President Bola Tinubu has extended his sympathies to the people of Ondo State and the families of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who passed away on Wednesday.
Tinubu in a personal statement made available to newsmen , recognised the challenge of crafting a fitting tribute and mourning the loss of the departed governor.
He underscored the difficulty, especially in African culture, of composing a lament for a younger individual.
President Tinubu shared his struggle in commemorating Akeredolu, whom he fondly referred to as a dear brother, confidant, and political ally.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Governor Akeredolu is dead
Tinubu emphasised the near impossibility of adequately expressing in words the towering figure and essential humanity of Akeredolu.
“Rotimi was a man who moved our nation towards equity, fairness and justice in his strident advocacy against every form of injustice in our country through the instrumentality of the law as a senior advocate, attorney-general of his beloved state, as President of the Nigerian Bar Association and Governor of Ondo State,” Tinubu stated.
Tinubu said Akeredolu, who passed away at the age of 67, was a compelling advocate for the restructuring of the security architecture for a safer nation.
“In a challenging moment of our statehood when marauding agents of darkness spread their tentacles across our country. His unrelenting advocacy led to the birth of the local police in the South West.
READ ALSO: Obaseki mourns Akeredolu
“Rotimi was a man of ideas and action. While he was with us, he taught us the power of action and service. In Ondo State, where he had the honour to serve as the Governor over the past six years, he served his people with absolute loyalty, dedication, and forthrightness.
“His footprints dot the entire landscape of the state through the hundreds of kilometres of roads he built, the many schools he built, and healthcare facilities that he provided. During the dark hours when marauding agents of darkness visited the state and killed defenceless citizens where 40 worshippers of the Catholic Church of Owo were killed on June 5, 2022, Rotimi’s leadership qualities as a true statesman and compassionate leader radiated brightly to the world. He was a mourner-in-chief who guided his people through an agonising period. Today, I mourn a fighter and fearless defender of truth and the masses.”
Speaking on his personal journey with the late governor, President Tinubu noted that it began as members of the progressive family, united in fighting numerous battles to restore progressive governance in the South West, Edo State, and Nigeria as a whole.
“During this uncertain period, Rotimi was resolute and unflinching. He showed uncommon courage as a member of our legal team in our battles to reclaim our stolen mandates in Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, and Osun States. A gallant lawyer and one of the finest of the legal profession.
READ ALSO: Governor Akeredolu’s death a painful loss – Speaker Abbas
“I beckoned on him to contest for the governorship position of Ondo State in 2012. Even though he did not make it in his first attempt, his enthusiasm and determination to serve his people never diminished. He eventually made it to the Alagbaka Government House in his second attempt in the 2016 election, Since he was sworn in in February 2017, he had served the people with devotion.”
He further hailed late Akeredolu for a well played role before departing untimely, saying “will never see his likes again.”
“Let me tell the people of Ondo State that I am grieving with you. We will honour Rotimi’s memory and make sure his legacy of service is never forgotten. In my grief and sadness, I have telephoned his wife, Betty, and Acting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to commiserate with them and urge them to take heart over this national tragedy.
“Governor Akeredolu was not just a friend and associate, the departed leader was a brother and a soulmate. His death is a blow to our governing APC and the progressive family as we are diminished by it. I hope that his successor Aiyedatiwa will hold steadfast to the vision of governance left by this towering political leader.”
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