| THE BUSINESS of GOVERNANCE | | Newsletter No 113 | May 2025 | | Between the meetings, milestones, roadblocks, and victories of the last 6 years, I have always found moments for introspection. Some questions always echo louder than the rest: What have we done? What more can we do?
For this administration, two years into a renewed mandate, that question is not a rhetorical one. It is the compass guiding our every decision and every stride forward. Today, we do more than look back. We measure progress in the infrastructural foundation being laid and the minds we continue to inspire.
Two projects, born out of a vision to reposition Oyo State as the heartbeat of South-West Nigeria, are in focus: | | First, the 110 km Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road. A long-dreamt infrastructure that will decongest the city, open up new economic corridors, and make Ibadan not just Nigeria’s largest city by landmass, but one of its most accessible.
Next, the Samuel Ladoke Akintola International Airport upgrade. Not a promise, but a plan in motion. When complete, Oyo State will not just be connected to Nigeria, but to the world. Welcoming trade, tourism, and opportunity from every direction.
These projects are declarations that Oyo State is ready for business and economic development.
We have further shown this in our approach towards the development of other key sectors. We chose a different path for agriculture. Not by asking what the government can grow or what companies government can set up, but by building the structures that enable farmers, agribusinesses, and development partners to thrive. This approach is more sustainable. It is more strategic. It ensures that even when the baton passes, and another government comes into power, the race continues.
What we are building is not dependent on any one administration. It is a system that can stand the test of time. | | In about a month, our administration will sign a transformative agreement handing over the management of Agodi Gardens to a private investor. This move signals more than just a shift in operations. It is a statement of intent. Oyo State is opening its doors to innovation, creativity, and investment in our rich cultural assets.
And what better moment to announce that on 24 July 2025, we will be hosting the second International Tourism Summit tagged #ITSOyoState2025 with the theme: "Sanctuary of Yoruba Heritage: A Celebration of Roots and Legacy".
This summit will not just be a cultural event. It will be an economic turning point. At its core is the Investors Forum, where we will be presenting five major tourism sites for private sector expression of interest and competitive bidding.
This is our future, built on preserved heritage and powered by strategic partnerships. | | Indeed, as Nigeria marks another year of democratic progress, Oyo State pauses not just to celebrate... but to reflect.
Are we where we ought to be? Are we building a Nigeria where the next generation can dream without limits?
These are not easy questions. But if we are honest and courageous in how we answer them, then maybe, just maybe, we can write a different story for this nation.
A story where leadership is not about power, but purpose. Where decisions are not for today’s applause, but for tomorrow’s prosperity. Where the best legacies are not plaques, but people whose lives were transformed and institutions built.
Oyo State’s story is still being written, and you are a part of it. As we prepare for #ITSOyoState2025 and complete the projects that define our future, we invite you to stand with us, partner with us, and invest in what matters most.
The time for legacy is not later. It is now.
Talk to you again soon. |
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