By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Governor Seyi Makinde on Sunday, declared that his first term in office knowledge, exposure and experience has prepared him for a smooth sail in the second term.
The governor said this at a Thanksgiving Service held at the Sword of The Spirit Ministries, Precious Cornerstone University Campus 1 (PCU), Garden of Victory, Olaogun, Old-Ife, Ibadan to mark the end of his first term and part of activities for the inauguration of his second term in office.
He stressed that all he achieved in his four years first term could be be said to have been achieved within two years after narrating how he spent time trying to settle down into governance when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown slowed down activities again.
“In 2019, at the inauguration, I made a pronouncement that I will be paying salary at 25th of every month. I made the decision before reading the handover note. And we have paid for 49 consecutive months. When I read the handover notes, I wondered who will help me drive the vision to fulfil that mission. It took me time, say close to six months to figure out what is where and who is doing what, but I can bet, there are different kinds of persons inside the secretariat”, he said.
Governor Makinde added, ” So, I would say the first six months was a period for me to learn what it looks like working g in the public domain. By the following months after the 6months, COVID-19 came and it was an issue of if we will lock down or not and we were like that for 11 months”.
“Towards the end of 2020, we started real work. We worked for the whole of 2021, majority of the 2022 and before this second term problem. The leaders of faith came to me and said why am I not making pronouncement and I told them I don’t think I needed any second term because it’s too much headache. They said even if I’m not doing it for myself, why don’t I do it for this state, so I listened to them and I declared for second term and the trouble started again”.
The governor stressed, ” You have to organise congresses and all the rest and we were on that from September or October 2022 to March 28, 2023 when I was re-elected forward second term, so I discounted that period of about 6months again because I do not have undivided attention to serve the people of Oyo State within that period.
“So whatever we have been able to achieve, now you will agree with me that we have been able to achieve that within two years. But, this time around, it’s not going to be like that, you know why? since March 18 that I have been declared re-elected, I did not and haven’t stopped working for the people of Oyo State.
“Between March 18 and now, what we have done that is close to where we are is the underpass at Onipepeye. It is open now to traffic. Between then and now, we have been able to open the bridge between Oyo and Iseyin, the one over Odo Ogun river is open to traffic. I have learnt the ropes, I am now a junior master and there will be indeed and in truth no network failure in the governance of Oyo State in this term.”
Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Supo Ayokunle in his sermon at the Service entitled, “The mind of God for your leadership”, tasked Gov Seyi Makinde to sustain the tempo of good works in the state.
Dr Ayokunle maintained that with the re-election, God has silenced the arrogant and proud in the state urging him to build the state, be humble in leadership and listen to wise counsel of significant others.
The Presiding Bishop, Sword of The Spirit Ministries, Francis Wale-Oke led other cleric in special prayer session for the governor, his family, state.
