In the ever evolving political landscape of Nigeria, few leaders have etched their legacy with as much purpose and sincerity as Engineer Seyi Abiodun Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State.
As he marks six years in office, The Pacesetters Magazine sat down for an exclusive, no holds barred interview with the governor who has redefined the political rhythm and service delivery in the pacesetter state.
From agribusiness to anti-corruption, security to institutional reform, Governor Makinde bares his mind in this detailed conversation with Demola Babalola, Publisher of Pacesetters Magazine, offering an intimate view into the heartbeat of his administration, his values and what he truly hopes Oyo State will remember him for when the curtains fall on his stewardship.
Your Excellency, congratulations on your six impactful years. Looking back, what is the most defining principle that has shaped your governance approach?
Thank you, Demola. Honestly, the most defining principle for me has been service, selfless deliberate service to the people. Not service rooted in sentiment or political pressure but a focused attempt to solve problems, build systems and leave a legacy of governance that transcends personal ambition. You see, I have always said I don’t want to be remembered just for roads or infrastructure. Those are important, yes, but with planning, any serious government can build those things. What I want to be remembered for are the institutions we have created and nurtured. Those are the foundations that will outlive my tenure and continue to guarantee good governance for generations.
You often mention institutions as your legacy. Can you expatiate on some of these and why you see them as vital to the progress of Oyo State?
Absolutely. Let me start with Amotekun. When we came in, Oyo was grappling with insecurity like never before. We didn’t wait for Abuja. We took bold steps and established the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), to safeguard our people. Then there is the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA). Before us, corruption was normalized in many quarters. We came in and said, no, we must have an agency that will be independent, that can investigate even the executive and we gave them that autonomy. Then we created the Rule of Law Enforcement Authority, to ensure that laws passed by the State Assembly are not just on paper but are enforced. The Agribusiness Development Agency is another. It speaks to our economic vision, using agriculture as a means of youth empowerment and food security. We also established the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force and don’t forget Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OMASED) and the Parks Management System (PMS). All these are institutions. Today, you don’t hear of violence in garages anymore. That is because we moved from the old NURTW model to a more structured, accountable system.
Many governors tend to slow down during their second term, but your second term seems even more ambitious than the first. Why?
(Laughs) I hear that a lot. It is true. A lot of politicians see second term as time to relax or “recoup”. But that is not me. I am here to serve. I didn’t seek a second term just for the title. I had other things I was doing. In fact, people forget that for 51 of my 57 years on earth, I had nothing to do with public service. It’s just the past six years that I have been in government. Before 2019, I had no political office, no government role. So I came into this with a clear mindset, which is to leave a mark. The second term, to me, is an opportunity to deepen reforms, to expand on what we started. We did not win a second mandate to fold arms. We won to complete the work. And trust me, we are not letting up. We will work till the last minute of the last day of our tenure.
You mentioned earlier that 2019 was your first foray into politics. What motivated your preparation then and how did you stay committed to your vision?
I knew I was an outsider to the system, so I had to be prepared. That was why in 2019, even before we got elected, we developed a Roadmap for Accelerated Development of Oyo State, 2019 – 2023. It wasn’t a political document, it was a policy blueprint. We asked the people to track us. We said, “If we don’t deliver, don’t re-elect us.” Four years later, we returned to the drawing board and developed another roadmap, this time for Sustainable Development 2023 – 2027. We are not doing guesswork. Everything we have done is deliberate, measurable and people centered.
Covid-19, Economic downturn, Oil price crash… The first term threw serious challenges on your way. How did you navigate that terrain and still managed to deliver?
True, the terrain was rugged. COVID-19 shook the world and we were not spared. Our economy took a hit; revenues dropped. But we did not fold our arms. We developed what we called the Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan. We looked inwards. We leveraged our strengths in agribusiness, MSMEs and Digitization. We found ways to do more with less. Even during the lockdown, we ensured salaries were paid regularly. No worker was owed. And we did not abandon projects, instead, we completed inherited ones and initiated new ones. Today, we are injecting about N24billion on the State’s economy monthly. Our administration has ensured economic stability in the state through the monthly payment of about 24 billion naira in salaries to state and local government workers. One of the things we desire is economic stability in our state. Now, every month, 24 billion naira get into the economy of Oyo State through workers’ salaries. The wage bill of the state is now around 14 billion naira, while that of the local government is about 10 billion naira. Similarly, on the private sector side, a lot of people are now comfortable coming to invest in this state and we have seen quite a lot of investments. And more are still on the way.
How would you describe the Economic vision of your administration?
It is about sustainability and inclusivity. You cannot build an economy that works for only a segment of the population. That is why we are investing in agribusiness, youth development, solid infrastructure, healthcare and education. Our goal is not just to grow the GDP but to reduce poverty. That is why we are building roads that open up farmlands, not just city centers. That is why our Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project (YEAP) is training thousands of young people. It is also why we are pushing industrial hubs like the Fashola Agribusiness Industrial Hub and the revitalization of industrial estates in Ibadan and Ogbomoso.
Let’s touch briefly on security again. Six years ago, Oyo was battling serious unrest. What changed under your leadership?
Leadership is about courage. The kind of insecurity we faced needed swift action and we acted. We established Amotekun, passed enabling laws and gave them operational independence. We work hand in hand with the Police, DSS and other agencies. We also invested in street lighting across major towns and rural roads, these things dissuade crime. Today, you can see that crime rates have significantly dropped. It is not perfect but it is a massive improvement.
There have been criticisms too. Some say your government avoids undue publicity. Why is that…
(…Smiles) Yes, I hear that. But you see, we don’t govern with propaganda. We are not interested in playing to the gallery. We state what we will do and we go ahead to do it. We don’t spend taxpayers’ money on vanity PR. If people are seeing results, they will talk. And they have talked. That is why we won again with a wide margin. Of course, criticism is part of governance. But when people speak from facts, we listen. If it is propaganda, we ignore and keep working.
What gives you the most satisfaction when you look back over these six years?
Knowing that we have impacted lives. Knowing that a farmer in Oke-Ogun has a better road to take his produce to market. That a student in Ogbomoso is learning in a better equipped classroom. That our youth now see agriculture as a profitable venture. That civil servants now receive their salaries on or before the 25th of every month, no matter what. That we have restored people’s dignity. That is the fulfillment. That is the joy of leadership.
Finally, what message do you have for the people of Oyo State as you enter the last half of your second term?
My message is simple: Thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your mandate. Thank you for believing in a vision of governance that is people first. I promise that till the very last second of our time in office, we will not relent. We will keep working. We will consolidate on gains and correct what needs fixing. Our journey is not about one man, it is about a state reclaiming its place of pride in Nigeria. We are building for the future and we are doing it together.
