A GIANT HAS GONE TO REST!
The untimely passage, in the early hours of today, of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, came as a deadly blow, but we have to take it with stoic acceptance of the Will of God.
The passage of ‘Aketi’ as he was fondly called by his admirers is for me, a personal loss, and indeed, to the entire Oyedele family, because of our robust relationship that is dated back to our days at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Indeed, his path crossed earlier with those of my older brothers, Segun Oyedele (of blessed memory) and Dr. Ayodeji Oyedele, both of whom were his seniors in that prestigious secondary school, Loyola College, Ibadan.
Though we began our political careers in different branches of the progressive family, – he as a member of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) while I was in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) – our paths crossed at the initial conception stage of the All Progressive Congress. We not only bonded immediately, but we have sustained that brotherly relationship to the very end. The event of contestation for higher service was not even strong enough to break the strong bond of our friendship. I will forever cherish the memory of the joy he espoused and the words shared with me on the night I stepped down for him a few days before the 2020 APC Gubernatorial Primary.
While we may still find it difficult to come to terms with the harsh reality of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s passage, we take solace in his enviable legacies of courage, forthrightness, simplicity and service to humanity. Indeed the apt words of King David at the news of the death of Abner readily comes to mind and I quote from 2 Samuel 3:38
“_And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great fallen this day in Israel” KJV.
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Today wth the death of Aketi we can declare that indeed, a great man has fallen this day in Ondo State
My heartfelt condolences go to the Akeredolu family, the good people of Owo town, great citizens of Ondo State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the entire nation.
May the departed soul of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON finds eternal repose in the pantheon of saints.
Signed :
IfeOluwa Oyedele, FNSE, KJW D. Eng. (Honoris Causa)
Executive Director (Networks), Niger Delta Power Holding Company