Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has paid tribute to the late Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, for his contributions to security and the development of a regional response to insecurity in South-West Nigeria, Peak Newspaper reports.
Abiodun made the remarks in Ibadan on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the 70th posthumous birthday colloquium organised in honour of Akeredolu.
The colloquium, held at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, was themed “Fundamentals and Governance of State Policing: Towards a New Architecture for National Security in Nigeria.”
Akeredolu, who died in December 2023, was a strong advocate of a decentralised approach to policing and played a prominent role in the South-West Governors’ efforts that led to the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun.
The event brought together political leaders, security stakeholders, traditional rulers, academics and civil society representatives to examine the proposed state-policing framework, including issues of funding, recruitment, training, oversight and accountability.
Abiodun has also been a prominent advocate of the ongoing state-police reform process at the national level, describing the proposed reform as a significant development in Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The colloquium is part of activities marking Akeredolu’s posthumous 70th birthday and seeks to sustain public discussion around the ideas and causes he championed during his lifetime.
