Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu CON SAN, a Nigerian politician and lawyer, was born on July 21, 1956, and passed away on December 27, 2023, following a protracted fight with leukemia. He held the office of governor of Ondo State from 24 February 2017 until 27 December 2023.
In 2008 he rose from his position as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to the president of the Nigerian Bar Association. In addition, Akeredolu held the position of Managing Partner of Olujinmi & Akeredolu, a law company he co-founded alongside Chief Akin Olujinmi, a former Nigerian Attorney General and Minister for Justice.
Following the primary elections, he was announced as the APC’s candidate for governor of Ondo on July 21, 2020. In addition to serving as the governor of Ondo State, he presided over the Southwest Governors’ Forum, which brought together the governors of the states in Southwest Nigeria.
Early Childhood and Education
Akeredolu was born on July 21, 1956, in Owo to Reverend J. Ola Akeredolu of the Akeredolu family and Lady Evangelist Grace B. Akeredolu of the Aderoyiju family of Igbotu, Ese Odo, in Ondo State
Akeredolu commenced his primary schooling at Owo’s Government Primary School. He continued his secondary schooling and Higher School Certificate at Aquinas College in Akure, Loyola College in Ibadan, and Comprehensive High School in Ayetoro, respectively. He continued his studies in law at the University of Ife, which is now known as Obafemi Awolowo University, graduating in 1977. In 1978, the Nigerian Law School received a referral for him.
Akeredolu’s Wife and Family
He is married to Betty, and has four children.
Akeredolu’s Political Career
From 1997 until 1999, Akeredolu served as Ondo State’s attorney general. He was appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1998. From 2005 to 2006, he served as the Legal Aid Council’s chairman. The Bar Association’s third vice president, welfare secretary, and assistant financial secretary published a petition titled “Complaints against your fraudulent manifestations, violation of the NBA” in November 2009, which sparked accusations of corruption against him.
The Nigerian Bar Association’s National Executive Council later reviewed and dismissed the accusations made against him.
Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), named him the Grand Patron of the NDLEA on February 4, 2022.
Governor of Ondo State
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Akeredolu the winner of the Ondo State gubernatorial election on Sunday, November 27, 2016. In the election, he received 244,842 votes, more than Olusola Oke (126,889 votes) and Eyitayo Jegede (150,380 votes). In order to secure victory, Akeredolu overcame two formidable opponents, Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to Professor Ganiyu Ambali, INEC Returning Officer. On February 24, 2017, the governor of Ondo State took the oath of office in Akure, the state capital.
Following his victory in the APC primary election against Olusola Oke, D.I. Kekemeke, Jimi Odimayo, Segun Abraham, and others, he secured the right to re-contest for the governorship of Ondo State in October 2020.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared on October 11, 2020, that Akeredolu had been re-elected as governor of Ondo State on Saturday, October 10, 2020. With a total of 292,830 valid votes, he defeated his principal rivals, Agboola Ajayi and Eyitayo Jegede of the Zenith Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, respectively.
On February 24, 2021, he took the oath of office for a second term. On the same day, he took office alongside his newly appointed deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Akeredolu denounced the June 2022 Owo church attack against Catholics in Ondo as “satanic.”
Akeredolu Sickness and Death
Since January 2023, Akeredolu has been receiving treatment for leukemia and has experienced a protracted medical leave of absence. On December 12, 2023, Akeredolu signed the notification designating deputy governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the state’s acting governor ahead of another round of medical leave.
Unfortunately he passed away on December 27, 2023 after failed attempt to fly him abroad for adequate treatment.
