Georgia CommonsHR 177: Adekola, Richard Olorunrokan, "King Rokan"; condolences
Last action February 5, 2025 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors the life and memory of Richard Olorunrokan Adekola, known as King Rokan, a Nigerian American musician and community leader who lived in Georgia.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives is a ceremonial tribute rather than a change to state law. It recognizes Richard Olorunrokan Adekola, known as King Rokan, a musician, songwriter, and performer within the Nigerian American and African diaspora community in Georgia. The resolution recounts his career, including performing at the 1996 Olympics opening ceremony and Black History Month events, and entertaining three heads of state: President Bill Clinton, former Nigerian President General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. It also credits him with mentoring young artists and advocating for cultural preservation. The House formally expresses regret at his passing and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to his family.
What the bill does
- Formally honors the life and memory of Richard Olorunrokan Adekola, known as King Rokan, on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives.
- Recites his career as a musician, songwriter, and performer and his role as a community leader and mentor to young artists.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to his family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or penalty; it is a symbolic expression of the House's regret at his passing.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names the family of Richard Olorunrokan Adekola and, more broadly, the Nigerian American and African diaspora community in Georgia that the text says he served and represented.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally. Its practical significance is limited to the public, official record it creates honoring a specific individual and the copy the Clerk of the House sends to his family.
Key provisions
- The resolving clause states the House joins in honoring Adekola's life, memory, and contributions to music, culture, and community.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to his family.
From the bill
“the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Richard Olorunrokan Adekola, "King Rokan," as well as his contributions to music, culture, and community and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Segun Adeyina (D, HD-110)
- Solomon Adesanya (D, HD-043)
- Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)
- Gabe Okoye (D, HD-102)
- El-Mahdi Holly (D, HD-116)
Topics
- condolence resolution
- Nigerian American community
- Georgia House of Representatives
- musician tribute