Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State has said that it will be left in the hands of the residents of the state to choose who will be governor after him.
The governor stated this in his bi-monthly newsletter, noting that while his administration has redefined governance and showed the people of Oyo State what is possible with strategic thinking and targeted implementations, some people have begun to ask what next and whether the next governor would not remove some of the efforts.
He declared that residents of the state would decide the destiny of the state by choosing his successor, though he will reveal to them the individual he will support to succeed him as governor in order for the state to continue on the trajectory of sustainable development and transformation.
The governor noted, however, that since his government still has a little over two years in office, residents of the state should look forward to more deliverables in the areas of infrastructure development, tourism, agribusiness and solid minerals development towards further expanding the economy of the state.
Governor Makinde, who made a reference to the recent visit of the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Julius Maada Bio, to the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub said the state has received recognitions from the international community for the efforts put into agriculture.
The governor said that through its dependence on data, science and logic to drive agribusiness, the state has been able to achieve tremendous results, adding that President Bio was so impressed with the state’s agribusiness policies and efforts that he invited him to Sierra Leone for further engagements.
He equally explained that through its reliance on data, the state government was able to know that only 5 per cent implementation was achieved on its tractorisation policy in 2024, noting the state would remove bureaucratic bottlenecks and embark on wider communication of the policy.
The policy seeks to subsidise the cost of ploughing by 50 per cent for farmers in the state, with the state government targeting ploughing about 120,000 hectares of lands for farming.
He said: “It has been a very exciting week for us in Oyo State. We have received a lot of recognition from the international community for the work we have so far done in agriculture.
“I must say that when we started putting in the work over five years ago, we did not do it for the accolades. We did it because data, science and logic supported our decision to make agribusiness one of the core sectors through which we would move our people from poverty to prosperity.
“In doing this, we have taken the path less travelled. We have followed a strategic pathway that is not mainstream.
“I have spoken about how instead of buying tractors that the government may not be able to maintain, we have collaborated with the private sector to provide counterpart funding for our smallholder farmers.
“We have tested and seen what worked and what didn’t so that when we do this again, we will score higher than the abysmal 5 per cent success we just recorded.
“For example, we will spend more time communicating the policy and ensuring that our farmers know about the project and how it will be run. We will also ensure that any bureaucratic bottlenecks that exist are eliminated.
“We know that the only way to success is to embrace failure and learn from it. That is what has happened even with the Fasola project, which is getting us international acclaim. We ambitiously thought we could finish the project within one year. Well, we didn’t. But we have learnt so much from that pilot project, which we are implementing as we move to Eruwa and Ijaiye
“So, in the midst of all these developments, many have been asking – we have two years to go. What next? How do we know the next person won’t come and remove the foundation our administration has laid and is building on.
“The truth is, it is in the hands of the people of Oyo State to chart a new path and decide their destiny. You gave me the opportunity to serve you, and so you will also decide who will serve you next.
“As I stated during the 11th Omituntun Ramadan Lecture a few days ago, sometime in 2026, I will reveal who I will be supporting for the 2027 gubernatorial elections. It will then be left to you, the good people of Oyo State, to say if you want that continuity,” the governor added.
Packaged by Adekunle Adegboyega
