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Who’s Afraid of Justice? The Unsettling Resistance to a Coroner’s Inquest into Akeredolu’s Death
By Akindele Orimolade
Who is afraid of a coroner’s inquest into the death of former Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu?
This is the burning question at the heart of a deepening controversy that is testing the very foundation of our democracy. Recent developments suggest that some forces within and outside the corridors of power are jittery about allowing the law to take its full course. But why?
Akeredolu’s death has been trailed by unanswered questions, swirling allegations, and lingering public suspicions. From the viral audio of the late governor’s wife accusing Mrs. Bunmi Ademosu, Special Adviser to the governor on Public and Inter-Governmental Relations, of administering herbal concoctions to her ailing husband, to claims of signature forgery and looting of state funds. looting of state funds, as well as allegations of domestic violence which further gained traction by the conduct of his wife ; there’s a compelling case for a proper judicial inquest.
In any democracy governed by laws and not by whims, the call for truth, justice, and accountability should not provoke fear. Yet, the recent editorial by The Nation newspaper seemed to suggest otherwise, subtly discouraging such inquiries on grounds of sentiment and expediency. But if the law is to serve only when convenient, it becomes a tool of the powerful, not a shield for the vulnerable.
The response from the Ondo State Government has so far been measured but encouraging. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, affirmed that petitions submitted to his office will be processed with strict adherence to due process. His stance that “when we allow necessity to override legality, we replace order with arbitrariness” is not only commendable. It is essential.
The offence of the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to the Nation newspaper and others is the AG acknowledgement of the receipts of petitions. Is he expected to deny the reality when there exists acknowledgements from his office.
The AG being a professional is only performing his constitutional role irrespective of how bitter the truth is to some. This principled position is consistent with democratic norms globally.
Take the United States as an example: investigations into the assassinations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln (1865) and John F. Kennedy (1963) have never been closed. They remain open because Americans understand that justice, no matter how delayed, is a pillar of societal order.
The Latin maxim Fiat justitia ruat caelum—“Let justice be done, though the heavens fall”—resonates now more than ever. The law must not be sacrificed on the altar of political convenience or elite discomfort.
There is no valid argument that a lawful inquest would derail governance. Rather, transparency and justice foster trust and stability. Ondo citizens deserve to know the truth—not just out of curiosity, but out of constitutional and moral entitlement.
Those resisting the call for a coroner’s inquest must ask themselves: what exactly are they afraid will be uncovered?
In the end, it is not just about one man’s death. It is about whether Nigeria, and Ondo State in particular, will uphold the rule of law,even when it is hard, even when it is uncomfortable, and especially when powerful interests would rather bury the truth.
Justice must not be optional. It must be inevitable.
