South-West govs visit the Akeredolus over death of patriarch

The deputy governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal, on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, on Friday led other South-West governors to the residence of the late former governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, in the Jericho area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke; his Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun; and the Ekiti State governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, were present.

Akeredolu died on Wednesday.

Abiodun said he and his co-governors would set up a committee to ensure a befitting state burial for the late Akeredolu.

He said, “We will accord Akeredolu a burial that will be befitting of a great statesman and one of the leading lights of the South-West region.

“Collectively, we will be majorly responsible for his funeral rites per the farewell that he deserves.

“We will be setting up a joint committee of the South-West states to work with the family and collaborate with the government of Ondo State to ensure that we give him a deserving funeral.”

Abiodun had earlier described the late Akeredolu as a courageous individual whose vacuum will be difficult to fill.

He said, “We are all here, governors of the South-West states, Governors of Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, and Lagos.”

“He will soon be here; he has some flight issues. We are here to commiserate with the Akeredolu family and also the Ondo State government on the passing of our senior colleague and brother, His Excellency, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, who the Lord has called his side.”