Anambra State Government Mourns Ondo’s Late Governor Akeredolu

Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka.

Last updated Dec 28, 2023

The Anambra State Government has extended its deepest condolences to the Akeredolu family, the government and people of Ondo State, and the entire nation over the demise of His Excellency, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who died in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27, 2023.

The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, in a statement issued on Wednesday, described Akeredolu’s passing as a personal and collective loss, not just to the people of Ondo State but to Nigeria as a whole.

“It is with deep sadness and a sore heart that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on behalf of the Government and people of Anambra State, grieves the untimely passing away of His Excellency, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of Ondo State, in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27, 2023.

The news of Governor Akeredolu’s death at the age of 67 is a personal and collective loss, not just to the people of Ondo State but to Nigeria as a whole.

“As a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), he was a distinguished legal luminary, a fearless advocate, a passionate patriot, and a dedicated public servant who made a positive impact on the polity.

As a governor, he left behind a legacy of remarkable achievements in Ondo State, demonstrably improving security, infrastructural development, and economic growth.

His commitment to good governance and his dogged fight for the rights of his people earned him immense respect and admiration across the country,” Governor Soludo eulogized.

The Anambra State governor hailed his counterpart’s invaluable contributions to the Southern Governors’ Forum, describing Akeredolu as a vocal advocate for unity, equity, and justice for all Nigerians.

“He was always leading the charge with courage and conviction. His wise counsel, sound judgement, and commitment to the ideals of federalism will be sorely missed in the forum,” Soludo affirmed.

On a personal level, Governor Soludo said he had lost a valued colleague, a trusted friend, and a confidant, as Governor Akeredolu was a man of integrity, humour, and exceptional intellectual depth, who was always willing to offer support, share his wisdom, and stand up for what he believed in.

Governor Soludo prayed that God would grant the Akeredolu family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

“May God grant them the fortitude to bear the painful loss. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” he wrote in a press release signed by Christian Aburime, the Press Secretary to Governor Soludo.

A Brief Biography of Governor Olarotimi Akeredolu:

Born on 21 July 1956, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, popularly known as Aketi, was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who served as governor of Ondo State from February 2017 until his demise on December 27, 2023.

Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu died at the age of 67 after a brief illness, his office announced on Wednesday, 27th of December, 2023.

Akeredolu was appointed Attorney-General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998.

Akeredolu, who was re-elected for a second term as a governor in October 2020, was a prominent lawyer and politician, who served as the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from 2008 to 2010.

During his time as the governor of Ondo State, he also doubled as the chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum, a forum consisting of governors of the Southwest Nigerian states.

He was married to Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, an indigene of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria. Together, they had four children and four grandchildren.