By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has assured people of the State of his administration’s commitment to build on past gains as the state marks golden jubilee celebration of its creation.

In a broadcast on Tuesday , as part of activities marking the celebration, the governor stated that “As we celebrate this Golden Jubilee, our administration remains steadfast in consolidating past gains, while pursuing a bold, realistic and inclusive development agenda.

“We are strengthening our security architecture, investing in critical infrastructure, revitalising agriculture, expanding healthcare access, empowering youths and women and fostering an enabling environment for enterprise and innovation.”

Envisioning the prospect of the state in the next 50 years, Aiyedatiwa said “My dear people, the next fifty years call for renewal of purpose, unity, innovation, discipline and faith.

“Let us, therefore, recommit ourselves to hard work, civic responsibility and mutual trust. Let us support the government to continue to advance the frontiers of development of our dear Sunshine State.

“Let us build cities and rural communities that are productive, inclusive and environmentally sustainable.”

Going down the memory lane, the governor revealed that “Long before the proclamation of statehood, Ondo Province stood as a major economic pillar of the defunct Western Region.

“Historical records attest to its overwhelming contributions in cocoa, palm produce, timber and other agricultural export commodities that financed regional infrastructure, iconic projects in the Southwest like the famous Cocoa House in lbadan and underwrote national growth.

“Like all enduring institutions, Ondo State began humbly. Ministries operated from rented and improvised spaces; public servants travelled daily from Ondo, Owo, Ikere and neighbouring towns.

“Under the pioneer administration of Wing Commander Ita David Ikpeme, the foundation of a functional public service was firmly laid. From the early days at Oke-Eda to the eventual emergence of the Alagbaka Secretariat Complex, the State steadily acquired administrative coherence and stability.

We must pay glowing tribute to the pioneer Head of Service, Chief Theophilus Ayebogbon Iwajomo, his successor Chief Elkanah Adeneye Emuleomo and the first generation of public servants whose sacrifices laid a solid foundation for institutionalised public service and governance in Ondo State.

“We also acknowledge the quiet heroism of ordinary citizens, market women, artisans, farmers and transport workers, who bore the inconveniences of urban renewal with patience and patriotism.

“Our traditional rulers and religious leaders were indispensable partners in mobilising social consensus during these formative years.

“Over the past five decades, Ondo State has traversed periods of military rule and democratic governance, policy disruptions and reforms, economic downturns and recoveries.

“However, democracy eventually deepened civic participation and long-term planning.  The State has recorded measurable progress in education, healthcare, agriculture, urban development, industrialisation and public service reform.

“Commerce expanded, infrastructure networks grew and our vast endowments in solid minerals, oil and gas, tourism and human capital increasingly commanded national relevance.

“Ondo State has also given birth to another State with the creation of Ekiti State on 1st October, 1996. This development marked another defining moment, reshaping administrative boundaries.

“Today, Ondo State stands proud as a crucible of excellence with our sons and daughters distinguishing themselves in medicine, law, academia, public administration, science, technology, arts, sports, enterprise and other areas of public endeavour.”

By Ayodele Oni

Legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN  has reminded people of the South West that political power at the centre would not remain in the region indefinitely.

Olanipekun, who was chairman of the Ondo State at 50 Public Lecture, charged Yoruba elders and leaders to rise above complacency and take deliberate, passionate steps towards the development and long-term security of the South-West.

Olanipekun, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, spoke on Monday, at the public lecture held at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), Akure, as part of activities marking the Golden Jubilee of the creation of Ondo State.

According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a son of the South-West, would not be at the helm of national affairs forever, noting that another region would most likely assume power by 2031.

He stressed that leaders and elders of Yorubaland must therefore act with urgency, foresight and unity, warning that failure to do so could be costly.

“A stitch in time saves nine,” he said, urging elders to speak out rather than remain docile in the face of pressing regional and national challenges.

The legal luminary described development, progress and evolution in Yorubaland as a collective responsibility that required courage, strategic thinking and sustained engagement beyond partisan interests.

In his remarks, Olanipekun described former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, as a “living legend,” advising the incumbent Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to tap from Mimiko’s wealth of experience, particularly as he remains the only surviving civilian governor of the state.

He also lamented that another former governor, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, had not been duly recognised for his landmark contributions to Ondo State’s progress.

Olanipekun recalled that Olumilua consistently referred to Ondo State as “our Canaan,” stressing that it was his vision, courage and determination that laid the foundation for the state’s current status, recognition and wealth as one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states.

Tracing the historical process, Olanipekun explained that the achievement was the product of teamwork and strategic engagement during Olumilua’s administration.

He said the late governor mandated his deputy, Dr Olusegun Agagu, the then Commissioner for Health, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, and himself, as Attorney-General of the state, to vigorously pursue the recognition.

According to him, when the documents were first presented, Chief Clement Akpamgbo, SAN, a native of Anambra State and then Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, insisted that Imo and Abia states be included to strengthen the agitation before it could receive federal approval.

Fresh documentation was subsequently prepared to include his request and submitted, making the recognition a reality in principle.

However, Olanipekun noted that the process stalled when General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida stepped aside in August 1993, leaving the recognition largely on paper.

He added that the team later went to Abuja, and engaged the Head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, and reached an agreement which culminated in Shonekan’s pronouncement during a visit to Ondo State that the state had officially become one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states.

Earlier in his keynote address, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa described the Golden Jubilee as both a milestone and a mirror for reflection on the past, honest assessment of the present and deliberate planning for the future.

The governor said the public lecture, titled “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” was not merely ceremonial, but intellectual and visionary, aimed at shaping a sustainable and inclusive future for generations yet unborn.

He paid tribute to the Chairman of the lecture, Chief Olanipekun, as well as the Keynote Speaker, Mrs Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Energy, and the Distinguished Guest Lecturer, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, describing their participation as timely and deeply relevant to Ondo State’s developmental discourse.

Reflecting on the state’s history since its creation in 1976, Aiyedatiwa said Ondo State was established to bring governance closer to the people, unlock development potential and nurture human capital anchored on strong moral values.

He recalled the state’s agrarian roots in cocoa, oil palm, timber, fishing and trade, as well as the role of communal labour, integrity and respect for authority in sustaining social order.

The governor highlighted notable progress recorded over the years, including the transition from primary production to value addition and industrial processing, citing projects such as the Sunshine Free Trade Zone, Golden Ceramics Industrial Plant, the Ethanol Plant in Ore and the Ondo Deep Sea Port.

He added that tourism was being repositioned as a growth driver through investments in the coastline, eco-tourism assets and cultural heritage, while deliberate investments in education, skills acquisition and youth empowerment remained central to his administration’s agenda.

Aiyedatiwa stressed that development was a collective responsibility, calling on citizens at home and in the diaspora to contribute through entrepreneurship, innovation, community service and civic engagement, noting that diaspora engagement was strategic for accelerated development, knowledge transfer and global competitiveness.

Looking ahead, the governor outlined a vision of an inclusive and ethically grounded Ondo State driven by economic diversification, technology, innovation, human capital development and strong institutions.