IBADAN, October 9, 2026 — Emotions ran deep on Thursday as Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, fondly known as Aketi, paid an intimate and moving tribute to her late husband, recalling their years of love, companionship, political struggles and shared commitment to building a better Nigeria.

Speaking at a posthumous colloquium organised in honour of the late governor by the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Foundation (OAF), DAWN and the South-West Governors’ Forum at the University of Ibadan Conference Centre on October 8, 2026, Betty described Aketi not merely as a former governor and prominent political figure, but as the love of her life, her closest companion and the man with whom she shared the greater part of her adult years.

The gathering brought together family members, friends, professional colleagues and political associates to celebrate the life and legacy of the late governor, whose contributions to public service, security and the restructuring debate continue to feature prominently in Nigeria’s national discourse.

For Betty, however, the occasion was more than a public remembrance of a distinguished statesman. It was an opportunity to speak about the man behind the public persona: the husband she loved, the friend she cherished and the partner with whom she built a family and shared life’s triumphs and challenges.

A Celebration That Briefly Made Grief Feel Different

Reflecting on the atmosphere at the colloquium, Betty disclosed that the beautifully decorated and welcoming hall created an unexpected feeling of celebration rather than mourning.

The ambience, she said, placed her in a positive frame of mind and made it easier to exchange warm pleasantries with guests, irrespective of unpleasant experiences that might have occurred in the past.

The atmosphere also provided an opportunity to reflect on the different dimensions of Aketi’s personality, as speakers at the event highlighted his contributions to society and the enduring influence of his ideas.

Yet, beneath the public celebration of his achievements lay a deeply personal reality for his widow.

“Beyond all that he was to others, Aketi was my love and my husband,” she reflected, underscoring the intimate bond that distinguished her relationship with the late governor from the admiration he received from the public.

‘I Still Struggle To Speak About You In The Past Tense’

In a deeply emotional tribute titled “Tribute to My Love, Aketi,” Betty addressed her late husband directly, opening her reflections with the affectionate words, “Darlin, it’s me, your adorable Betty.”

She confessed that accepting his absence remained difficult, even though she understood the reality of his death.

The inability to call him, hear his voice, share arguments, laugh together or simply sit beside him in silence has left a void she continues to grapple with.

For Betty, grief has proved to be neither predictable nor governed by time.

She acknowledged that the loss sometimes still feels like a prolonged dream, expressing the difficulty of reconciling the memories of their life together with the reality that her husband is no longer physically present.

Her reflections offered a glimpse into the private struggles of a woman who, despite her public profile and political engagements, continues to navigate the pain of losing her life partner.

A Marriage Of Strong Personalities, Love And Companionship

Betty was candid about the realities of their marriage, acknowledging that their relationship was not without disagreements and difficult moments.

Their union brought together two strong personalities from different backgrounds, ethnicities and temperaments.

However, she explained that love remained the foundation upon which they overcame their differences and sustained their relationship through the years.

Together, they raised children, pursued shared dreams, endured difficult periods, celebrated victories and mourned losses.

She described Aketi as more than a husband, identifying him as her friend, intellectual sparring partner, sounding board and, at times, formidable opponent.

Recalling his political relationship with the people of Ondo State, Betty noted that Akeredolu had once told them they voted for one person but got two, a remark she said reflected the strength of their partnership.

“We were a team,” she affirmed.

That partnership, she explained, extended beyond their private lives into the political and national issues that shaped Akeredolu’s years in public service.

How Aketi Turned His Conviction Into Action On State Policing

One of the most significant aspects of Betty’s tribute was her account of her husband’s determination to reform Nigeria’s security architecture and advance the cause of true federalism.

With the colloquium focusing on state policing, she recalled that Akeredolu never regarded the issue as a mere academic debate.

Rather, he considered it a fundamental question of governance, accountability and the protection of ordinary Nigerians.

According to her, he frequently challenged the contradiction in holding state governors responsible for the security of their citizens without granting them corresponding constitutional and operational powers to respond effectively to threats within their territories.

Betty said she witnessed the discussions, consultations, arguments and resistance that accompanied his growing conviction that Nigeria’s security system needed to be rethought.

She recalled his insistence that security must have a local face, arguing that people familiar with a community’s terrain, population and peculiar challenges were better positioned to understand many of its security threats.

His commitment, she explained, eventually contributed to the emergence of the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Operation Amotekun.

For Akeredolu, the initiative represented more than the establishment of a regional security outfit. It reflected his belief that communities should not remain helpless when their people and livelihoods are threatened.

From farmers travelling to their farmlands to traders returning from markets, women travelling after dark and children going to school, Betty said her husband believed that government must be sufficiently close to the people to understand and address their security concerns.

‘I Saw The Price Of Leadership’

Moving beyond his public achievements, Betty offered a personal account of the sacrifices and pressures associated with her husband’s political career.

