…says Amotekun initiative has shaped national conversation on state policing
…..Nigeria needs 554,353 additional police personnel – Abiodun
By Tolulope Eniola
Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has celebrated the enduring legacy of the late former governor of the state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, describing him as a courageous statesman whose commitment to justice, federalism and public service continues to inspire Nigeria.
Aiyedatiwa stated this on Thursday at the posthumous 70th birthday colloquium organised in honour of Akeredolu at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
The colloquium, with the theme, “Fundamentals and Governance of State Policing: Towards a New Architecture for National Security in Nigeria,” focused on issues surrounding state policing and the future of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The governor noted that Akeredolu, who would have attained the age of 70 on July 21, belonged to the class of public figures who regarded public office as an instrument of service rather than an ornament of status.
He said Akeredolu’s contributions as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum reflected his intellectual rigour, legal scholarship, courage and commitment to justice.
According to Aiyedatiwa, Akeredolu’s advocacy for true federalism was demonstrated through concrete actions, particularly his role in the establishment of the Southwest Security Network, Amotekun.
He said the initiative emerged from the need to respond to security challenges confronting the people of the Southwest, noting that Akeredolu and other governors in the region chose to act rather than merely lament the inadequacies of the existing security architecture.
“The establishment of the Southwest Security Network, the Amotekun Corps, represented a bold assertion that those closest to the people must have a meaningful role in protecting them,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa noted that the initiative had since transcended its immediate regional context and become part of the national conversation on state policing and the future architecture of security in Nigeria.
He said what Akeredolu and other progressive voices had advanced in response to the realities of Nigeria’s federal structure had now entered the centre of the country’s national policy and constitutional conversation.
The governor also noted the ongoing efforts of the Federal Government towards the development of a new policing framework, saying Akeredolu’s proposition remained relevant to the conversation on building a policing architecture that is responsive, accountable, professional and closer to the people.
He stressed the need for Nigeria to strike a balance between national cohesion and local responsiveness, federal authority and subnational capacity, as well as operational effectiveness and the protection of fundamental rights.
Aiyedatiwa said the success of state policing would depend on credible recruitment and vetting, professional training, sustainable funding, effective oversight, respect for human rights, clear jurisdictional boundaries and institutional safeguards against abuse.
Reflecting on Akeredolu’s public life, the governor said the late former governor demonstrated that leadership sometimes required standing ahead of prevailing consensus and patiently making the case for what one believed to be right.
He added that Akeredolu showed that courage in public office was not the absence of opposition, but the willingness to remain faithful to a conviction even when its wisdom had not yet become universally accepted.
Aiyedatiwa said the most fitting way to honour Akeredolu would not be limited to monuments, ceremonies and tributes, but should include the pursuit of a Nigeria that is safer, more federal, more just and more responsive to its citizens.
He envisioned a security system where intelligence would be gathered before threats became disasters, communities would be partners in their own protection and policing would be measured not only by the power of the state but also by the confidence of citizens.
“On behalf of the government and good people of Ondo State, I salute the memory of our former Governor, a distinguished son of the soil, an advocate of justice, a defender of federalism and a courageous statesman,” Aiyedatiwa said.
He expressed hope that the colloquium would deepen the conversation Akeredolu helped to begin, advance the cause he championed and inspire reforms required to address the country’s security challenges.
The governor added that although Akeredolu had departed, his ideas remained alive, stressing that where ideas continued to illuminate the path of a country, the voice of their progenitor was never truly silenced.
He prayed for the continued repose of Akeredolu’s soul and for strength and comfort for his family, friends, associates and all those who continue to celebrate his legacy.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said Nigeria required 554,353 additional police personnel to meet the United Nations-recommended police-to-citizen ratio, calling for comprehensive reforms to make State Police effective and sustainable.
He said the gathering should go beyond mourning and celebration to address the reforms required to strengthen security and governance.
According to him, Akeredolu’s vision went beyond security hardware, as he understood the relationship between security and economic development and laid the groundwork for the South-West Development Commission.
“A secure region is a prosperous region,” Abiodun said, adding that Amotekun demonstrated the value of community intelligence and rapid response and had helped make the South-West one of the safest regions.
The governor, who chairs the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Committee on State Police, said “the seeds Aketi sowed have matured into a national consensus”, with all six geopolitical zones now recognising that centralisation had run its course.
He identified personnel shortage and uneven fiscal capacity among states as two critical realities that must be addressed.
Abiodun said the United Nations ratio of one police officer to 414 citizens translated to a need for 554,353 additional State Police personnel.
He said five states, including Lagos, Rivers, the Federal Capital Territory and Enugu, generated 61.6 per cent of national internally generated revenue, while 76 per cent of states generated less than the national average of N13,600 per capita.
He added that half of the states generated less than N6,300 per capita, warning that insecurity in low-revenue states could spill into other parts of the country.
He said the NGF was advocating a State Police take-off fund based on equal access to grants, need-based top-ups and standardised disbursements.
Abiodun said the Presidential Working Group was developing an operational blueprint, while funding must remain predictable, transparent and sustainable to cover salaries, training, maintenance, communications, investigations and equipment replacement.
He said private contributions could supplement State Police under clear rules and public accountability but must not buy influence over investigations or professional progression.
The governor called for police welfare covering medical care, pensions and dependable support for families, saying welfare, discipline and accountability must develop together.
He also advocated secure communications, coordinated databases, forensic capabilities, surveillance and emergency reporting systems, with safeguards for privacy, authorisation and accountable information access.
Abiodun called for transparent recruitment, promotion and discipline, protection of operational decisions from partisan pressure and clear procedures for unlawful instructions.
