Betty Akeredolu, widow of the late former Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, has publicly rejected a memorial lecture organized by the state government to mark the first anniversary of her husband’s death.
The lecture, scheduled for Friday in Akure, is to feature prominent lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) as speaker and Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa as chairman. However, in a strongly worded post on her X account, Betty Akeredolu accused the government of sidelining the family in planning the event and labeled the initiative as insincere.
“Which legacy? Lecture, my foot! This is not for Aketi because my family and I are not aware. Damn it! You cannot weep more than the bereaved,” she wrote, calling the event a ploy to exploit her late husband’s legacy.
She alleged the event was designed to serve the financial interests of some officials, dismissing it as a “#Yahoo #419 lecture.”
Responding to the allegations, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Chief Press Secretary to the acting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, refuted claims of exclusion. He stated that the family had been formally invited and assured the public that the lecture was organized to honor Akeredolu’s contributions as a former governor.
“There is no conflict between the government and the Akeredolu family. The lecture is part of activities to celebrate his legacy as a governor who served the state,” Adeniyan clarified.
The controversy has cast a shadow over the planned commemoration, with observers debating the rift between the family and the state government.
