Akeredolu’s Legacy, Betty’s Drama: Ondo’s Latest Political Soap Opera

In Ondo politics, drama brews thicker than a pot of Banga soup. The instalment pits Betty Akeredolu, widow of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, against the state government led by Deputy Governor-turned-Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Betty, never one to shy away from confrontation, has lashed out at the planned memorial lecture in honour of her husband, accusing Aiyedatiwa’s camp of political hijinks and legacy sabotage. But before we unpack her scathing X post, let’s rewind to the dramatic final days of Akeredolu’s governorship.

When Governor Akeredolu was gravely ill, whispers filled the air in Akure and beyond. Instead of allowing his then deputy to constitutionally assume control, Betty allegedly held the reins of power in a vice grip.

Some accused her of turning the government into a family affair, sidelining the deputy and other political actors while issuing directives from the shadows. This, of course, left Aiyedatiwa with a simmering grudge that political watchers say is still boiling beneath the surface.

With Akeredolu gone and Aiyedatiwa in the driver’s seat, it seems payback is in full swing. The memorial lecture, ostensibly planned to honour the late governor, has instead become the latest battleground in a bitter cold war. Betty, incensed by the alleged lack of involvement of the Akeredolu family in the planning, has dragged Aiyedatiwa for filth online, calling the event “insidious propaganda” and a farce aimed at tarnishing her husband’s legacy.

Her words are as sharp as freshly ground pepper: “You and your co-travellers cannot shave Aketi’s head in his absence!” she declared. Betty’s outburst isn’t just about a lecture—it’s about control, about reminding the world that she was, and still is, a formidable force in Ondo politics. Her critics, however, see this as another chapter in her alleged history of political overreach, accusing her of refusing to let Aiyedatiwa move on and establish his own legacy.

In the meantime, Ondo’s political elite continue to sling mud over a man who hasn’t even been gone a full year. The memorial lecture, far from being a unifying event, has exposed the widening chasm between the Akeredolu family and the state government.