By every measure—academic rigour, administrative acumen, and a knack for transformative governance—Dr Charles Akinola was never going to stay on the sidelines for long. On May 8, 2025, President Bola Tinubu did what one might call the inevitable: he appointed Dr Akinola as the inaugural Managing Director of the South West Development Commission (SWDC). In that moment, policy met pragmatism. And yes, a square peg found its square hole.
The news sparked applause not only from technocrats but from royalty. The Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye II, called it “gratifying.” Across Yoruba land, the appointment felt less like a political gesture and more like a long-overdue strategic deployment.
Akinola brings more than flair to the table. He brings three decades of navigating public policy and international development—with sleeves rolled, numbers crunched, and livelihoods lifted. From Harvard lecture halls to the scrubbed corridors of state government in Osun, his journey has been less about titles and more about traction.
As Chief of Staff to a sitting governor, Akinola was the quiet engine behind wage reforms, educational revitalization, and economic restructuring. Earlier, as Director General of the Office of Economic Development and Partnerships, he designed and delivered O-REAP, an audacious agricultural program that turned policy into plate.
And then there’s the poetry of it all. Dr Akinola didn’t just advocate for the South West Development Commission. He chaired the committee that birthed it. Now, the midwife becomes the steward.
It’s rare in public appointments to see such elegant symmetry: the man who shaped the vision is now tasked with its execution. For a region itching for infrastructure, investment, and inclusive growth, Akinola is not just a safe bet. He is the blueprint
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