Dignitaries celebrate Akeredolu at posthumous 70th birthday

Late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu

Governors, political leaders and prominent personalities gathered in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday to honour the late former Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, at a colloquium marking his 70th posthumous birthday.

The event was held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

In his opening remarks, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said Akeredolu’s advocacy for state police had evolved from regional agitation into a major issue in Nigeria’s national policy and constitutional discourse.

He described his predecessor, whom he fondly called “My Oga”, as a courageous and selfless public servant whose vision for a decentralised security system continued to shape the country’s security debate.

Aiyedatiwa recalled Akeredolu’s role in establishing the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, alongside other South-West governors, noting that the initiative demonstrated the importance of community participation in protecting lives and property.

Among the dignitaries at the gathering were Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who delivered the keynote address; former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; and Akeredolu’s wife, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu.

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, were also represented at the event, which brought together political leaders, legal practitioners and associates of the late governor.

The colloquium, themed “Fundamentals and Governance of State Policing: Towards a New Architecture for National Security in Nigeria”, focused on Akeredolu’s advocacy for state policing and his contributions to security and governance in the South-West.

In his keynote address, the Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun called for comprehensive reforms to establish an effective, sustainable and accountable state policing system.

He said Nigeria needed an additional 554,353 police personnel to meet the United Nations-recommended police-to-citizen ratio.

The Ogun governor also paid tribute to Akeredolu’s role in advancing decentralised policing and regional security cooperation, noting that his advocacy had helped move the debate on state policing towards a national consensus.

The colloquium formed part of activities to preserve the late governor’s legacy and sustain discussions on the security reforms he championed during his lifetime.