A wise man once described history as an ‘echo of the past in the future, as well as, reflex from the future on the past.’
This period will go down in the annals of history as a defining watershed in the political evolution of Oyo State (once the political capital of Western Nigeria).
The 2019 general elections have come and gone with the lessons and intrigues. The absolute fall from grace to grass of certain individuals which led to their colossal defeat remains a hot subject of political research. The unanimous consensus now is that the real business of governance cannot come sooner.
However, future students of political history of Oyo State would have suffered a great disservice, if no effort is made as to how a colossus bestrode the scene and redefined the narratives by defying all odds, making a total mockery of stereotypes and myths in a most extra ordinary manner.
By training an engineer, by practice a business man, by heritage a philanthropist, a decent family man, an uncommon politician, clear winner of the most goggled gubernatorial election in Nigeria since 1999; His Excellency; Engineer Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde.
Virtually every successful businessman/politician today feels compelled to serenade listeners with their grass to grace story simply because it sounds good, even though, a simple check will easily separate those who can easily inspire with genuine organic growth from those whose rise to wealth leaves everyone in a state of confusion.
Perhaps his parents; late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde should have noticed when Oluwaseyi picked no other date, than the 25th of December (Christmas Day) to announce his destined arrival into this world. His family house of Aigbofa Compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan is at the Centre of rusty and brown signature roofs of the ancient city.
His father, a teacher turned accountant, more than anybody knew the value of education when he enrolled young Oluwaseyi at St Paul’s School for his primary education. He eventually completed his primary education at St Michael’s Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan and that was followed by a remarkable secondary education at Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan in Ibadan with admission number 1339.
At this time, the Nigerian nation was going through a period of depressing instability with the levers of power shifting with military commanders through the barrel of the gun. It had seemed Democracy would have no place on the African continent. Common place were; civil unrest, unlawful detention, brain drain, incessant strike actions among many hopeless developments.
It would take an incurable optimist to harbor any hope of any meaningful future beyond corrupt patronage and rent seeking state that Nigeria was at the time.
It was that exact glimmer of hope that kept pushing the man of destiny; Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde, when he got admitted into the prestigious, University of Lagos, Akoka to study Electrical Engineering.
The village boy from Ibadan found himself in a first class federal University! He would reckon that hard work and meticulous study was the key.
Makinde observed his national service (NYSC) with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria, where he was later engaged as a pupil engineer. He served in different capacities; handling and partaking in several key projects between 1990 and 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a field Engineer (Eket operations) for Rebold International Limited and in 1995, he was appointed as Field Manager in the same company.
In 1997, Seyi Makinde established his first business, Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited (METS), after working for five years (1992-1997) with various international oil and gas companies (IOCs), as an Engineering Manager.
As expected, the Makon Project became a successful business and no doubt as a successful engineer, he made fortune!
According to Seyi Makinde, “your wealth is only meaningful if it impacts positively on the society.”
Just like Warren Buffet, the great American businessman, Engineer Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde belives “If you’re in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%.”
No wonder one will struggle today to name a private individual who has contributed more in giving back to the society – one can dare say that in South Western Nigeria in the last nineteen years, Seyi Makinde stands out.
With due respect to many decent politicians around, one striking difference between him and the rest is that, philanthropy for him is not a strategy, it is a calling!
In his words, “we came to this world with nothing and we will not return with anything.”
His philanthropy cuts across all sectors, namely; Education, Sports, Social amenities, Community Development, Health, Religion, traditional institutions, among others.
As a dogged fighter for just cause and conviction, his foray into politics in 2002 was mainly to offer support to the (eventually successful) gubernatorial campaign of his political mentor; Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
In 2007, Engineer Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde ran unsuccessfully to be a senator for Oyo South Senatorial District under the All Nigeria Peoples Party.
Four years later, he ran for the same position under the Peoples Democratic Party but lost at the primaries stage.
In 2015, he could not clinch the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, while he came fifth in the year’s gubernatorial elections in Oyo State as a candidate of the Social Democratic Party.
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, he said “I have learnt more from my defeats than I would have probably if I won in my earlier attempts.”
On September 29, 2018, Makinde emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections for Oyo State, after polling 2772 votes at the primary election that took place at the Liberty Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan.
His resounding victory at the Oyo state 2019 gubernatorial election was similar to that of Barrack Obama of the United States of America in 2008.
Men and women, young and old, residents, diasporans, artisans and civil servants alike, the ‘Omi Tuntun’ phenomenon was spell binding. The outpouring of love and loyalty was raw. It was what some observers called ‘the movement of the people’.
Not minding the intimidating collaboration of the Federal might and the state ruling apparatuses, joined with heavy weight political mercenaries; a people driven cause united on purpose could not be defeated.
On March 10, 2019, the Makinde led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured majority votes (515, 621) to record an emphatic victory over the ruling party, winning a whooping twenty eight out of the thirty three local government areas in Oyo State. It was indeed the people’s mandate!
Now, that the people have spoken, the time to build a new, prosperous and peaceful Oyo State is here, after all, Engineer Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde, a trained engineer and administrator with subject matter expertise on fluid and gas metering is at the wheels, ably assisted supported by his amiable wife, Tamunomini; a vastly cerebral engineer, as well as his deputy, Alhaji (Engr) Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan; a hugely experienced engineer of international repute.
The only relevant political party now is Oyo State. Everyone needs to unite and join forces with a man who has promised to:
– Work tirelessly in building the economy of the state by creating jobs
– Increase the agriculture profile and productivity of the state
– Ensure peaceful coexistence of all and sundry through improved security
– Uplift the quality of education while making it accessible and affordable
– Respect the traditional institutions
– Better the lives of civil servants, artisans and traders
Omi Tuntun Ti De, Ni Ipinle Oyo
-Sent in by Bayo Akande
