‘This Is Not Akeredolu’s Office, So Please Leave’

‘This Is Not Akeredolu’s Office, So Please Leave’; such was the marching order from the daughter of late Ondo State governor, Rotimi Aderedolu, identified as Ololade Akeredolu yesterday.

It was directed to no other set than a group of journalists, who had come to the Ibadan private residence of the late governor at about 5:30pm to cover the condolence visit of the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde.

‘This is not Akeredolu’s office, so please leave’, she had said, implying that the party ought to have gone to his official residence instead.

They had joined the two dignitaries who upon arriving there moved to straight into the private residence where the wife, Betty and some immediate family members were mourning.

Though the newshounds were caught unawares by the reaction of the late governor, they stayed put to do justice to their reason for being there.

Fielding questions with the journalists later, the Kwara State governor described Akeredolu’s death as a great loss to the nation, especially given the impact, he said the late governor has made to the nation’s politics.

He also recalled he rose to the peak of his career and politics and impacted greatly on humanity in developmental politics

 “We are here today with the governor of Oyo state and myself on behalf of all the members of the Nigeria Governors Forum to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Arakunrin Akeredolu. It is a sad affair.”

“We met the wife. We can just continue to pray that his soul will continue to rest in peace and may God give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

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“It is indeed a great loss for the nation. This is a man that rose to the height of his chosen career, the bar. He rose to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He rose to the height of politics, he was the governor of a state.”

“He impacted greatly on humanity in developmental politics. All we can say for now is that may his soul rest in peace.”

“And we can also add that of the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dr Ghali Naabba, may Allah forgive him his sins and give him aljannah firdus.”

Speaking, Governor Makinde said he has lost a friend, a brother and someone he had been together with fighting good courses.

He described Akeredolu as a courageous individual who spoke the truth, adding that the southwest had lost someone of importance in the death of Akeredolu.

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“Well, I can say that I have lost a personal friend, a brother, somebody that we have been in the trenches together. When we were going to set up Amotekun, he was pivotal to it.”

“And when we took the decision for Southern presidency, himself and the former governor of Anambra, they chaired the meeting at the Delta Government House.”

Neither governor made reference to the ‘This Is Not Akeredolu’s Office, So Please Leave’, assertion by the daughter.