The death of the Governor of Ondo State, Barr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN has been described as a big and sad blow to democracy and political activism in the country.
This was the immediate reaction of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II to the death of the Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum through his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola in a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Oba Balogun, who described the sudden exit of the Ondo State helmsman as a national loss noted that it was thought that he would survive the illness that eventually claimed his life as he fought a long battle, but, God knows best. “While recuperating in Ibadan, the palace was keeping tap on his recovery progress.
“An indefatigable politician and legal icon, the governor, popularly called Aketi was an activist, who used both his law profession and politics to fight for the downtrodden. He left his feet on the sands of time both as a lawyer, attaining the highest professional honour available in the field as well as the headship of its association- Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
“In politics, he proved himself an enigma, winning gubernatorial elections on two different occasions and but for his untimely death, he would have succeeded in governing his Ondo State for two terms of eight years, that’s not a mean achievement”, Oba Balogun added.
The monarch commiserated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the good people of Ondo State, urging them to take solace in the good memories left behind by the departed politician.
Olubadan urged the members of the late governors’ family, both immediate and extended to take heart and thank God for a good life spent by their late icon. “I urge them to be grateful to God for having such a personality as a member of their family. He might be considered young at 67, but, his accomplishments confirm the agelong aphorism that it is not how long, but how well, may the Lord rest his peaceful and beautiful soul”.
