AKETI: CONJURER OF MIXED EMOTIONS

Nigerian politics over time has been flavoured by branding, the affixing of monilkers, sobriquets and aliases to major players across seasons. Iconic figures like Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo; Busari Adelakun; Bola Ige; Abubakar Olusola Saraki; Olusegun Obasanjo, to mention a few assumed novel hues in the political and public sphere arising from such rechristening. Awolowo, the scholar, philosopher, visionary and statesman was known simply *Awo.* Adelakun was dubbed *eru obodo* to underscore his fearlessness, while Ige was emblazoned with the appellation of *Cicero of Esa-Oke,* to denominate his depth and outstanding oratory. Saraki was a cult figure in the politics of Kwara State and was celebrated as *Oloye,* "the titled one" by his followers. The publicity directorate of the *Olusegun Obasanjo Campaign Organisation,* (OOCO), of 1998 and 1999, abbreviated the surname of Nigeria's former military Head of State, to a less mouthful *Obj* in referring to him.

Elsewhere across the country, legends like Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe, attorney, journalist, revolutionary and statesman was revered as *Zik of Africa.* This was to capture his irrepressible advocacy for the liberation of Africa from its colonialists. Aminu Kano, teacher, poet and writer was highly revered in the old North West, especially within contemporary Kano, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna states. He was invested with the necklace of *Baba' talakawa* to denote his wholesale identification with the masses. Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe, the colourful politician, nationalist, statesman and orator was better known as *KO* derived from initialising his first names. Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's former President rode to the State House, Abuja, on the wings of being perceived by his supporters as *Baba Mai Gaskiya,* the honest and transparent leader. Revelations by investigators into the activities of Buhari's aides, however, have reportedly tracked about N12 Trillion to the local and offshore accounts of some of his proteges. So much for the blighted reputation of a plausible pretender.

Younger politicians have also been bitten by the same bug, and have been baptised with cognomens popularised by their supporters and followers. Nigeria's President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, comes to the party with quite a number of appellatives. These include *BAT,* a compression of his initials; *Asiwaju,* to underscore his leadership exertions since the birthing of the Fourth Republic and *Jagaban,* lead warrior, conferred on him in Borgu, Niger State. Olusegun Mimiko who at various points was health commissioner; minister and governor of Ondo State, is probably better known as *Iroko,* even as Seyi Makinde the hardworking governor of Oyo State, is *GSM* for short, among his people. This acronym is derived from his present office and names, "Governor Seyi Makinde."

Olurotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, the recently, painfully demised governor of Ondo State equally came to office with his own customised signatures. Like his former colleague in Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola who adopted *Ogbeni* literally translated as "Mister," Akeredolu opted for the prefix *Arakunrin,* which is a slightly longer variant of Aregbesola's. Akeredolu's was, however, a double-barrelled brand which threw up *Aketi* as his pseudonym. Very glaringly, this was obtained by the ingenious amalgam of parts of his surname and the first. He succeeded *Iroko* January 24, 2017, upon the completion of the latter's two full terms in office.

I never got a chance to meet *Aketi* but I followed his endeavours quite a bit. He commanded quite some pre-gubernatorial era attention, having served as attorney general and commissioner for justice under the administrations of Anthony Onyearugbulam and Moses Fasanya, both military administrators of Ondo State, between 1997 and 1999. He had equally led the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), from 2008 to 2010, succeeding Olisa Agbakoba, and preceding Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, both senior advocates of Nigeria, (SAN), like him. He bolstered the prototype activism of the NBA, typically standing with the people on burning issues. With such glittering resume, a lot was expected from Akeredolu.

Dapo Adelegan a Lagos-based serial entrepreneur and distinguished indigene of Ondo State affirms that Akeredolu continued with the redevelopment of township roads in the state capital begun by Mimiko. He also extended infrastructural development to Owo his ancestral home. He is also credited with the establishment of the *Amotekun* vigilante outfit across the south west, as response to the unrestrained incursion into that section of the country, malevolent nomadic Fulani herders. Against protestations by parts of core north of the country, Akeredolu operationalised the security outfit. The Muhammadu Buhari administration threw up its arms, bereft of answers in the face of potential cross-national conquest by the vaulting herdsmen. Akeredolu led the way and other states in the south west region followed. He also envisioned a seaport project in riverine Ondo State which considered imperative to accelerate socioeconomic development in the state.

Akeredolu was equally unequivocal in supporting the advocacy for the return of the presidency to the south of the country. With Buhari's below par performance across sectors and indicators and the reverse development which he brought to bear on the socioeconomy, he had encumbered the path for a potential northern successor.