The Southwest Governors Forum has pledged to give a dignified burial to the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who passed away on Wednesday, December 27.
The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, made this announcement on behalf of the other southwest governors in Ibadan after visiting the deceased governor’s wife and family at his Jericho private residence on Friday.
Abiodun mentioned that plans are underway to establish a committee that will oversee a proper state burial for the late Akeredolu.
He emphasized that the Southwest governors are committed to ensuring that Mr. Akeredolu’s burial receives the respect and honor he deserves, saying, “We will accord Akeredolu a burial that will be befitting of a great statesman and one of the leading lights of the southwest region.”
Abiodun said, “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 southwestern states to work with the family and collaborate with the government of Ondo State to ensure that we give him a deserving funeral.”
Governor Abiodun, who had characterized the late Akeredolu as a strong man whose void will be impossible to fill, added: “We are all here, governors of the south-west states, Governor 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.”
“Without a doubt, we are all still in a state of shock and disbelief. Governor Akeredolu was the Chairman, South-West Governors Forum, Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, a position that he held and led very courageously, very fearlessly, as a learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a successful second term governor of Ondo State.”
All of us are here on behalf of our families, the entire Southwestern states, to commiserate with the family and people of Ondo State. Our prayers are that the Almighty God will forgive his sins and grant him eternal repose.”
We also pray for the wife, children, family members, and the entire government of Ondo State to bear this very sad, shocking, and painful exit.”
“This is a man who was an advocate for a southern presidency; we could recall vividly the reinvigorated Southern Governors Forum meeting in Delta State about two and a half years ago. He championed that cause that the southern presidency should come from the South, and he stayed with it among several causes that he championed successfully.”
“Governor Akeredolu will be sorely missed by all of us. The void that he left will be very difficult for everyone to fill,” he said.
The governors, namely Ademola Adeleke from Osun, Dapo Abiodun from Ogun, and Abiodun Oyebanji from Ekiti, were accompanied by the deputy governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal, as they visited the late governor’s home in Jericho.
