“This fact is not unknown to Governor ‘Seyi Makinde. He knows that he has gained the confidence of the people and all he needs to do is to pick the next team correctly.”
I believe that I have the bragging right to refer to myself as a veteran, not only in journalism, which I started 49 years ago, but also in the politics of Oyo State, where I have served three different governments and spent a total of 16 years in the corridors of power.
It started with Governor Lam Adesina, from 1999 to 2003, whom I served as Private Secretary, writing all his public addresses and minding sensitive government matters.
Uncle Lam was a bureaucrat, having spent virtually all his life in teaching and school administration.
An ebullient social critic, Uncle Lam had no appetite for accumulation of wealth, though the same cannot be said of some of those who surrounded him.
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, 2007-2011 whom I also served as a Special Adviser on Public Communication, was a more consummate politician and socialite.
Alao-Akala was perceived as a big spender, both on governance and his personal life.
The two of them governed in direct responses and in ways that reflected their backgrounds and did their best for the state.
The difference with ‘Seyi Makinde is that nine months before he won the 2019 election, he had prepared the famous blueprint called the Roadmap for Accelerated Development in Oyo State, which he used religiously to execute his development programmes.
“Seyi Makinde has direction and was well prepared for the job. He was no stranger to the affluence and perks of office.
In April 2019, shortly after he won the election, Makinde shocked the nation by declaring publicly a personal asset in excess of ₦48 billion.
The only governor or public officer in the annals of the Nigerian political space who ever did that was Alhaji Lateef Jakande, a doyen of Nigerian journalism who, in 1979, as the newly-elected governor of Lagos state, publicly declared his assets, which were his personal house, his old Toyota Crown car, and his paltry bank account.
Issue of who succeeds Governor ‘Seyi Makinde?
As I speak, there are few politically-vexed issues than who takes over from a performing and exemplary governor.
The topic has taken on the garb of an unintended paradox for two reasons.
There is a strong need for the incumbent governor to get the choice of his successor clinically right.
Oyo State cannot afford to elect someone who will rubbish and dismantle the good works of eight years.
That will be a disaster, hence the decision must be taken in cold-blood and must be an efficient ticket.
Another reason is the enticing lure to latch on the trust deficit which exists between our people and the opposition in Oyo State.
Apparently, because of the way and manner the opposition was cobbled together, the albatross of disunity is embedded in such a way that unity would appear to be forlorn till kingdom comes.
The internecine war within the opposition in Oyo State is intractable.
And this fact is not unknown to Governor ‘Seyi Makinde.
He knows that he has gained the confidence of the people and all he needs to do is to pick the next team correctly.
By selecting technocrats and professionals like himself over and above dyed-in-the-wool traditional politicians, he has allayed the fears of the majority that his laudable programmes will not be jettisoned albeit unwittingly.
No administration ever in Oyo State has touched the lives of ordinary citizens, constructed so many infrastructures, developed the rural areas, brought in quality investors, develop education and agriculture, taken care of the welfare of government workers and pensioners alike, and executing an unsurpassed employment drive which cuts across wards and local governments like Governor ‘Seyi Makinde.
Makinde defied the norm by achieving in his second term more than he did during his first term.
In his first term, 124.11km of roads were completed, whereas in the first three years of his second term, 341.55km of roads have been completed, springing up a phenomenal statistics of 465.66k of roads already completed.
In the meantime work is ongoing spiritedly in another stretch of 533.34km of roads all over the state.
To be fair, even his sworn enemies have given up on criticising these unsurpassed and verifiable achievements
List of some notable achievements of the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde administration since 2019
•Reconstruction of the 65km Moniya–Iseyin Road
•The 78km Iseyin- Fapote-Ogbomoso, Alao Akala Memorial Express Road
•Rehabilitation of the Iseyin–Oyo Road
•Upgrading of the Saki–Ogbooro–Igboho Road
•Reconstruction of the Ajia–Airport–New Ife Expressway
•Rehabilitation of multiple rural feeder roads across Oyo State
•Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Okaka Junction–Otu–Igbeti–Kishi Road and the construction of bridges over the Otu and Ofiki rivers.
The Ibadan Circular Road Project: Construction of a 110km Ring Road around Ibadan
•Designed to reduce traffic congestion within the city
•Features interchanges, flyovers, and underpasses
•Intended to open up new industrial and residential zones
•One of the largest infrastructure projects in Oyo State history
Transport Infrastructure
•The upgrade of Ladoke Akintola Airport into international standard
•Construction of modern bus terminals at Iwo Road Bus Terminal, Ojoo, and challenge.
•SAfER
•Introduction of the Park Management System (PMS)
Improved urban transport regulation and management
Power Sector
•Improved security and installation of streetlights for seamless economic activities across towns and cities
Sports Infrastructure
•Renovation of the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba
•Upgrade of sports and youth development facilities
Water and Environmental Projects
•Rehabilitation of the Eleyele Dam
•Execution of drainage and flood control projects in Ibadan and other cities
Education Infrastructure
•Construction and renovation of schools across the state
•Expansion of classroom blocks in various local government areas
•Support and infrastructure development for tertiary institutions, including Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso
•Full ownership of LAUTECH secured by the Oyo State Government
•Establishment of LAUTECH Iseyin Campus and relocation of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.
•Ongoing construction of the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Oyo Town
Health Infrastructure
•Upgrading of Primary Health Centres across the 33 local government areas
•Rehabilitation of General Hospitals across the state
Economic and Industrial Development
•Development of the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub
•Support for agro-processing and rural industrialisation
•Improved transport corridors to boost trade and agriculture
•Workers’ Welfare and Labour Achievements
•Oyo State now pays about ₦18 billion monthly as workers’ salaries
•Salaries have consistently been paid on or before the 25th of every month since 2019
•Introduction of 13th-month salary for workers
•Workers’ salaries increased three times under the current administration
•Expansion of the state workforce to over 130,000 workers
•Monthly salary expenditure increased by over 800 per cent, compared to 2019
•Oyo State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose to over ₦103 billion monthly without multiple taxation
•Annual gratuity funding increased from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion
•Improved retirement benefits and reduced hardship for retirees
•Reabsorption of previously disengaged workers
•Approval of backlog promotions for workers
•Oyo State moved from 32nd to 4th position nationally in workers’ welfare rankings, according to the NLC.
•Prince Oyelade, a veteran journalist, is the Commissioner for Information, Oyo State.