He said independent complaints mechanisms, legislative scrutiny and judicial remedies were necessary, stressing that misconduct must be investigated credibly and wrongdoings punished.
The governor said political opponents, journalists, peaceful protesters and marginalised communities must receive equal protection.
“Surveillance with a government cannot diminish a citizen’s rights. We must earn public confidence through safeguards that work,” he said.
He called for traditional and religious leaders, women, youths, farmers and transport workers to participate in structured early-warning systems.
He also urged cross-state intelligence sharing and joint responses, saying, “Offenders cannot exploit gaps between jurisdictions.”
Abiodun said State Police must operate alongside federal policing, with the federal structure responsible for national security, interstate crime and counter-terrorism, while State Police would focus on intrastate enforcement, community intelligence and crime prevention.
He stressed that national security also covered economic, food, health and financial security and freedom of worship.
The governor said Nigeria could not build a one-trillion-dollar economy on fragile security because insecurity affected investment, farming and infrastructure.
“Securing state through state police is not merely a security strategy. It is our primary economic strategy,” he said.
Abiodun commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and urged stakeholders to complete the reform.
Former Ekiti State Governor and former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, described Akeredolu as an irreplaceable defender of the defenceless and a courageous voice who consistently spoke truth to power.
He said Akeredolu was a “man of many parts”, able to relate with both the elite and ordinary people while combining seriousness with a playful personality.
Fayemi recalled Akeredolu singing in the choir, appearing at a Kegite shrine and entertaining people with lyrics. He also recalled Akeredolu dancing to Fela and Femi Kuti’s “Water No Get Enemy” and Orlando Owo.
He said Akeredolu’s ideology was centred on the common good and bringing joy to the greatest number of people.
Fayemi recalled Akeredolu’s political journey, including the failed 2012 bid, the tortuous but successful 2016 campaign and the successful 2020 election.
He said Akeredolu played a major role in the emergence of Amotekun and consistently advocated multi-level policing and State Police.
Fayemi also recalled his role in the Southern Governors’ Forum, where he insisted on the rotation of the presidency to the South despite political party interests.
He said Akeredolu remained committed to building a prosperous, united, safe and secure Nigeria and was never driven by the politics of bitterness.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the late Ondo State Governor as a steadfast and courageous voice for the interests, dignity and security of the South-West.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Lagos State Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Salu Hundeyin, said Akeredolu regarded leadership as responsibility rather than privilege and demonstrated conviction and courage in confronting challenges affecting his people.
He recalled Akeredolu’s role in the establishment of Operation Amotekun, launched in Ibadan in January 2020 by the South-West governors under the South-West Governors’ Forum.
He said the initiative emerged during a period of serious insecurity and uncertainty in the region, with Akeredolu and his colleagues refusing to accept helplessness.
According to him, Amotekun was more than a security network, as it represented a duty to the people and a determination to respond to their security needs.
He expressed condolences to Akeredolu’s family, saying the late governor lived a life of purpose whose impact continued to inspire others.
Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians to draw courage from Akeredolu’s convictions and leadership example.
“Aketi may no longer be with us, but his example remains. His voice may have fallen, but the cause for which he stood continues to speak,” he said.
Also speaking, Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, said Akeredolu was a courageous leader whose determination in confronting insecurity contributed significantly to the establishment of the Amotekun security network.
Represented by the Secretary to the Ekiti State Government, Prof. Habibat Omolara Adubiaro, he said Akeredolu stood with other South-West governors, irrespective of political parties, against insecurity and Federal Government opposition.
She said this led to the launch of Amotekun in Ibadan on January 9, 2020, describing Akeredolu’s courage as one of “steel” and his sincerity as that of “a white lotus”.
Adubiaro said State Police existed during the First Republic but required fresh consideration in view of contemporary security challenges.
She said the progress towards State Police showed that an idea championed by Akeredolu was moving closer to reality.
She urged South-West governors to deepen regional integration and challenged the South-West Development Commission to undertake ambitious projects capable of transforming the region rather than limiting interventions to token projects.
Adubiaro praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms, saying State Police and greater devolution of responsibilities to states and local governments could become a major legacy.
She also urged South-West voters to support Tinubu in the January 27, 2027 presidential election and commended the trustees of the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Foundation for keeping his memory and ideals alive.
Director-General of the DAWN Commission, Dr Seye Oyeleye, said the late former Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, championed decentralised policing, stressing that Nigeria could no longer rely on a single police force controlled from Abuja.
Oyeleye said the system was inadequate for Nigeria’s population, noting that Amotekun had demonstrated that state and regional policing could work.
He cited the recent involvement of the Ondo Amotekun Corps in the elimination of an ISWAP leader and the Nigerian Army’s acknowledgement of its joint effort, describing it as part of Akeredolu’s legacy.
Representing the NBA President, Ikeazor Akaraiwe, SAN, described Akeredolu, popularly known as Akinte, as the greatest NBA president.
He recalled Akeredolu’s unopposed election in 2007/2008 under the mantra, “Prosecuting our convictions with boldness and courage”, saying he enlarged the office by taking the NBA across the country and challenging societal ills.
Akaraiwe recalled Aketi’s intervention over the major bribery scandal involving Nigerians, his relationships, 2018 visit to Enugu and his final request for legal assistance shortly before his death.
Akeredolu’s first son, Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu Jr, described his father as a courageous advocate of justice, human rights, political freedom and accountable government, recalling his student activism, legal career, June 12 struggle, 2012 fuel-price protest and fight against insecurity.
In attendance were; Wife of the Governor; Mrs Esther Aiyedatiwa; Speaker Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; State Chairman of APC; Hon. Kolawole Babatunde; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; former South West Governors; former and present members of the State Executive Council; Members of the State Executive Council; political appointees; among other eminent personalities.
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