Other guests at the event included the Taraba Deputy Governor, Aminu Alkali; Chairman of the Middle Belt Forum, Zamani Lawcot; a former Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Prof Suleiman Bogoro; some members of the National Assembly, as well as first-class chiefs, led by the Aku Uka of Wukari and Chairman of the Taraba State Traditional Council of Chiefs, Manu Ishaku Adda Ali.”
(i) “ON WIFE’S HEARTFELT LOVE LETTER TO AKEREDOLU”
As the remains of the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, were laid to rest on Friday, February 24, 2024, loved ones, notable personalities and dignitaries from all over the country gathered to bid him farewell. This was after a funeral service at St Andrews Church in Owo, Ondo State.
In a moving tribute at the service, the wife of the deceased governor, Betty, expressed deep sorrow at losing her loving spouse. She stated that she had been battling with loneliness and vulnerability since his demise. This was even as she lambasted those who described her husband as a weakling because he loved and respected her deeply.
She said, “It’s me, your adorable Betty. You left me just like that; it hurts badly! Now alone to face all manners of mockery from the so-called friends and adversaries alike. Not a few lashed out that you (Akeredolu) were a weakling because you loved me. In their homes, while growing up, they saw their mothers trampled upon as doormats. By the way, do they know what love is?
They marvel that a Nigerian man can love his wife. To them, only white men are capable of love.”
Also paying tribute to the former governor, Vice President Kashim Shettima said, “A man who in the theatre of life stood for his people, a man with dedication to their wellbeing, a man who has left indelible footprints in our history. As we bid farewell to this unforgettable enigma, may God, in His infinite mercies, repose his soul and bring comfort to his loved ones.”
On his part, the incumbent Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyadatiwa, who served as the deceased’s deputy, emphasised Akeredolu’s enduring impact, stating, “He was a courageous leader, a fighter with integrity. How can we forget him so soon?”
During the service, a cleric, Bishop Stephen Fagbemi, reflected on the significance of the occasion and announced the decision of the diocesan board to immortalise the late governor by naming their medical centre project after him. This was even as members of the congregation took readings from the Bible and sang solemn hymns, as palpable sorrow coloured their faces and demeanour.
However, one of the notable moments of the funeral was when a group of lawyers, clad in their traditional robes and wigs, gathered around Akeredolu’s casket to pay their final respects.
Akeredolu had passed away on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, in a German hospital after a protracted illness. He was 67 years old.
Born on July 21, 1956, Akeredolu was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who served as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association in 2008. He assumed office as the Governor of Ondo State in 2016 and was in his second term at the time of his passing. He was also the chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum—a coalition of governors from Southwest states in the country.
Guests at the funeral included the governors of Oyo, Ekiti and Delta states, Seyi Makinde, Abiodun Oyebanji and Sheriff Oborevwori, respectively.”
(iii) Quote:
“To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900)
(iv) Quote:
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel (1928 – 2016)
(v) Quote:
“The difference between school and life. In school you’re taught lessons and then given a test. In life you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” – Tom Bodett (1955 – age 69 years)
(vi) Quote:
“Despise not a snail for its slow and struggling movement; it has a destination, and with time it shall arrive.” (African Proverbs – BBC)
(vii) “Sunday Sun” newspaper front page editorial: “EFCC’S RAIDS ON BDC OPERATORS”
“The recent raiding of the Bureau de Change (BDC) operators in some parts of the country, including Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Oyo states, by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is arbitrary and is capable of igniting panic in the system. The raid is to safeguard Nigeria’s foreign exchange (forex) market and combat activities of speculators. But it is obviously not the solution to the forex crisis bedevilling the country.
