Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) will begin his second term on Wednesday. Last week, he had dissolved the State Executive Council, signalling the end of his first term. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU captures the reminiscences by the commissioners, special advisers and other aides about the four year-journey and their expectations about the second tenure.

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was sworn in as the sixth elected governor of Ondo State on February 24, 2017, following his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the November 26, 2016 election  Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched 224,842 votes to defeat Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 126,889 votes and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy who scored 150,380.

On August 30, six months after he mounted the saddle of leadership in the Sunshine State, Akeredolu inaugurated his commissioners and Special Advisers. The governor had earlier appointed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and his Chief of Staff. The swearing in of the commissioners and Special Advisers completed the process of composing the State Executive Council.

As the saying goes, everything that has a beginning surely has an end. Last Thursday, February 18, 2021, at exactly 6pm, the curtain was drawn on the executive council. It was time for members of the Akeredolu cabinet to exit the stage after about four years of serving the state and her people.

Few hours before the governor dissolved the council, it was an emotional moment. At an extraordinary meeting, valedictory speeches were made, with cabinet members eulogiezing the virtues of the governor and reliving the good moments they had together.

The former commissioner and special adviser members took turns to pour encomiums on Akeredolu, commend the notable feats achieved in his first tenure and offer their views of his personality. To all of them, Governor Akeredolu is a leader who has uncommon passion for the development of the state. According to them, the governor ran the affairs of the state in the last four years with a rare sense of responsibility and patriotism. A view shared by all of them is that Governor Akeredolu is a courageous, audacious, blunt, truthful, sincere and compassionate leader.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Temidayo Oluwatuyi, shattered the impression that Akeredolu was an administrator whose approval is difficult to obtain. Oluwatuyi said to get Akeredolu’s nod for anything, the person must be ready to deploy convincing arguments. Once you are able to prove the altruism of your proposal and how beneficial it is to the state and her people, be rest assured that you would get the governor’s approval, Oluwatuyi said.

The SSG recalled how he once secured the approval of his boss for 13 out of the 15 files he brought to him. He was then Commissioner for Natural Resources. “When I came back from the governor with the approvals, some people wondered how I performed the miracle. To them, it was a miracle to have gotten the governor to approve 13 of the 15 proposals I brought to him. But I told them that all they needed to sway the mind of Mr Governor was the ability to convince him,” he said.

In the opinion of Olugbenga Ale, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Akeredolu is a leader that cherishes merit. Ale said he was surprised when the governor appointed him as his CoS because he did not lobby for any appointment. To him, Akeredolu is a thorough administration whose eyes don’t gloss over errors. He hailed the governor for being a good representative of Owo town, where he hails from. Ale, who is a retired permanent secretary, commended the governor for not politicising the state civil service.

culled from THE NATION