimidated by any political determine if his convictions had been challenged.
Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Aketi), handed away within the early hours of Wednesday in a German hospital after a number of months of battle with leukemia and prostrate most cancers.
His demise got here at a time when hope rose for an improved medical state of affairs.
Mr Akeredolu, 67, was born on 21 July, 1957 in Owo to J. Ola Akeredolu of the Akeredolu household in Owo and Grace Akeredolu of Aderoyiju household of Igbotu, Ese Odo, Ondo State.
Mr Akeredolu attended Aquinas Faculty, Akure, Loyola Faculty, Ibadan, Oyo State, and Complete Excessive Faculty, Ayetoro, in Ondo for his secondary and Larger Faculty Training.
He additionally attended the College of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo College) to check regulation and he graduated in 1977.
He was known as to the Nigerian Bar in 1978 and have become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) 10 years later. He was elected the President of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation (NBA) in 2008.
His management of the NBA was marked by vibrancy and activism. He was not solely forthright, he was additionally delicate to human rights abuses.
Aketi’s method to governance and his dedication to the safety of the curiosity of the individuals made him one who might communicate to energy with out concern or doubts. He was dogged in his political pursuit, not for self service, however for good governance.
Former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, described the late governor as a daring, brave, fearless and selfless politician.
Whereas lamenting his passage, Mr Kalu mentioned in addition to Mr Akeredolu’s contribution to the authorized occupation, he additionally contributed immensely to nation constructing by way of varied platforms, whereas acknowledging his management qualities.
Mr Akeredolu was well-liked together with his name for the switch of energy to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan in 2009 throughout the disaster arising from the ailment of late President Umar Yar’Adua.
Mr Akeredolu was the the NBA President and was famous to have repeatedly known as on the President to resign since he couldn’t longer proceed his obligations as President.
Satirically, his phrases calling for the hand over of energy to Mr Jonathan given the incapacitation of President Yar’Adua, was deployed by the opposition in calling on him handy over energy to his deputy, Fortunate Aiyedatiwa, within the closing days of his battle together with his ailment.
Politics
Mr Akeredolu’s foray into lively politics started when he was appointed Legal professional Basic of Ondo State between 1997 and 1999, earlier than he grew to become Chairman of the the Authorized Assist Council the place he served between 2005 and 2006.
He contested the governorship election in Ondo State in 2012 on the platform of the Motion Congress of Nigeria(ACN). That election returned Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Occasion, for a second time period in workplace.
Mr Akeredolu was supplied the ticket to run for governor within the 2016 governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress. He gained and have become the governor of the state. He was lucky to be returned for a second time period in 2020, the tenure he couldn’t full on account of his demise.
Political Activism
Mr Akeredolu was one governor who didn’t mince his phrases in faulting the present political and financial construction of the Nigerian Federation. His name for restructuring was seen as daring, which was not well-liked with probably the most leaders inside the APC.
“The necessity for restructuring has develop into plain. The federal authorities should relinquish its extreme management over the sub-national entities. It’s crucial that safety is decentralised to the states. There isn’t a higher time than now for the institution of state police,” Mr Akeredolu restated in June this 12 months whereas marking the June 12 Celebrations.
Mr Akeredolu didn’t solely mouth the decision, he activated it and made efforts to show the truth that devolving powers to states might guarantee a greater, richer and safer Nigerian society.
He rallied different states within the South-west to creat the Western Nigerian Safety Community now referred to as Amotekun. This growth was within the face of stringent opposition, particularly from the northern axis.
Ondo State below Aketi witnessed an efficient implementation of the safety coverage, largely checking the illness of herdsmen and farmers clashes.
Herders and their masters had been compelled to adjust to the legal guidelines regulating grazing with Amotekun empowered to implement the regulation to the letter. This legacy won’t be forgotten by farmers who had continued to depend on the safety outfit to assist tame the marauding herdsmen.
Amotekun has additionally recorded vital achievements within the struggle towards kidnapping in Ondo State. a number of individuals had been arrested and prosecuted for kidnapping and its response to misery calls have additionally been famous and recommended.
Mr Akeredolu’s cry to the Federal Authorities to permit the outfit deal with computerized weapons to allow it deal with violent crimes has but to be heeded and it was one in every of his aspirations earlier than he breathed his final.
His management of the South-west Governor’s Discussion board gave a chew to the event drive of leaders of the area. The DAWN Fee obtained a lift and growth plan for the area was begining to achieve extra consideration.
Governance
When he first arrived the Alagbaka Authorities Home, Mr Akeredolu inherited an enormous backlog of wage arrears. His predecessor ran right into a major problem of economic disaster when revenues from the Federation account dwindled.
Nonetheless by way of frugal administration of the state funds, Aketi managed to repay the money owed and ensured salaries had been paid promptly to state employees.
Even the opposition couldn’t fault him on his method to prudent administration of assets. Tasks had been step by step, duly executed throughout the state.
His method to the retention of insurance policies inherited from his predecessor was practical. Mr Akeredolu wouldn’t proceed what he couldn’t maintain. One among such examples is the free shuttle buses for college kids, which needs to be ended on account of it is rising burden on the federal government. It was nonetheless reintroduced as palliatives following the elimination of gasoline subsidy.
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Political battles
Aketi was a dogged fighter and wouldn’t be intimidated by any political determine if his convictions had been challenged.
Whereas he sought the ticket to run for governor in 2016, he needed to deal with sturdy political forces following the controversies that attended the governorship primaries.
Olusola Oke, who was aggrieved on the consequence of the primaries, defected to the Alliance for Democracy and was rumoured to have obtained the blessing of Bola Tinubu, who was then the nationwide chief of the APC.
The APC membership was torn between Messrs Akeredolu and Oke. Mr Akeredolu finally gained the election, and after time glided by, the animosity died down and Mr Oke and his supporters returned to the social gathering.
Mr Akeredolu additionally needed to grapple together with his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, who needed to interchange him whereas he searched for a second time period in workplace.
Mr Ajayi finally survived impeachment and went forward to contest towards Aketi on the platform of Zenith Labour Occasion. Aketi defeated him and the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede to return to workplace.
His final battle together with his deputy was clouded and hazy as his sickness took a robust maintain on him. It stays a thriller if Mr Akeredolu really moved towards his deputy or the uproar was a product of the machinations of the “cabal.”
President Muhammadu Buhari, in October 2022, conferred on Mr Akeredolu the Nigerian nationwide honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), an honour nicely deserved of a person who got here, fought and conquered.
