By Dr. Akeredolu O.N.
The 10th remembrance anniversary of Dr Olusegun Agagu was recently marked; he also lived in Ibadan and never moved the entire Ondo state’s structures to the former western region capital. The absurdities in Aketi’s administration have no end.
It’s no longer news that the entire state’s political and administrative structures were moved to Ibadan to hold the first meeting following the arrival of Mr Akeredolu Oluwarotimi SAN, Aketi, the executive governor of the state. The Arakunrin of Ondo state politics left the state clandestinely when his health condition was deteriorating, subsequently moving to an unspecified hospital in Germany where he spent almost three months. The good people of the Sunshine State prayed and believed the governor would come back alive despite dead rumours from various quarters, which happened as they projected. Information about his arrival started circulating on social media after a post from his wife, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, the first lady, with a picture of the governor inside the aeroplane and the inscription *Homebound*. Subsequently, his 16-second voiceless video was released. Political officeholders and members of the state’s house of assembly were relocated to Ibadan for a meeting, the abode of the governor, where he spent a significant part of his life.
This singular action has generated a lot of criticism from the reasonable citizens of the state. To start with, and for record purposes, Aketi is not the only one who lived in this former western region’s capital. A geologist turned politician, who also served as the governor of the state between 2003 and 2009, the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu, lived his entire life in the largest city of West Africa. However, there is no record that Iju-Odo-born political mentor to many politicians committed such absurdity. The 10th remembrance anniversary of Dr. Olusegun Agagu’s demise was held recently with his only son, Mr. Feyi Agagu, a survivor of the plane crash that carried the former governor’s corpse. The politicians and the entire citizens of the state will never forget Agagu’s vision of Olokola and several other administrative innovations instituted by him. I stand to be corrected; he remained the best-elected governor in the history of the current political dispensation that started in 1999. Comparing him with Aketi’s administration is like comparing heaven to hell.
For memory’s sake, Chief Kokumo Agagu started his career as a lecturer, earned a PhD in one of the science courses, and took up a lecturing job at the Premier University in Nigeria, i.e., the University of Ibadan. He served as a board member of Oluwa Glass, a company owned by Ondo state, now moribund. He became a political voice when he served as the deputy governor to Evang. Bamidele Olumilua-led administration under SDP in the two-party system of General Babangida’s ill-fated transition program of a little to the right and a little to the left era. This eighteen-month government of old Ondo state (now Ondo and Ekiti state) had Dr. Olusegun Mimiko as the commissioner for health and Mr. Isaac Kekemeke as the minority leader of the state’s legislative arm. Then governor, Evang. Bamidele Olumilua ran a bad administration; however, during the little time Dr. Agagu served in an acting capacity when his boss was on leave, his leadership potential was identified by numerous citizens. The dreaded Gen. Sanni Abacha-led junta truncated the political dispensation and created Ekiti state from the Old Ondo state in 1996.
Also, Dr. Olusegun Kokumo Agagu participated in the five-party system of the military-to-civilian transition program orchestrated by this Kanuri most decorated soldier where he contested under UNDP while Mrs. Mobolaji Osomo was an aspirant with CNC of late Dr. Olusola Saraki. Death came and took Gen. Abacha away; his transition program was halted by Gen. Abdulsalaam Abubakar, who succeeded him. The foundation of our current political dispensation over two decades was laid. He (Agagu) failed in his attempt as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in 1998/1999 but was compensated with the ministerial position by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s federal government. Initially, he was in the aviation ministry but later moved to power and steel. He won the replay match with the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati, who was seeking a second term as the AD candidate, and he was a governor for six years until he lost at the appeal court to the erstwhile secretary of his government, Dr Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour party, with support from Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.
Throughout the six-year reign of Dr Agagu, the impact of his only son, Mr. Feyi Agagu, was not seen in his administration, unlike the current administration of Aketi, where his son, Babajide Akeredolu, is serving as the director-general of the procurement agency overseeing all the contracts awarded by his administration. No doubt, this is the juiciest position in his administration, greater than being the secretary to the state government or chief of staff to the governor. At the same time, Aketi’s son is also serving as a special adviser to his father, making him a cabinet-ranking member. One of the blunders of the PDP-led government by Dr. Agagu was the appointment of his younger brother, Mr Femi Agagu, as his chief of staff, which might explain why Ondo state revolted against his government and went for the Labour party. Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who benefited from this, ensured none of his relatives had a political appointment under his eight-year administration.
In the same way, Mrs. Funke Agagu was not as influential as Aketi’s wife. She is from the state, one of the towns in Ondo’s northern senatorial district, Ikaramu/Ibaramu area of Akoko to be precise. The PDP politicians weren’t making her apartment or office their Mecca in the name of looking for appointments or to be the party’s candidates like the current Ondo state first lady. Despite the blood relationship that existed between her and Mr. Tokunbo Kayode, the former lost to Senator Bode Olajumoke in the competitive PDP primaries of 2007. The reverse is the case in Aketi’s administration; Odigbo people are complaining about the imminent imposition of an Igbo woman as their next LCDA chairman, courtesy of Aketi’s wife. In terms of appointments and political scheming in the state, it has reached a point where right-thinking people are wondering who is actually the governor of the state among Aketi, his son Babajide, and his wife, Betty. There is no doubt; that a leopard will never change its skin colour. The near-death experience of Aketi will definitely not produce any significant change as his lacklustre administration winds up; he has resumed on a bad note as usual.
Dr. Akeredolu O.N., Leader, Aketi Medical Team 2016, Vice Chairman, Aketi-Aiyedatiwa Medical Committee 2020.
