Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Sunday said that while his tenure will end in May 2027, members of his team, with whom he has delivered good governance, are poised to continue the work in different capacities.
He stated this during a Thanksgiving Service in commemoration of Oyo State’s ongoing 50th anniversary, held at the Cathedral of St Peter’s, Aremo, in Ibadan, the state capital.
The governor said his administration would continue to govern the state in accordance with the will and guidance of God for the people, adding that his government has built strong foundations as the state enters its next phase.
PUNCH Online reports that Makinde inaugurated the state’s 50th anniversary on Monday, January 26, at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
Family members of former governors, traditional and religious leaders, top government functionaries, and political stakeholders gathered at the ICC to celebrate the state, which was created on February 3, 1976, from the former Western Region of Nigeria, with Ibadan as its administrative capital.
The state government had unveiled a week-long programme for the anniversary on January 21, 2026. The events include religious services, cultural exhibitions, an awards and dinner night, and a public lecture titled, “Consolidating the Legacy, Navigating the Present and Reimagining the Future.”
Makinde had earlier appointed Saheed Fijabi, a former member of the House of Representatives, as chairman of the 11-member planning committee for the anniversary.
During the Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, the governor, who had earlier read the second Bible lesson from Matthew 5:1-12, congratulated all residents on witnessing the celebration of the state’s golden jubilee, which he attributed to God’s grace.
He emphasised that his emergence as governor in 2019, after contesting for eight years, could only be attributed to God’s mercy, which enabled the state to experience a new beginning.
He therefore assured the people of continuity of good governance after the expiration of his tenure, stressing that his team is still intact and will carry on the good work.
“I want to congratulate all of us for witnessing Oyo State at 50, and I pray that we shall witness many more years on earth. When I became the governor of this state in 2019, I was the eighth civilian or executive governor, and the significance of eight in the Bible depicts a new beginning. So, the journey has been a new beginning for Oyo. I didn’t plan it.
“I tell people that I am not ashamed to say I don’t have a godfather; I only have God the Father. Some people are upset, saying I came to them to ask for support to be elected. Yes, you go somewhere to seek support. Does that make the person your godfather?
“So, God has been merciful to us, and we will continue to operate according to His will and guidance. God has brought a particular governor at a particular time to signify a new beginning for the state. My charge to you as we celebrate this 50th anniversary is that we should not go back to where we came from. Let us stay focused.
“We have a team that is still intact. It is only Seyi Makinde who will leave; members of the team are there to continue working for the people of the state. We will continue to operate in accordance with the will and guidance of God for Oyo State,” Makinde assured.
In his goodwill message, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, lauded Makinde’s leadership style and transformation agenda in the state.
“It is always an honour to be in Ibadan. I was here on Tuesday to visit the university, and I told someone that this is a historic town where all of us, as Nigerians, come because it is a city of knowledge and hope.
“The people who came with me said you don’t know how this place has changed, and I appreciate the preacher for what he said about how the state has developed under Governor Makinde.
“I thank the governor for faithfully serving the people. As you celebrate this 50th anniversary, I pray that the next fifty years of this great state will be exemplary. May God continue to bless our governor and all the members of his team. I was here at the onset of his government. I was one of those brought in to talk to his commissioners, and I thank him for his exceptional work.
“As I conclude, I want to make a request to Nigerians: please always remember us, politicians, in prayers. We are the problem of Nigeria. No other person. Nigeria is not a poor country but only poorly governed. Remember us in your prayers, that God should touch our hearts to use public money for the public good. That is what Makinde is doing in this state”, Obi said.
Earlier, in his sermon entitled “Gratitude,” the Archbishop of Ibadan Province, The Most Rev’d Williams Aladekugbe, said God has been good to Oyo State and hailed past leaders who contributed meaningfully to the growth of the state over the last 50 years.
He congratulated the governor for his people-oriented programme, which has shaped the state and brought about infrastructure development, improved workers’ and pensioners’ welfare, and peaceful coexistence, among other achievements.
Special prayers were offered for Governor Makinde, the state, past leaders/governors, and Nigeria, as well as for the continuity of good governance through a worthy successor.
Dignitaries at the event included the Governor’s wife, Tamunominini Makinde; Wife of the Osun State Governor, Titilola Adeleke; former First Lady of Oyo State, Mutiat Ladoja; Chief Judge of the state, Iyabo Yerima; Secretary to the State Government, Musibau Babatunde; Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi; Head of Service, Olubunmi Oni; Deputy Chief of Staff, Kazeem Adeniyi; and the Chairman of the Oyo State @ 50 Committee, Saheed Akinade-Fijabi.
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