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It is a difficult task to have to pen a tribute and sing a dirge for a departing soul. It is a more difficult job in our African culture when one is compelled to do so for a younger person. Here I am with the difficult job of singing a dirge for Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, my beloved brother, confidant, political soulmate and governor of Ondo State.

I cannot fairly capture in words Rotimi’s towering figure and his human essence. 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.

In a challenging moment of our statehood when marauding agents of darkness spread their tentacles across our country, Rotimi was a strong voice in wilderness calling us to rethink our security architecture so we can have a more secure nation. His unrelenting advocacy led to the birth of the local police in the South West.

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 in the last 6 years, he served his people with absolute loyalty, dedication and forthrightness. His footprints dot the entire landscape in the hundreds of kilometres of roads he built, the many school 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.

My personal journey with Rotimi started as joint members of the progressive family. We fought many battles together 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 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. I beckoned on him to contest for the governorship position of Ondo State in 2012. Even though he didn’t make it in 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.

Rotimi has played his role well and left us untimely. We 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, ally and associate, he was a brother and 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.

SIGNED: HIS Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Federal Republic of Nigeria,

ABUJA

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed shock over the death of his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Adeleke, who said he was deeply troubled by the news of the demise of Akeredolu, described his death a a huge national loss.

The Osun governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, stated, “Arakunrin Akeredolu was one of the finest minds in the country’s legal profession, and as a colleague in the Governor’s Forum, his wise counsel and constructive contributions are hard to miss. Nigeria lost one of its finest, and I’m hugely shaken.”

Adeleke condoles with the acting governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the family of the deceased, the government and the people of Ondo State over this painful loss, urging them to keep his memory alive by sustaining his legacy of good deeds and impacts.

He stated, “In this moment of grief and pain, I offer my deepest sympathy to everyone touched by Arakunrin Akeredolu’s demise and pray to God to grant him eternal rest while hoping for his immediate family;

“… the government and the people of Ondo state that he left behind find comfort in the life full of accomplishments that he lived.”

The Comptroller of Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Aminu Shamsuddin, has cautioned men and officers of the command to stay away from any form of corruption..

Shamsuddin said that any corrupt personnel found engaging in bribery and corruption will be dismissed from the service.

The comptroller, represented by Deputy Comptroller Momoh Aliyu, made this statement during the passing out parade of the newly recruited officers on Wednesday in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.

A total of 190 officers were inducted at the occasion.

“Avoid bribe in the course of your duties. If you are caught in the act, you will be dismissed from the service,” Shamsuddin warned.

While congratulating the new officers and welcoming them to NIS, he urged them to be submissive, well-behaved, and loyal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

According to him, the first step to becoming an officer in NIS is to be inducted into the service to have some prior knowledge of the job.

Ondo Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been sworn in as the State’s substantive Executive Governor following Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s demise.

State Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odosola administered the oath of office at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office in Akure.

Present to witness the swear-in ceremony are top Judges in the state, government officials and politicians.

By Rita Iliya
Minna:  The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has launched “Operation
Eagle Eye” aimed at reducing accident during the yuletide.

The agency’s Head of Minna Operations Office, Hajiya Zainab Sai’du, said that the exercise was to make the yuletide accident-free.

She said that “the operation is a disaster-reduction measure put in place by the agency to carry out surveillance on major highways to reduce incidences of road crashes.”

She added that the exercise was aimed at sensitising motorists and the public on causes of road traffic crashes and to prevent occurance, as well as respond to them anytime they occur, in line with international best practices.

According to her, the ‘Eagle Eye’ exercise is an annual event conducted during festive periods,
characterised by mass vehicular movements.

“The event is also to complement the efforst of other response agencies, especially the Federal Road Safety Corp in curbing the menace of road crashes,” she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng) /Flowerbudnews

By Nabilu Balarabe

Damaturu,:  The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Yobe Council, has honoured Gov. Mai Mala Buni with an award for “inclusive governance”.

Bishop Yohanna Audu, the Council’s Chairman, presented the award to Buni, when the leadership of the association paid a Christmas homage to the governor in Damaturu.

He said the award was in recognition of Buni’s fairness to people of all ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds in the state.

“You won this prestigious award because of your style of leadership that carries everybody along irrespective of tribe, region or religion,” Audu said.

The chairman also commended the governor for appointing people from all faiths and ethnic backgrounds into his administration.

He noted that Buni’s commitment to peace was why adherents of different religions co-exist peacefully in the state based on love and trust.

In preparation for Christmas, Audu said the association organised a unity carol with participants from six North-Eastern states.

The chairman said the programme went on successfully, even when Muslims were having National Qur’anic Recitation Competition within the period.

“This is a clear demonstration of the peace, trust, and tolerance we have in the state under your able leadership,” he said.

Audu listed other supports CAN enjoyed from Buni to include foreign scholarships, pilgrimage slots, palliatives and bulls during festivals.

Responding, Buni assured the association of more supports and opportunities to all irrespective of religion, ethnic or cultural backgrounds.

He said the responsibility of building a peaceful society rests on everyone, urging the religious leaders to always preach peace to their congregation.

“We thank God for the stable peace we now enjoy across the state, and we all have roles to play in improving the relative peace enjoyed,” the governor said.

Buni said the award would propel him to do more in supporting and carrying everyone along.

“It’s an award l will live to value it,” he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State is dead.

According to reports, Akeredolu died in Lagos on Wednesday

The Ondo governor died at the age of 67.

It was learnt that he was managed by State House doctors up to his death because they could not fly him abroad.

“Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos,” a reliable source told Vanguard.

“They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”

Recall that the ailing governor returned to Nigeria in September following a three-month medical leave in Germany.

Recently, he went on another medical leave after being directed by President Bola Tinubu to hand over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

His deputy, Aiyedatiwa, has been standing in as acting governor.

Following his return to Nigeria in September, Akeredolu stayed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and tried to govern his state from there, leading to public outragw

Akeredolu’s wife, Betty announced the suspension of activities lined up to celebrate her 70th birthday.

The Ondo first lady announced the suspension of the activities in Twitter posts after questions were raised over plans to have a fanfare despite her husband’s ill health.

Betty, in a statement via her X handle, said, “Hello Family and Friends. This is to inform you that all activities lined up to mark my 70th birthday are hereby suspended till further notice due to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control. Sorry for any inconvenience caused by this development.

“Nevertheless, be assured that I will be celebrated in style upon my return. Thank you for your understanding. I remain Arabinrin a.k.a Ada Owere I,” she added