Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State was on Friday, in Lagos, conferred with the award of Governor of the Year, 2022 by Vanguard Media Limited.
Vanguard’s General Manager, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, and a team of Editors had earlier in January visited the Government House Agodi, Ibadan, where they intimated the governor of the decision of the Board of Editors to confer the award on him for exemplary service delivery in the past 44 months.
Adefaye, who spoke on behalf of the organisation said that Makinde had excelled in the area of Health, Education, Security and Expanded economy.
He added that the organisation was proud to associate with the governor whom he said, had made development of his people his primary concern.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor received the award on Friday, at the Vanguard 2022 Personality of the Year Awards, held at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Award ceremony, the governor said that the award will spur him to greater heights and that residents of Oyo State should look forward to an upgrade of the good governance on offer under Omituntun 1.0.
He said: “When you are working and you are recognised, you will have the urge to really want to do more. So, I am speaking from that context.
“I really appreciate the award and I believe it will spur me to even do more.”
Speaking on what the people of the state should expect from his government if he is re-elected for a second term in office, Makinde declared that he would double his efforts in the area of development.
“The people of Oyo State should expect an upgrade over Omituntun 1.0. Whatever we have been able to achieve, it can only get better,” he said.
The award featured different other categories including the 2022 Vanguard Personality Award won by Mr. Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote group.
Governor Makinde was accompanied to the event by his wife, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde; foremost traditional rulers from the state, including the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Lateef Adebimpe; the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi; the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao and the Olu of Igboora, Oba Jimoh Titiloye.
Political leaders from within and outside Oyo State, who also attended the event with the governor, were former Oyo State Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman, South, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja; former Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; Senator Gbenga Babalola; Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu; Hon. Rita Orji and Prince Dotun Babayemi, among others.
Others were the Executive Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) and chairman of the Media Committee of the Makinde re-election campaign council, Prince Dotun Oyelade; Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa and Special Assistant (Print Media) to the governor, Moses Alao.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
