By: Ade Philips
Sorrow filled the air as the remains of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu were brought to the Governor’s Office in Akure, the state capital, on Wednesday for the lying-in-state ceremony as part of the scheduled activities for his state burial.
During the ceremony, Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, reflected on the solemn occasion, remarking that it was a manifestation of divine will. He emphasized the symbolic significance of the lying-in-state ceremony, noting that the Governor’s Office was Governor Akeredolu’s final workplace in government service.
“This was where he served the people of Ondo state with passion, fairness, equity, and justice,” he said.
He stressed that during Governor Akeredolu’s time as the Governor, he was passionate about workers’ welfare and ensured they had the best.
“In particular, we gather here today to bid farewell to the late governor, a leader who understood the importance of valuing and rewarding the hard work of our state’s workers. As the biblical adage goes, ‘Workers deserve their wage,’ and Governor Akeredolu exemplified this principle by ensuring the payment of six months out of seven months outstanding salaries owed to workers from the previous administration.
“Following in his footsteps, the remaining one month of outstanding salaries has been settled under my administration.
Moreover, the impactful programs initiated by Governor Akeredolu to improve the lives of our workers stand as a testament to his unwavering commitment to workers’ well-being.
“On this day, we are saying to Ondo state workers, this is the remains of your former boss, may his soul rest in peace.
The Head of Service, who spoke on behalf of the workers of Ondo State, appreciated the late Governor Akeredolu for his love for Ondo workers, stressing that he won’t be forgotten.
“His love and demonstration in terms of policies put in place to ensure the welfare of the workers cannot be overemphasized. We believe that he came, he saw, and he conquered”.
He, however, wished the families of late Governor Akeredolu the fortitude to bear the loss.
Students from various government schools, including Fiwasaye Grammar School, Oyemekun Grammar School, CAC Grammar School, St. Louis Grammar School, among others, gathered in large numbers with the Nigerian Flag in their hands at different strategic venues within the Akure Metropolis as a sign of respect to welcome the body of the late Ondo Governor into the state.
Also, Ondo State Civil Servants from various ministries joined the Governor for the Lying-in-State at the Governor’s Office.
Present at the Lying-in-State were; The Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami, Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Abdulraheem Adebayo Lawal, State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Engr. Are Adetimehin, Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi, Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa, top government functionaries, and members of late Governor Akeredolu’s family.”
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