By Bolarinwa Ayoola
Just a week ago, family members, friends, associates and admirers of the late Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, gathered at the famous International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan to celebrate the life and legacy of a man whose contributions to Yorubaland, regional security and the struggle for State Police remain significant.
Organised by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and the Akeredolu Foundation, the posthumous birthday colloquium, tagged Aketi @ 70, brought the venue alive with traditional drums, music, cultural performances and the presence of distinguished personalities, political leaders and socio cultural organisations from across Yorubaland. Beyond the celebration, the event provided an opportunity to reflect on the life of a statesman whose commitment to public service and the advancement of Yoruba interests left an enduring mark on the region.
Akeredolu was recognised as a thoroughgoing Yoruba son who was deeply committed to the welfare and security of his people. His role in championing a regional security architecture that culminated in the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, remains one of his most significant contributions. He was also a prominent advocate of State Police, understanding that the security challenges confronting Nigeria require solutions that are responsive to local realities.
His advocacy was not merely political rhetoric. It was rooted in the conviction that the security of communities cannot be adequately guaranteed by a system that fails to respond effectively to their peculiar circumstances. Akeredolu understood the importance of regional cooperation and the need for the Yoruba states to take greater responsibility for the safety of their people. His contribution to Amotekun was therefore a defining part of his public legacy.
However, amid the tributes, cultural performances and celebration of Akeredolu’s life, an uncomfortable question emerged. Where were the governors of Oyo and Osun States?
While the Governor of Lagos State was represented by the state’s Permanent Secretary, who delivered his goodwill message, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State attended personally. Ekiti State was also duly represented. The absence of the Oyo and Osun governors was conspicuous, but the absence of Governor Seyi Makinde deserves particular attention because of Oyo State’s direct connection to the Amotekun initiative and the significance of Akeredolu’s contribution to regional security.
Governor Aiyedatiwa and Governor Dapo Abiodun deserve commendation for personally attending the event. Their presence demonstrated recognition of Akeredolu’s contributions beyond the boundaries of Ondo State. Governor Abiodun deserves particular commendation for delivering the keynote address, in which he reiterated the urgency of actualising State Police and emphasised the enduring value of the late statesman’s contributions. His message was a reminder that remembering Akeredolu should mean more than celebrating his birthday after death. It should also mean pursuing the ideals for which he worked.
The actualisation of State Police remains an urgent question of security and governance in Nigeria. The need for a more responsive policing structure is inseparable from the safety of our communities and the ability of security institutions to address local threats effectively. Akeredolu was among the prominent voices who pushed this debate forward, and his contribution deserves to be recognised by every state that stands to benefit from a more effective security architecture.
The physical attendance of Governors Aiyedatiwa and Abiodun was therefore significant. They demonstrated that a public figure’s contribution to regional development can be acknowledged regardless of political differences. Their participation deserves recognition, particularly at a time when the Yoruba political class must demonstrate greater unity on issues affecting the collective interests of the region.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s absence remains deeply disappointing. What makes his absence particularly difficult to comprehend is the direct connection between Oyo State and Amotekun. Ibadan, the capital of the state he governs, hosted the launch of the regional security network that Akeredolu worked so hard to bring into existence. Oyo State was part of the regional effort that produced Amotekun, an initiative established to strengthen security cooperation and respond to the peculiar security challenges confronting communities across the South West.
It is therefore incomprehensible that Governor Makinde could not personally attend a colloquium celebrating the man whose vision, courage and political commitment helped make Amotekun a reality, or send a representative to acknowledge his contribution.
I find this deeply disappointing. Akeredolu did not work for Ondo State alone. His contribution to regional security was intended to benefit the entire South West, including Oyo State. The security network he helped establish was not a private political project belonging to one governor or one political party. It was a collective regional initiative whose significance transcends individual political ambitions.
For Governor Makinde to be absent from an occasion of such importance, without even a representative to convey his goodwill, raises serious questions about his appreciation of Akeredolu’s legacy and the importance he attaches to the collective interests of Yorubaland.
This is not a demand that Governor Makinde abandon his political convictions or endorse the political legacy of another governor. It is a question of respect, regional responsibility and the ability to rise above partisan considerations when an occasion demands it. Political disagreements cannot become an excuse for ignoring the contributions of a statesman whose work helped advance a cause from which one’s own state stands to benefit.
Governor Makinde’s absence was not a minor detail at Aketi @ 70. It was one of the most disappointing aspects of the occasion, and it deserves to be addressed directly rather than buried beneath general statements about political differences. Where was the difficulty in attending the event or sending a representative to honour Akeredolu? What message does such an absence convey to the Yoruba people, particularly when the occasion concerned a regional security initiative in which Oyo State has a direct stake? These are questions that deserve serious consideration.
