Members of St. Thomas Aquinas College Akure Old Students’ Association (ACAOSA) at home and abroad, known as Acquinarians, are mourning the passing of one of their illustrious members and a distinguished product of the School, Aquinarian Arakunrin Odunayo Akeredolu SAN, the late Governor of Ondo State.
In a statement by Hon. Justice (Dr) Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi, Emeritus Judge, National & Worldwide President, ACAOSA, the Association recalled “with eternal gratitude,” the decision of his Akeredolu’s Government “to return Aquinas College Akure (ACA) to the Catholic Mission in 2021/2022 which coincided with the 70th Anniversary Celebrations of the founding of the School.”
According to Justice Olateru-Olagbegi, the return of the iconic school “came after over ten years of clamor made by the Mission in partnership with successive executives of the Old Students’ Association.
“The clamor was necessitated by the worrisome decline of standards over the years in Nigerian Schools being the consequence of the ill-advised policy of the Military Government at the time to take over Mission schools coupled with perennial abysmally poor funding of education by Governments at both Federal and State levels.”
He said that with the return of ACA to the Catholic Mission, the school’s Catholic Mission wing, now in JSS2 has been “put back on track for the assured restoration of the fabled academic and sporting excellence for which the School was at all times universally renowned.
“Thank you Aqr. Governor Arakunrin!
“This accomplishment of the Government of Arakunrin, in addition to others in some other sectors of governance remain our consolation even at this mourning period.
“In our grief therefore and in the words of the Holy Book in 1 THESALONIANS 5;18 we thank the Lord for the life of Arakunrin and for his God-enabled accomplishments whilst he was on this side of the divide.”
Justice Olateru-Olagbegi also extended their condolences to “His Imperial Majesty, Alaiyeluwa Oba (Dr) Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye 111, Olowo of Owo Kingdom, and all the Chiefs and people of the Kingdom; to the late Governor’s wife, Arabinrin Betty Akeredolu and their children; to His Excellency the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, whom we wish the best of luck on the saddle, and the people of Ondo State. Last but by no means the least, to my Learned Sister Judge, Hon. Justice Bolaji Olajuwon and other siblings of Arakunrin.
“May the good Lord comfort us all and give us the fortitude to bear the sad loss.
“May the soul of Arakunrin find favour with the Lord and rest in perfect peace, in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
“ADIEU ARAKUNRIN!
“ACA! INTEGRITAS!!”
