The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) died at 67.
Family and top government sources confirmed his demise on Wednesday morning.
The governor died after a protracted battle with an undisclosed illness, even though reports said he was down with leukaemia.
Akeredolu called for former president Musa Yar’Adua resignation in 2009
Then as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 2009, Akeredolu serially called for resignation of critically-ill former President Yar’Adua who spent months abroad receiving treatment.
At a valedictory session held in honour of the then retiring President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umar Abdullahi, on December 4, 2009, Akeredolu maintained that Nigeria was on the edge of a precipice due to Yar’Adua’s incapacitation and called for his resignation.
“This country is nearer to a state of collapse, and we cannot afford to be left in the grip of the rumour industry which is the most thriving sector at present,” Akeredolu, who was represented by the then NBA Public Relations Officer, Mr Ikeheazor Akaraiwe, told the gathering.
“Nigerians deserve to know the true state of things. If our President is not capable of performing his duties anymore, it will be better for him to resign as it will not be difficult to find a successor for him as provided by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria,” he added.
On another occasion, Akeredolu, in a direct swipe at Yar’Adua, said the love to serve the nation should not be at the detriment of its leader’s health, noting that “the prayer of the association is that the President should recover fast, return to his office, and resign.”
Akeredolu has been out of office at least since June 2023 when he officially transferred power to his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and proceeded on a 21-day medical leave abroad.
The leave, which was supposed to end on July 6, 2023, was later extended indefinitely as the governor continued to receive treatment in Germany.
He later returned to Nigeria on September 6 and resumed at his private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, to recuperate amid lingering crisis bordering on governance faraway in Ondo.
Birth
Akeredolu was born on 21 July 1956 in Owo to Reverend J. Ola Akeredolu of the Akeredolu family and Lady Evangelist Grace B. Akeredolu of Aderoyiju family of Igbotu, Ese Odo, in Ondo State.
Education
Akeredolu started his primary education at government school in Owo. He proceeded to Aquinas College, Akure, Loyola College, Ibadan and a comprehensive high school, Ayetoro, for his secondary school education and Higher School Certificate, respectively.
He went on to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study law and he graduated in 1977. He was referred to as the Nigerian Bar 1978.
Career
Akeredolu was appointed Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999. In 1998, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He was Chairman of the Legal Aid Council (2005–2006).
Politics
In November 2011, Akeredolu was among a crowd of aspirants to be the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for governor of Ondo State in the 2012 elections.
On 28 July 2012, On Akeredolu was selected as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for governor of Ondo State during the ACN congress in Akure. His selection pitched him in a head-to-head battle with the incumbent, Olusegun Mimiko and Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
On Saturday 3 September 2016, in a controversial primary election that rocked the ruling party during which Asiwaju Bola Tinubu a major party voice and National Leader of the ruling APC demanded the resignation of the party’s chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, Akeredolu was awarded the ticket to represent the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2016 elections for governor. On Sunday, 27 November 2016, he was declared winner of the keenly contested 2016 Ondo State gubernatorial election.
On Sunday, 27 November 2016, Akeredolu was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election. He amassed 244,842 votes in the election to defeat Eyitayo Jegede with 150,380 votes and Olusola Oke with 126,889 votes.
On Saturday 10 October 2020, Akeredolu was re-elected governor of Ondo State and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission on 11 October 2020. He won with a total number of 292,830 valid votes against his major opponents from the Peoples Democratic Party and the Zenith Labour Party, Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi respectively.
National honours
In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on Akeredolu by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Family
He is married with four children. Akeredolu met Betty, his wife during the National Youth Service Corps.
The woman, who hails from Imo state, said it was love at first sight.
“It was during youth service, at a friend’s house in Enugu. Two youth corps members were visiting. One was visiting his girlfriend and Aketi accompanied him. It was love at first sight,” she recollected in an interview.
