The 70th posthumous birthday of former Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was observed on October 8, 2026, in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. According to Punch, the event brought together political leaders and associates to honor the late governor while revisiting the security concerns that defined his political legacy. The celebration served as a platform to examine the future of Amotekun, the regional security initiative that Akeredolu helped establish during his tenure.
Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria known for his legal expertise, championed the creation of Amotekun in response to persistent insecurity in the South-West. The Western Nigeria Security Network was formally launched in Ibadan on January 9, 2020, by the governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti. Punch reported that the initiative was designed to complement federal agencies by improving local intelligence gathering and rapid response in rural areas where conventional security forces faced logistical challenges.
During the colloquium, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun argued that Nigeria requires an additional 554,353 police personnel to meet United Nations benchmarks. He stated that a security system administered primarily from Abuja struggles to address local nuances, advocating for a constitutional take-off fund to support state police. Abiodun warned that disparities in state revenue could undermine the reform if poorer states lacked adequate resources for recruitment and training.
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Akeredolu’s successor, described his predecessor as a leader who viewed public office as a service. He noted that Akeredolu’s advocacy moved the debate on decentralised policing from theory to practical regional action. Former Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi also attended, recalling Akeredolu’s commitment to justice and his role in fostering cooperation among South-West states to address shared security challenges.
Seye Oyeleye, Director-General of the DAWN Commission, emphasized that the focus must shift from commemoration to implementation. He questioned how the proposed system would be funded and regulated to prevent political abuse. Oyeleye described state policing as a national agenda rooted in Nigeria’s federal structure, rather than a regional or ethnic preference. The discussions underscored the ongoing need for professional standards and independent oversight to ensure that state-controlled security formations remain accountable to the public.