As Akeredolu Goes Home Today...
Fidelis David reports that former governor of Ondo state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, will be laid to rest today in his Owo country home after a nine-day funeral rites.
It is often said that death is inevitable and is a debt everyone owes. Thus, we must all reckon with death, because someday we will all confront our own end, but along the way, we will also witness beloved friends and family pass from this life into the next. Late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has reckoned with death. He died on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 after a prolonged illness at the age of 67.
‘Aketi’, as he was fondly called by friends and admirers, died in “God’s grace and friendship” and indeed assured of eternal salvation as he’s laid to rest today.
The event is expected to be a gathering of governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers, captains of industry, friends, family, political associates and other dignitaries from all walks of life.
During the COVID-19 tsunami, Nigeria saw the death of many influential and top politicians. However, since the end of the disease in Nigeria we’ve never recorded the death of a titan in such circumstances that are unexpected and shocking. This is because, it seems not believable that the former governor battled leukaemia and prostate cancer, which resulted in his death.
People in the real world always say, when something terrible happens, the sadness and loss and aching pain of the heart will lessen as time passes, but it seems not to be true in all cases, particularly, in the case of Akeredolu.
He was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and former Attorney General of Ondo State, and a two-term governor who served as the Chairman of the South West Governor’s Forum before his death.
He was elected Governor of Ondo State on the Platform of the All Progressives Congress in November 2016 and re-elected in 2020, he was also the Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997-1999 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998 as well as, the President of Nigeria Bar Association from 2008 to 2010.
However, Akeredolu did not budge. He continued with Mimiko’s Administration’s projects, including the Mother and Child Hospital Project, extending it to Igbokoda, Owo and Okitipupa.
Akeredolu’s Infrastructural Drive
The success of any government is measured by how well an administration has successfully and positively impacted the lives of the people it was elected to govern. During his tenure, ‘Aketi’ prioritised his people’s wellbeing, driving progress and development in all sectors. His leadership resulted in significant improvements, particularly in infrastructure, security, and industrialization.
So, for Akeredolu, he was truly focused about where he is was taking the state to, as he within six years in office focused on infrastructural drive of the state.
This include construction of over 450 kilometres of roads across the state which encompasses; the dualization of the once bloodsucking Okealabojuto road; dualization of Emure-Owo road; dualization of Ikare Township Road; dualization of Oba Osupa road in Akure; dualization of Owo township road; construction of Iyere-Ipele road, and dualization of Nepa-Hospital Road in Akure.
Others are dualization of CBN – Bishop Court, Akure; the ongoing dualization of Oda road in Akure; construction of OAUSTECH Internal access road in Okitipupa; construction of Sabomi township road; construction of 12km Okitipupa – Igbokoda bypass road; construction of 16km Idanre – Ijoka virgin road; construction of Iwalewa – Hospital road; construction Of Abusoro-Ijoka road and Alagbaka SIB/Appeal Court road in Akure.
In addition, the construction of Gaga community road; construction of Oke-Ogba community road; reconstruction of Ijapo road; construction of Club 20 road; reconstruction of Iwaro-Oka road; reconstruction of Jubilee – Ugbe-Akoko road; Asphalt overlay of Okitipupa township road; construction of Igbara-Oke/Ibuji/Ekiti boundary road, among others. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com