Sanwo-Olu honours Akeredolu at 70th birthday colloquium, backs state policing
Lagos State Governor and Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has honoured the late former Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, describing him as a courageous leader who defended the security, dignity and interests of the Southwest.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Friday at a colloquium held to mark Akeredolu’s posthumous 70th birthday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State. He was represented by the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin.
He described Akeredolu, popularly known as Aketi, as a distinguished lawyer, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and former governor whose public service was defined by conviction, courage and responsibility.
Sanwo-Olu cited the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Operation Amotekun, launched in Ibadan in January 2020 under Akeredolu’s leadership as Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, as evidence of his commitment to regional security.
“At a time when fear and insecurity weighed heavily upon our communities, Akeredolu and his colleagues refused to surrender to helplessness. They chose to stand up, to act and to say, in effect, that the safety of our people could not be left to chance,” he said.
The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for advancing state policing through ongoing constitutional and legislative reforms, describing the development as a continuation of the efforts initiated by Akeredolu and other Southwest governors through Amotekun. He also praised the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Foundation and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for organising the event.
In his keynote address, former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi described Akeredolu as a “sagely intellectual, a courageous lawyer, and a devoted nation-builder” whose greatest joy was serving the public good and building a united, equitable nation. He added that Akeredolu’s advocacy for community policing had gained national acceptance.
The colloquium, organised by the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Foundation, DAWN Commission and the Southwest Governors’ Forum, featured a panel discussion on “Fundamentals and Governance of State Policing: Towards a New Architecture for National Security in Nigeria”.
