Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has announced a three-day period of mourning for the late Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, who passed away on Wednesday. Akeredolu, who served as the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and South West Governors Forum, received this posthumous recognition from neighboring Ekiti State.
Governor Oyebanji, as conveyed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, officially declared the state mourning on Friday. As a symbol of respect, all flags at public buildings throughout Ekiti State will be flown at half-mast during these three days of mourning.
In addition to this official declaration, Governor Oyebanji paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Akeredolu at their residence in Ibadan on Friday. This move follows a similar gesture from Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, who had previously declared a three-day mourning period in honor of the late Akeredolu.
The solemn observance of mourning across states began with Ondo State, setting the precedent for neighboring regions. Akeredolu, aged 67, passed away in Germany, where he had been receiving medical treatment for prostate cancer. The loss of a respected leader has prompted expressions of condolences and collective mourning in the surrounding states.