By Akintayo Abodunrin
A biography chronicling the life and exploits of the late legal luminary and politician Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu will be unveiled at his first memorial service later in December.
AS part of activities marking the first anniversary of his passing on December 26, 2023, a biography of the late Governor of Ondo State and ex-President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, is set to be unveiled.
Titled ‘Aketi: The Life and Times of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’ and written by prolific biographer and the deceased’s close friend from their days at the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University), the book will be unveiled in Owo, Ondo State, on December 27, 2024.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the special guest of honour, will lead other eminent Nigerians, associates and other people of goodwill to the occasion where the maverick lawyer, activist and politician will be fondly remembered.
Guests at the event would reflect on his life, cherish his memory, and pay tribute to the remarkable legacy he left behind.
‘Aketi’, described as a treasure trove of lessons on scholarship, hard work, daring political leadership, humility and inter-ethnic relationships, was commissioned by the late Governor some years before his death.
He entrusted the delicate task to Okediran, a former member of the House of Representatives, ex-president of the Association of Nigerian Authors and current Secretary General of the Pan African Writers Association, who had previously chronicled the lives of eminent Nigerians. These include the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, President Tinubu’s chief of staff, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila and ex-Senator Rochas Okorocha, among others.
The remarkable biography contains several unknown parts of the late Arakunrin’s life. It provides context to some of his political activities, including his passion for service, even at the risk of losing re-election.
It also reveals his courage in facing danger and concern for others.
Below is an example of the late Akeredolu’s disregard for danger and concern for others, as narrated by his former Aide de camp in the biography.
I Once Carried Aketi On My Shoulder Away From Danger-former ADC
“The said incident happened in Ekiti during Governor Fayemi’s re-election campaign in 2018 when Senator Opeyemi Bamidele was shot. We had finished at the APC secretariat, where the Senator was waving to the people and was outside the security area for the Governor, so he was directly behind me. If you remember, it was after the campaign that Senator Bamidele was shot.
“That happened directly behind me, and when it happened, we all looked back, and I looked at Oga.
Oga asked, “Is that not Opeyemi Bamidele?”
And I said yes.
He said, “Let us help him.”
“I was like, right now, I would decide what happened. Oga, being a stubborn person, wanted to leave the security ring I had formed to go and help Opeyemi Bamidele. At that point, I just carried him on my shoulder immediately because -yes, I carried him on my shoulder. In selecting an ADC, you have to be physically fit; you also have to ensure that, and pray, that your principal is not bigger than you and thank God. In this case, all odds worked perfectly well for me. I could carry him on my shoulder because it was easier to put him on my shoulder and run.
“Thank God it was not a long distance, and already, the DSS, the police, and everybody were on red alert. We could not even get to his car because of the rowdy atmosphere during political campaigns, but thankfully, his car was bulletproof. Any government car should be bulletproof, given the current situation of our country.
The DSS vehicle was opposite me, so I just carried him and threw him inside the vehicle, and we covered him. He even had to lap a DSS operative to form a human shield.”(Nigerian Tribune)