Yoruba political history has always accommodated different parties, competing interests and vigorous political disagreements. There is nothing inherently wrong with political pluralism. The problem arises when partisan loyalty begins to override collective responsibility, when personal grievances become more important than regional progress, and when political leaders are unwilling to acknowledge the contributions of others because of political differences.
The interests of the Yoruba people are bigger than the ambitions of individual politicians. No political party owns Yorubaland, and no governor should treat the region’s collective heritage as an extension of partisan politics. Yoruba leaders must learn to manage their differences and work together on issues that affect the security, development and future of their people.
Equally troubling was the seemingly scanty representation of the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, at the colloquium.
As someone who attended the event, I found the number of Amotekun personnel present disappointing. I could readily recall only a few members of the corps in attendance. I had expected the International Conference Centre to have a substantial representation of Amotekun personnel from across the South West, given that the event was organised to celebrate a man whose political commitment helped bring the network into existence.
This was not an ordinary social gathering. It was a commemoration of one of the prominent figures who helped champion the establishment of Amotekun. The occasion offered the corps an opportunity to honour its institutional history, recognise Akeredolu’s contribution and demonstrate its appreciation of the regional vision that made the network possible.
Why was there not a stronger institutional presence at such a significant event? Was the corps adequately mobilised to participate? Did the relevant authorities appreciate the importance of honouring the legacy of one of the most prominent advocates of regional security cooperation? These questions deserve answers.
The limited representation also raises a broader concern about the relationship between Amotekun and the political leadership under which it operates. Is the network becoming vulnerable to the political affiliations and personal interests of the governors who oversee its activities? Could partisan rivalries be influencing the visibility and public perception of a security institution established through regional cooperation?
I am not claiming that the governors’ absence and the limited representation of Amotekun were coordinated, nor am I asserting that anyone deliberately prevented the corps from attending. Such conclusions would require evidence. Nevertheless, the situation raises legitimate questions about institutional commitment and the need to protect Amotekun from partisan manipulation.
Amotekun must not become a political instrument for sending messages, rewarding allies or expressing hostility towards opponents. Its fundamental responsibility is to protect lives and property and serve communities within its lawful mandate. Its institutional identity must transcend the political fortunes and personal preferences of individual governors.
The network was established because the Yoruba states recognised the need for a coordinated response to regional security challenges. Its continued relevance depends on professionalism, public confidence and the willingness of political leaders to sustain the common vision that made its establishment possible. The legacy of Akeredolu should serve as a reminder that regional security requires cooperation, political courage and a commitment to collective responsibility.
The events at Aketi @ 70 should therefore prompt serious reflection within the Yoruba political class. It is not enough to praise Akeredolu in speeches while neglecting the wider lessons of his life and work. It is not enough to celebrate Amotekun while failing to demonstrate the institutional commitment needed to sustain the vision behind its establishment.
Governor Aiyedatiwa and Governor Dapo Abiodun demonstrated the importance of personally identifying with the commemoration of a departed statesman. Governor Abiodun’s keynote address further connected the celebration to the unfinished struggle for State Police. Their participation deserves acknowledgement. Other Yoruba political leaders should recognise that honouring a statesman is not an endorsement of his political party. It is an acknowledgement of his contribution to the public good.
Governor Makinde, in particular, should reflect on the message conveyed by his absence. A political leader’s responsibility extends beyond party interests and the immediate demands of office. It also includes recognising the contributions of those whose work has helped advance the collective interests of the people he governs. Akeredolu’s contribution to Amotekun was too significant to be treated as a matter of indifference by any Yoruba governor, especially one whose state was directly connected to the initiative.
The Yoruba people cannot afford a political culture in which historical contributions are acknowledged selectively, regional achievements are celebrated according to partisan convenience, and institutions established for public good become vulnerable to political rivalries. If our political leaders cannot rise above their differences to honour those who worked for the collective good, how can they be expected to unite effectively to confront the challenges facing Yorubaland?
Akeredolu helped champion a regional security initiative that required Yoruba states to work together in the face of a common challenge. His legacy should remind our political leaders that security, regional development and the collective future of the Yoruba people must never be sacrificed on the altar of political rivalry.
The Yoruba political class must do better. Governor Makinde’s absence deserves an honest explanation, Amotekun must remain bigger than partisan politics, and the legacy of Aketi must not be reduced to ceremonial speeches while the fundamental lessons of his life and work are ignored.
If the Yoruba political class cannot rise above its differences to honour the dead and protect a common regional legacy, what confidence should the Yoruba people have that it can unite to secure their future?