While many Nigerians knew him as Governor Akeredolu, she knew the man whose responsibilities followed him home, whose telephone calls continued beyond official hours and whose determination to achieve his goals sometimes brought frustration and difficult moments.

She recalled the contrast between his fierce public disposition and his tenderness at home.

The man whose booming voice could command attention in public could equally fill their home with laughter. He could disagree passionately with her and, moments later, sit down to eat with her as though the disagreement had never happened.

For Betty, these ordinary moments formed part of the beauty of their marriage.

Her loss, therefore, was not simply that of a former first lady mourning a prominent political figure.

It was the loss of a companion, a friend, the father of her children and the man with whom she had spent much of her adult life.

Despite the devastating pain, she said she had continued to move forward, drawing strength from the determination that had characterised their shared journey.

Why Betty Remains Active In Politics After Aketi’s Death

Betty also used the occasion to explain why she remains politically active despite the personal loss she has endured.

She said her continued participation in politics and public affairs was not borne out of a lack of other pursuits but reflected the place that public service and the struggle for a better Nigeria occupied in the life she shared with her late husband.

Through her continued engagement, she explained, she remains connected to the ideas, conversations and causes that defined their shared experiences.

She still imagines what Akeredolu would say about contemporary political developments, recalls his arguments and sometimes pictures the mischievous smile he wore when he believed he had made a particularly convincing point.

Expressing her faith, Betty said she believed her late husband was cheering her on from beyond the physical world.

She also made it clear that her continued political engagement was not an attempt to become Akeredolu.

“There was only one Aketi,” she declared, emphasising that she remains herself while carrying forward the lessons she learnt from their years together.

Those lessons, she said, include courage, forthrightness, a refusal to surrender difficult causes and a firm belief that public office must translate into public service.

‘Your Work Is Not Finished’

For Betty, one of the most painful aspects of her husband’s death is that he departed before the national conversation he championed could reach its desired conclusion.

She recalled his determination to challenge the concentration of power at the centre and question whether Nigeria’s existing security arrangements adequately addressed the country’s evolving challenges.

The continued debate over state policing, she noted, demonstrates that the issues he raised have not disappeared with his death.

She described legacy as more than a record of achievements accumulated during a person’s lifetime. It also encompasses ideas that continue to provoke debate, institutions that survive their founders and future generations that inherit the responsibility of carrying important causes forward.

In this regard, she said Operation Amotekun remains a reminder that Nigerians can identify common challenges, organise collectively and develop responses suited to their circumstances.

However, Betty cautioned that establishing security institutions was only the beginning of the work.

She stressed the need for clear constitutional responsibilities, professional recruitment and training, sustainable funding, intelligence sharing, effective coordination between security agencies and independent oversight.

She also highlighted the importance of protecting human rights, preventing political abuse, ensuring accountability and building public trust.

According to her, security arrangements must protect citizens rather than create additional avenues for intimidation and abuse.

She argued that Nigeria’s state-policing debate should move beyond the question of establishing additional police forces to consider how a genuinely federal security architecture could combine national coordination with local responsiveness.

For Betty, the ultimate objective must be a system that is professional, accountable and responsive to the needs of communities across the country.

She believes that was the direction her late husband wanted Nigeria to pursue.

#AketiEternal

A Promise To Keep Fighting

In the concluding section of her tribute, Betty acknowledged that she could not predict what the future held, but she understood that her life had changed irreversibly following Akeredolu’s death.

She spoke of the moments when she briefly forgets his absence, only for reality to return, reminding her of the loss she continues to bear.

Nevertheless, she said grief and purpose could coexist.

She could miss him, cry for him and still find the strength to stand. She could speak about him in the past tense while continuing to feel the influence of his life and teachings.

Betty pledged to continue speaking, participating in public affairs, challenging the status quo and serving society rather than allowing grief to become a reason to surrender.

Her resolve, she explained, is rooted in the causes her husband championed and the values they shared throughout their life together.

‘Rest On, My Love’

As she reflected on the significance of the colloquium, Betty expressed both the pain of her husband’s absence and pride in having been his wife.

She said she was proud to have witnessed his journey, known the man behind the public persona and experienced the conversations that preceded decisions that have become part of Nigeria’s national discourse.

For her, the continued discussion of state policing and security reform is evidence that the ideas Akeredolu championed remain relevant.

Although his physical presence is gone, she believes his arguments, courage and contributions will continue to influence national conversations.

She ended her tribute with a deeply personal message to the man she affectionately called her “Darlin,” expressing the hope that he was watching over her and smiling as she continued to stand firm in the causes they shared.

“Your adorable Betty is still in the trenches. Still standing. Still fighting. Still carrying on,” she declared.

With those words, Betty reaffirmed her commitment to preserving her husband’s legacy while continuing to chart her own course in public life.

Her final message was both a farewell to a beloved husband and a promise that the ideals he championed would not be abandoned.

“Rest on, my love. Rest on, Aketi. Your legacy lives.”