Akeredolu died of complications from prostate cancer, says Ondo government

The Ondo government says Rotimi Akeredolu, the late governor of the state, died of “complications from protracted prostate cancer”.

Akeredolu died on Wednesday morning at the age of 67.

Before his death, the Ondo governor had been away from the state since June for medical treatment.

On September 7, Akeredolu returned to Nigeria after a three-month medical leave in Germany and was operating from his residence in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

In a statement, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, the Ondo state commissioner for information, said a letter had been sent to President Bola Tinubu notifying him of the death of Akeredolu.

The commissioner said the state and family of the late governor would release details of the burial arrangement of Akeredolu.

“Mr. Governor peacefully departed from this world in the early hours of today, Wednesday, December 27, 2023. This tragedy has left behind a profound void in our hearts. Governor Akeredolu answered the eternal call while receiving medical treatment in Germany. He succumbed to complications arising from protracted prostate cancer,” the statement reads.

“Governor Akeredolu was an extraordinary leader whose unwavering dedication to the state and its people was both commendable and unparalleled.

“He did not only served as the Governor of Ondo State but also emerged as a prominent advocate for the entire Southwest region and the nation.

“Governor Akeredolu was a courageous leader and an exemplar of integrity. The weight of this loss is truly unbearable.”

Prostate cancer is the type of cancer that occurs in a man’s prostate. The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in males, located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.

The gland produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.