•launches Akeredolu’s autobiography by Wale Okediran
Former Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, has said Nigeria needs more courageous leaders and fearless soldiers like the former Governor of Ondo State, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, whose style of governance brought all political stakeholders on board to enhance development.
Fayemi stated this during the launch of a book to commemorate the first memorial remembrance of the late Akeredolu, written by Dr. Wale Okediran, titled, ‘Biography, Aketi: The Life and Times of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’.
Fayemi who described Akeredolu as an exceptional politician who stood for the people, said the late Ondo governor left behind an “indomitable legacy of national service.
The former governor said “A politician, he was known for his integrity and advocacy for justice, particularly his vigorous campaign for the southern presidency and power shift from the north.
“In politics, it is not a common quality to have people who are as compassionate as politicians. Many are competent, and some have capacity, but what really makes a fundamental difference is courage. Aketi had courage in abundance. Even when things are not going well, he is unfazed.”
Speaking on the book The Life and Times of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,’ written by Dr. Wale Okediran and forwarded by Chief Wole Olanipekun, the author said the book unearthed Akeredolu’s personality.
Okediran said “We are able to discover that the late governor was a multi-talented personality who excelled in everything he laid his hands on. He was an activist, and a philanthropist, there are so many foundations he put in place and many free legal assistance he gave to many people.
“In politics, he was a former Attorney General of Ondo state under military administration before he became two-term governor of the state. So everything he did, you could see excellence. The other thing is his humility, courage and passion for poor people, all these came out in the book
The book reviewer, Dr. Olufemi Adeosun said the book revealed Akeredolu as a riveting personality whose life personified exceptional courage, humility, a tenacity of purpose and numerous other virtues that are a rarity among many of today’s generation.
Adeosun considered the review of the book, Biography, Aketi: The Life and Times of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, as “a compelling story of a multi-dimensional thinker who had a finger in a lot of pies and equally excelled in all”
He saluted the narrative style of the author, Wale Okediran, a medical practitioner turned modern griot who revealed “the promising background, childhood fantasies, uncommon bravery, resilience, existential struggles, and the eventual triumph of the former student leader, erstwhile National Bar Association (NBA) President.
According to him, the 412-page book published by Accessible Publishers Limited is structured into eight broad parts, with the parts further sub-divided into thirty unequal chapters, while the parts and their sub-units are adroitly woven together to make an organic whole.
“The strength of the book lies in the author’s captivating portrayal of the defining moments and events in the life of Aketi, the enigmatic character of the narrative.
“In framing the plot, the author deliberately juggles between third-person and omniscient narrative styles.
“This mode enables him to assume the role of a narrator in certain instances and at others, empowers him to share the narration with specific people and personalities who now recount their own encounters based on their own personal experiences with the eponymous character.
“In a way, I presume that Okediran may have adopted these styles of narration in a manner reminiscent of the Brechtian alienation technique of storytelling to, perhaps, prevent the readers from any form of emotional attachment to the compelling events as they unfold in the narration”
The book also addresses some of the contentious issues that dogged the personal and political life of Aketi, particularly the controversies about the place and roles of his lovely wife, Betty Akeredolu and his son, Babajide Akeredolu in the affairs of the state that he governed for eight years.
Okediran narrates their fitting roles in the personal and political life of the legal titan. He, however, does not discountenance the roles of Aketi’s siblings, and his other children.
He said “Just as every work of art in its framing wholeness is regarded as a living and a progressive project within the literary space, Okediran has framed his narrative in this new outing as best as he could and perhaps, within the confine of his personal convictions.
“It is now left to the critics and readers alike to dissect the ‘whys” and ‘why nots’ of it. Suffice to say that, despite his near perfection and impeccable efforts to rid the book of any mistakes, like all mortals, Okediran was still unable to avoid some negligible errors that are common to most exceptional writers”
He noted that perfect work is never finished and finished work is never perfect thus said “It is my singular honour and privilege to formally recommend this book to all seekers of knowledge, students of politics and power dynamics, historians and sociologists in the hope that it will further energise a robust debate on the place of man in the face of time, particularly on the vexatious issues of individual freedom, political correctness, courage, and the role(s) of convictions in the face of existential struggles whether in the garbs of politics, inter-personal and communal relationships, acquaintances, or in matters of personal choice.
“This, in my view, remains a perfect way of keeping the memories of Aketi alive. After all, the core of his humanity, as the author has ably demonstrated in this cerebral work, is anchored on the supremacy of ideas.
“Ideas that facilitate consensus building; consensus building that produces wide range resolutions; and resolutions that proceed from healthy public debates wherein superior arguments are allowed to dictate the rules of engagement.”
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