Lagos State Governor and Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has paid tribute to the late former Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, describing him as a courageous leader whose advocacy for regional security and state policing left a lasting legacy.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Thursday at a colloquium held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, to commemorate Akeredolu’s 70th posthumous birthday.
The Lagos governor was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin.
Sanwo-Olu described Akeredolu, popularly known as “Aketi”, as a distinguished lawyer, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and former governor whose public service was marked by conviction and courage.
He particularly recalled Akeredolu’s leadership in the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, in 2020, at a time when insecurity was generating widespread concern across the Southwest.
According to Sanwo-Olu, Akeredolu and other Southwest governors chose to take practical steps rather than surrender to the security challenges confronting the region.
“At a time when fear and insecurity weighed heavily, Akeredolu and his colleagues refused to surrender to helplessness. They chose to stand up and act.”
The Lagos governor said Amotekun represented more than the establishment of a regional security outfit, describing it as a reflection of Akeredolu’s determination to protect the people and respond to the peculiar security challenges of the Southwest.
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts towards the establishment of State Police through constitutional and institutional reforms, describing the development as consistent with the issues Akeredolu championed during his lifetime.
The colloquium, themed “Fundamentals and Governance of State Policing: Towards a New Architecture for National Security in Nigeria,” was organised by the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Foundation, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and the Southwest Governors’ Forum.
Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, in his keynote address, also paid tribute to Akeredolu, describing him as an intellectual, courageous lawyer and nation-builder. He recalled the late governor’s role in establishing Amotekun and his sustained advocacy for multi-level policing and decentralised security.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa similarly said Akeredolu’s advocacy for State Police had moved beyond regional discourse and was now part of Nigeria’s national policy and constitutional conversation.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun also renewed calls for decentralised policing, saying Akeredolu’s advocacy should be sustained through practical steps towards implementing State Police.
The event was attended by Aiyedatiwa, Abiodun, members of the Akeredolu family, representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afenifere, traditional institutions, academics and other stakeholders.
The gathering served both as a commemoration of Akeredolu’s life and as a platform for renewed discussions on the future of policing and national security in Nigeria.