Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has received the body of his predecessor, late Rotim Akeredolu, at the governor’s office in Alagbaka, Akure, on behalf of the people of Ondo State.
Speaking during the short reception, Aiyedatiwa said, “With a heavy heart, I extend a warm welcome to all gathered here for this solemn occasion—the lying in state of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
“Today, we come together to honour and celebrate the well-lived life of Governor Akeredolu, whose tireless dedication to the people of Ondo State resonates deeply within each of us.
“This session holds great significance as it marks the final place of work for our departed governor, where he served with unwavering passion, fairness, and equity, leaving behind a legacy that speaks volumes of his commitment to public service.
“In particular, we gather here today to offer our farewells to the late governor, a leader who understood the importance of valuing and rewarding the hard work of our state’s workers.
“As the biblical adage goes, ‘Workers deserve their wage,’ and Governor Akeredolu exemplified this principle by ensuring the payment of six months out of seven months of outstanding salaries owed to workers from the previous administration.
“Following in his footsteps, the remaining one month of outstanding salaries has been settled under my administration.
“Moreover, the impactful programmes initiated by Governor Akeredolu to improve the lives of our workers stand as a testament to his unwavering commitment to workers’ well-being.
“To the dedicated workers of Ondo State, today we bid farewell to not just a former leader and boss, but a champion of your rights and well-being.
“May the memory of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu inspire us all to uphold his legacy of integrity, compassion, and service to the people of Ondo State.
While speaking at a Special Court Session held in honour of the late governor at the state high court in Akure, the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, paid tribute to the late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, describing him as a courageous fighter.
Odusola said, “Arakunrin was a courageous fighter who faced the serious security challenges in the state with such ingenious courage that his approach has become a national model.
“He was amazingly down to earth, and this great asset is also his major weakness in a society where sycophancy is the order of the day. Whatever he promised to do, he would fight to accomplish.
“Akeredolu had a desire to build an ultra-modern facility for the High Court (and had started the journey), but could not do so partly because of his ill-health but largely because the individual who stood as the eye of the Executives in the administration of the judiciary could not interpret that dream.
“Expectedly, our new governor, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has reiterated his promise to bring Arakunrin’s dream to reality.
“It is a delight, to note that Arakunrin never interfered with judicial activities, even when it did not favour his desires.
“That is the man; we are all gathered here to bid farewell on his last journey. I am paying tribute to a man who understood the principles of separation of powers and lived it, not only in words, but in action.
On his last encounter with him at a time when his health was obviously failing, he said, “Arakunrin still reiterated his desire to construct a judiciary complex that will be the envy of other states in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He also spoke about judges’ welfare, and I wondered how a man in such a condition could still love the judiciary so much as to remember the little promises he made.
“I therefore pay homage to an outstanding legal icon and a political colossus. A man who was an exemplar of indefatigable courage, principled resistance, honesty, and self-respect.”
