Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said that the residents of the state could no longer be dragged down to the days of mediocre leadership stressing that the people deserve the best.
Governor Makinde spoke on Friday at the swearing-in ceremony of seven commissioner nominees at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.
The appointees were among the former cabinet members that were dissolved barely one month ago by the governor. According to the governor, names of the remaining commissioners would soon be made public.
Six of the reappointed commissioners retained their former ministries while the former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Alhaja Faosat Sanni, was deployed to the Ministry of Special Duties.
The newly sworn-in commissioners are Mr. Akinola Ojo (Finance); Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, SAN (Justice); Chief Bayo Lawal (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters); and Prof. Dahud Sangodoyin (Public Works).
Others are Mr. Ayansiju Lawal (Establishment and Training); Mr. Temilolu Ashamu (Energy and Mineral Resources); and Mrs. Faosat Sanni (Special Duties).
The governor, who tasked the appointees to ensure that good leadership becomes the new normal in Oyo State, said that his administration would keep raising the bar.
Governor Makinde said, “Two years ago, I inaugurated the first State Executive Council with 14 members initially and the number eventually grew to 17. The cabinet was dissolved about a month ago. All of you here who have been reappointed were members of that cabinet.
“Well, as they say, you don’t change a winning team. Yes, that is true. But they didn’t say that we should not reassess our team. In fact, regular assessment and re-assessment are important to keep teams working optimally. So, to all seven of you here today, I will say welcome back.
“I hope you have used the time to get enough rest and you are fully reinvigorated now for the task ahead. You have just under two years left to make even greater marks in your various ministries.
“Our administration has become known for sustainable development in all sectors, with no communities left behind. We want to continue to do even more than what we had done before. I meet people and once they tell me they are from Oyo State, I ask them the geopolitical zone they are from. And once they tell me, I ask them if they have seen so and so projects in their communities. That is what we are known for.
“Two years ago, I spoke to you about the key roles you will play in ensuring that our people partake of Omituntun. Today, there is clear evidence of the massive works (that) we have done in the four pillars upon which our Roadmap to Accelerated Development in Oyo State 2019-2023 is built.
“We have done so much already but this is not the time to rest on our oars but think of more innovative ways to deliver on our mandate and positively touch the lives of the people of Oyo State. When we complete our tenure in office, we will have set a new bar of governance in Oyo State.
“The people of Oyo State will no longer be dragged down to the days of mediocre leadership. You all have a role to play in ensuring that ’emphatic’ leadership becomes the new normal in Oyo State and, by extension, Nigeria, because the whole country is watching. We should not relent but keep raising the bar.
“Of course, we have provided the channels to ask questions. I will also continue to ask questions to ensure we remain on the path to sustainable development in the state. So, when I am holding you accountable to a very high standard, it is because some of you will go beyond the current leadership role to something even higher.
“I urge you to rededicate yourselves to your positions. We have presented your scorecard before the state House of Assembly, which was a prerequisite to your reappointment. I want you to look at that assessment and ask yourselves if that was indeed your best. Are there ways you can serve the people better? Ask yourselves how you want to be remembered. Revisit the answers quarterly and measure your activities against your goal.
“This is a sure way to self-correct any inadequacy you may notice.”In the next few weeks, we will have the whole cabinet once more. Our goals will remain the same. We will do everything in our power to move Oyo State from poverty to prosperity. So, I congratulate you on your appointment. Let us do it again.”
