Three years after the passing of former Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, his widow, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has shared a heartfelt reflection on love, loss and the principles that shaped his public service.
In an emotional tribute posted on her verified Facebook page on Friday, Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu described December 26, 2023, as the day her “world came crashing down,” saying her life was permanently altered by her husband’s death. She admitted that the pain of losing him remains difficult to fully grasp.
Reflecting on their marriage, she highlighted the strength they drew from unity across ethnic lines, noting that although she is Igbo and her late husband was Yoruba, their differences deepened rather than diminished their bond. She said Akeredolu respected and embraced her identity, a mutual understanding she credited for the strength of their partnership.
“I may have been married to a Yoruba man, forever in love with that Owo man, but my Igboness is irrevocable. He knew it. He embraced it. He understood me. And that made us a team,” she wrote.
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Beyond her personal grief, the former Ondo First Lady also expressed concern about Nigeria’s worsening security situation, warning that it has deteriorated to the point where foreign intervention is now openly discussed, a development she described as alarming.
She recalled her husband’s leading role in addressing insecurity in the South-West, describing him as a fearless leader who was instrumental in the creation of the regional security outfit, Amotekun. She referred to him as “the Amotekun Generalissimo who defied all odds to secure his people,” noting that his influence is still felt in both urban and rural communities.
Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu also revisited her husband’s calls for restructuring and reforms in Nigeria’s governance system, lamenting that many of the issues he raised remain unresolved. “He called out the Nigerian state to renegotiate, to restructure, to reinvent. But here we are… still waiting,” she wrote.
She concluded her tribute by affirming that Akeredolu’s ideals live on, writing, “Rest on, darlin’ mi. Your legacy lives.”
Late Akeredolu, SAN, was a renowned lawyer and politician who served as Governor of Ondo State from 2017 to 2023. He was widely known for his forthright leadership style, advocacy for true federalism, and his pivotal role in establishing the South-West regional security network, Amotekun. He died on December 27, 2023, at the age of 67, following a prolonged battle with leukaemia and prostate cancer.