My Husband, Rotimi Akeredolu, Wouldn’t Have Died if He had Listened to me-Betty

Former First Lady of Ondo State, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has sensationally declared that she would not have been a widow if her late husband and then Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Aderedolu, had listened to her.

The outspoken former Ondo First Lady made the declaration in an exclusive interview she granted StarNews Publisher, Olumide Akinrinlola. The interview was published on Thursday.

Betty, as she is popularly called, had, at the height of her husband’s battle with cancer, fought aides who were reportedly offering spiritual help and bringing local herbs to her husband.

What came out of their mountain climbing, ‘blessed’ handkerchiefs, water, olive oil, etc., from the GOs and all the noisy prayers like people possessed by demons?

If Aketi had listened to me, I wouldn’t be a widow.

In the exclusive interview, the StarNews Publisher had asked Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu if she disapproved of prayers and rejected spiritual assistance during Akeredolu’s health travails.

Disclosing that Akeredolu was deeply religious but that she was “wired differently” and had “no apologies” for it, Mrs. Akeredolu  asked: “What came out of their mountain climbing, ‘blessed’ handkerchiefs, water, olive oil, etc., from the GOs and all the noisy prayers like people possessed by demons?

“If Aketi had listened to me, I wouldn’t be a widow.”

Herself a cancer survivor, the former Ondo First Lady was diagnosed with breast cancer 27 years ago, but she said that her decision to seek medical care rather than relying on spiritual healers was pivotal to her beating the monster.

Former Governor Akeredolu succumbed to prostate cancer on December 23, 2023, after a long struggle with the disease.

Mrs. Akeredolu would not quit without jabbing her husband’s deputy, now the incumbent Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Luck Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, describing his administration as “rudderless”.

On the state’s governance, Anyanwu-Akeredolu described her husband’s successor Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration as “rudderless”.

On the allegation that Aiyedatiwa’s finance commissioner was the one running the government, Betty Akeredolu said, “No comments.

“However, it’s worth noting that this same commissioner was sacked from her position during Aketi’s first administration.

“You can connect the dots as to why Lucky brought her back. We are watching.”

The former First Lady then hinted that her senatorial ambition was alive and well. She said she would pursue it with every fibre of her being.

•  Adapted from Vanguard News