Reactions have continued to trail the news of the death of Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who reportedly died in a German hospital after a prolonged battle with Leukaemia.
The news of the death, which broke in the early hours of Wednesday in the state, has thrown residents into a mourning.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure on Wednesday, Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party ( SDP) in the 2023 election, described Akeredolu’s death as unfortunate
Adebayo said that the entire people of the state would sorely miss Akeredolu because he was a great asset to the state and the legal profession.
He urged members of public to contribute their quota to the development of their respective communities since life is transient, and “nobody knows tomorrow”
He prayed for the repose of the departed soul, asking God to comfort his family.
The SDP presidential candidate called on state governments and the Federal Government to put in place world-class health facilities to cater for medical needs of Nigerians.
“As the people of Ondo State are mourning, the government should take healthcare delivery as a priority and provide health facilities for people. As regards issue of health, there is neither rich nor poor people.
“ Government must learn this and make provision for the people.
“ My condolences to his family. They have to carry on well with their private lives and I pray that God will comfort them,” he said.
Also speaking, Pastor Omoniyi Omotola of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Firm Foundation Zone, Oba Ile, described the Akeredolu ’s death as shocking and painful.
Omotola, who said that death is the end of every mortal, admonished everyone to use their life to bring positive impacts to humanity.
He prayed God to comfort the family of the deceased and the entire state.
Also, speaking with NAN, Mr Yunusa Aliyu, a legal practitioner, described the governor’s death as a rude shock to everyone in Ondo State.
Aliyu, who described late Akeredolu as the first governor in Ondo State that fulfilled almost 90 per cent of his campaign promises, said he lived an enviable and fulfilled life.
“I am not a member of any political party, but I have always supported him as a person. When he died I began to recall the things he did during his tenure.
“During his campaign for second term, he was asked if he would reduce the school fees of Adekunle Ajasin University, and he said that he would not reduce it, let him be voted for or not.
“That was not an answer from a conventional politician. He was always straightforward. Whatever he says he would do, he would do it. That’s one of the things I admired about him.
“He has also done well in infrastructure and our civil servants have not complained of not being paid. The acting governor who will take over, should continue his legacies and even do more.
“This is not the time to bring in political sentiments, as far as the state is concerned. The state should move forward. Akeredolu has done it to this extent, someone else who is taking over should continue his legacies,” he said.
Aliyu also urged the new governor to forget about the habit of not completing projects of the pervious governor, which he said was rampant in Nigeria.
According to him, Ondo State has gone beyond having abandoned projects.
“He should ensure that the projects Akeredolu initiated like the new court complex is completed,” the lawyer said.
Similarly, Mr David Ebriku, another legal practitioner, described the death of the late governor as shocking and a serious loss to the people of the state.
Ebriku lauded the late Akeredolu for his “lofty achievements in Ondo State, especially in the security sector”.
“The late governor has done so much for Ondo State. He also made sure that the rampant kidnapping in the Northern Senatorial District became a thing of the past.
“I can categorically tell you that Akeredolu was a nice man who had the welfare of the people at heart,” he said.
Also, Mr Sunday Bamidele, a sociologist, said he heard the news on social media, and described the death of Akeredolu as unfortunate.
“I learnt he died of Leukaemia. It is a great loss to the people of Ondo, an irreparable loss at that. He tried as a governor during his lifetime.
“I urge the new governor to uphold the late governor’s legacies and to eschew any form of vendetta,” he said. (NAN)