By Adeyinka Adeniran
Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, Elepe of Epe, Sagamu, Oba Wale Osiberu, Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Afolayan, Nigeria’s first female Senior Advocate, Chief Folake Solanke are among top dignitaries who poured encomiums on what they described as the glowing legacies of the former governor of Ekiti state Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
The event was the 68th posthumous birthday celebrations of the late legal luminary and former Chairman, Southern Governors Forum of Nigeria.
The dignitaries who attended the events from all walks of life including family members, relatives, friends, old schoolmates, colleagues, professional associates, partners among others said they are missing the late former governor for all his virtues and values.
The organisers under the aegis of Friends of Aketi (FOA) treated guests to varieties of fun, which they said represented the social and cheerful lifestyle of Aketi.
The event also so the public presentation of a book written in honor of the late governor, entitled “The Essential Aketi”.
It was also attended by Aketi’s widow, Betty, his children, his younger brothers, Wole, members of his immediate and extended family, political partners and others.
Chairman of the planning committee, the Elepe of Epe, Shagamu, Ogun State, Oba Wale Osiberu said the Friends of Aketi saw the need to pay their last respect to their beloved friends as they could not be much involved in the burial when he died last year.
He said the friends saw the need to celebrate Aketi whom he described as “a great man”
He said “A friend. He was a great man. He was a good man. We all came together as friends to say there is a need for us to celebrate him. When he was being buried, it was a state burial and as such we felt we could not really participate that much. Most of the things we wanted to do then had been done and were being planned by the state and the family.
“So we now said wait, let’s do some things after the burial and that was why we decided to come up with a book in his honor. Its not necessarily the real book as such, photographs, writings, different things, speeches and all that. We did this so that people can always remember him when they are always in their living rooms or offices.
“We (FOA) are all the authors of the book. You know everybody, all friends of Aketi. You can’t say there is somebody who is not an author. You know, if you look at the book it’s a compilation of different things and it was inspired, I mean we all came together as friends of Aketi.
“We want to immortalize him, that’s what we are trying to do. We are going to sit down, maybe after this and start planning the next thing to do, you know but definitely he’s somebody we will never forget and we will keep him living, you know and that’s way it’s going to be.”
He said in the next two years, the friends are coming out in a bigger way to celebrate late Aketi on his 70th posthumous birthday.
Speaking, Governor Makinde who was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Fola Oyekunle said the late Akeredolu leadership role in driving other governors in the Southwest birthed the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Operation Amotekun in the face of heightened insecurity in the region.
Noting that the impact of the former governor resonated beyond bothers, Makinde said his philanthropic gesture and legacies cannot go unnoticed.
In their separate remarks, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state who was represented by his deputy Olayide Adelami, Governor Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) who was represented by Taiwo Olatubosun, also lauded the deceased governor for his various feats and legacies which they said remained a huge motivation for the region.
Also speaking, first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Folake Solanke who described herself as the professional mother of late Akeredolu expressed pride to be so called.
Recounting her first encounter with the young Akeredolu in 1981, she said their first interaction didn’t leave any doubt in her as to if he would succeed in the profession or not. She said up until his death, she kept monitoring the late governor’s career progression, in all spheres adding that he also brought him so much pride, as the professional mother.
Other speakers including, the President African Development Bank, Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina, Head, Olujimi and Akeredolu Chambers who also doubles as the Chairman, Ibadan Branch, Nigeria Bar Association, Ibrahim Lawal said with Aketi, there was no dull moment.
He recounted that Aketi was fond of giving nickname to almost everyone he met, noted that the death was a dark dark cloud and a great blow on every member of the chamber.
He disclosed that the the Chamber and staff had put together a financial endowment at the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University to be awarded to best graduating student and to be given at every graduation.
Other close friends, partners, old schoolmates among others also shared fond memories and encounters with the late Aketi from his school days up on to his professional and political years which made the guest burst into laughters.
Highpoint of the event was the cutting of the posthumous birthday cake and public presentation of the book to the admiration and applause of the guests who were treated to good music, stage play and multi-media presentations.
