TRIBUTE: In Rotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, I lost a brother, by Akin Olujinmi
It is indeed a sad moment for me as I write this tribute. A huge chunk of me has been yanked off by the transition of Rotimi (Aketi) from the terrestrial plane to celestial abode. 48 years of relationship in between us, 37 of it professionally, and not a day of quarrel. I have lost a sibling from another mother, a brother, a partner, a friend, a confidant, a fortright professional colleague, a trustworthy, reliable, affable and agreeable companion. Even though fiery by nature, he was extremely respectful towards me.
Never called me by my first name in all of the 48 years of enviable togetherness. There can never be another Aketi.
Our paths in life started to converge in 1975 when we were both students at the Faculty of law of the then University of Ife, later renamed, Obafemi Awolowo University. He was my senior by one year. An expressive and effervescent personality, Aketi was everywhere on the campus. Active and gregarious, he was involved in some reknown student clubs, most notably the Kegite. He looked admirable as he on many occasions led the distinctive renditions of the Kegite Club on their occasional parades round the campus. He was liked and respected by fellow students such that when he came out to contest for the position of Vice President of the Students Union, he won handsomely. He discharged himself creditably in that office. Vibrant and robust in outlook, he waded through the convulsive terrain of student politics without any blemish.
At that time, not much happened between us beyond that of university mates fired by some little-understood ideologies. In 1977, he passed out in flying colours from the University. He passed his Law School programme in 1978 and was called to the bar and subsequently enrolled as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. As fate would have it, after our national service, we settled down into legal practice at Ibadan under different principals.
Aketi was the first to secure release by his principal to set up his own legal practice in 1983 while I was still bidding time with my own principal for my eventual release which came about in 1986. Driven by the same philosophy and a dream for a sustainable partnership legal practice, it did not take more than one informal meeting for us to agree to set up a partnership. It is indeed remarkable that the partnership had survived for over thirty-seven years at the time he bidded the world farewell.
Focussed and directional, Aketi had a transcendental understanding of human nature which tremendously helped in articulating his points both in and out of court with the creative mind of a thinker. While committed to private legal practice Aketi created time to participate in the politics of the bar and it was no surprise in 1988 when he launched out to contest for the office of the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Bar Association. The election was held during the annual general meeting of the NBA in Kaduna. He won with a convincing margin. He served out his term without any blemish.
Calculative and forward looking, he continued with his legal practice to which he totally applied himself while not reducing his participation and interest in the politics of the bar. His star had risen and was shining.
In 1996, the then Military Administrator of Ondo State, Anthony Ibe Onyearugbulem, heard about him and sent for him. He offered to make him Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. The message from the Military Administrator was passed through me by one of his aides. Aketi was on the lawn tennis court at the Race Course, Sabo, Ibadan on a Sunday morning, when the message came and I delivered it to him. He was enjoying legal practice then and so did not feel enamoured by the offer from the Military Administrator. But I urged him to see it as a call to serve his people and accept it as such. Another friend, Dr. Dipo Olabumoye, nicknamed ‘Aze’ by Aketi, who was there with him on the tennis court also encouraged him to accept the offer. He eventually accepted the offer of appointment and served Ondo State as Attorney General meritoriously. At the end of the service, he came back to his legal practice.
In 1998, he was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in recognition of his excellence in the practice of law. He knew when to come out to contest for the office of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association. And when he did in 2008, he remarkably achieved what had never before been attained by any other person in the history of the Nigerian Bar Association. Election to the office of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association can be as tough and challenging as national election but surprisingly, Aketi was returned unopposed. He served effectively without any blemish. His term as President of NBA ushered in unparalleled achievements.
Aketi was a good Christian. His belief in God was devoid of ostentation. He would speak with the conviction of a redeemed mind. He was unwavering in his faith. Carrying his faith a little further, he enrolled as a member of his church choir. He loved singing. Even in the cacophony of a choral ensemble, his voice, a bit off the baritone, was deep, distinctive, arresting and unmistakable. He built churches. He was appointed Chancellor of Owo Diocese of Anglican Communion and he remained in that position until his exit. He often spoke as if he could see into the deep. He had been right on many occasions. His advice on many issues proved invaluable.
Given his total commitment to legal practice, there was nothing to suggest up till 2012 that he might be interested in the office of Governor. He could discuss politics and you would know he had ideas about governance. But that was all. However, in 2011 the call came to him from his people to stand for election as Governor of Ondo State. Indeed, without his knowledge, a group of friends prepared posters and pasted them at strategic points and locations in Akure. It happened that our chambers had a case before the Federal High Court in Akure in 2011 and I went from Abuja for the case. I was startled when I saw one of the posters on a billboard in Akure loudly proclaiming ‘AKETI FOR GOVERNOR IN 2012’. I quickly put a call across to him and teased him. ‘Mr. Governor, you did not tell me, you are contesting for the office of Governor of Ondo State in 2012.” He was stunned and he querried, ‘What are you talking about”. And I echoed, ‘the fact that you have pasted posters all over Akure that you are contesting for the office of Governor of Ondo State.’ His answer, was ‘it is not possible’. Then, I said ‘ok, I will remove one of the posters and Ibrahim will bring it to you’. Ibrahim is one of our juniors in chamber whom I had asked to come from Ibadan and join me in Akure for the case I went for. Even before the copy of the posters was delivered to him, he had put a call through to his bossom friend in Owo, now late, Chief Idowu Ogunrinbokun, nicknamed ‘AWO’ by Aketi, to ask if he knew anything about the posters. AWO came straight and confirmed to Aketi that Owo community had mandated him and some others of like mind to persuade him to accept the call to contest for the office of Governor of Ondo State. He did not feel comfortable with the call, particularly as ‘Governor Olusegun Mimiko, alias ‘IROKO’, his long- standing friend was interested in a second term. He told AWO to go and remove the posters, but AWO refused. After a long stand-off, his resistance to the call collapsed and he found himself on the political battlefield with IROKO. He lost the election but his people were undaunted and irrepressible. So was he. His people believed in him. So they simply went back to the drawing board to re-energise and re-strategise for when IROKO would finish his second term. Aketi had no choice but to cart along with popular wish for a return but in the meantime he continued with his legal practice. By the time the election was held in November 2016, Aketi won convincingly. Political algorithms had worked for him. He was a man of ideas but not an ideologue. Approachable and resplendent in humour, there was never a dull moment around him. He demystified governance. The record of his achievements as Governor of Ondo State are all over Ondo State for people to see.
Now, Aketi is no more. There can be no doubt that coming to terms with the reality of his exit is indeed hard and painful but however much we may grieve, the inexorability of man’s exit from the terrestrial plane at the time appointed by God is beyond disputation. Therefore, rather than continue to mourn, we should all be comforted by the knowledge that Aketi was a huge success in life. He rode on a repertoire of achievements and left sterling records both in the law and service to our fatherland in various capacities. He was indeed a great Nigerian, a great family man, an excellent and consummate legal icon. He was a great benefactor who impacted many lives positively. I testify he was a good friend to all who were opportuned to come close to him and he genuinely shared in their challenges.
May the good Lord console his family and all of us he left behind and grant us all, the peace of mind to weather through the agony of the bereavement.
May light perpetual shine on AKETI as he sleeps in the bossom of the Lord.
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Olujinmi, SAN was partner to the late Aketi at Olujinmi&Akeredolu
Legal Practitioners &Notaries Public
