Sustaining the Makinde Model for a Greater Nigeria By Hon. Settle Olaide

In my first epistle where I did a comparative analysis of the strength of Gov. Seyi Makinde over the FG and APC , the message was clear: Nigeria needs stewardship, not showmanship. At 65, our nation stands at a crossroads,bleeds heavily,begged for total overhauling and absolute re engineering—between the old rhetoric of promises and the new reality of performance-driven leadership.

However,as an experienced former Local Government Chairman and Student Union Leader, I have seen and feel the pains of our people at the grassroot,I have seen how refined policies and programs built on sincerity of purpose could change the narrative over night,I’ve seen where the shoe pinches, I have seen how bad leadership drained our people endlessly,I’ve watched from afar and from close range, my eyes can see ,my nose can perceive, my hands can touch the realities, I’m not day dreaming, I rather rise to advance the gospel of governance that works for all not for the greater good of few—the Makinde Model—a living example of what can happen when a man of vision, humility, integrity and discipline leads with purpose.

Governor Seyi Makinde’s Omituntun administration has consistently demonstrated that leadership is not about noise and mere propaganda but measurable progress. In the last six years, Oyo State has become a reference point for educational revival, health renewal, youth empowerment, infrastructural expansion, and economic inclusion.

EDUCATION: Restoring Dignity Through Massive Teacher Recruitment

One of the most compelling indicators of Makinde’s people-centered leadership is the massive, merit-based recruitment of teachers across Oyo State—a reform that directly touches the heart of human capital development.

Through TESCOM (Teaching Service Commission), the number of secondary school teachers in Oyo State has risen from 13,730 in 2019 to 26,436 in 2025—a bold and giant stride unmatched in the federation. (I call on APC APOLOGIST to engage us as we embark on issue based campaign not rhetoric as being practiced over the time)

Between 2019 and 2025, the state employed over 10,500 teaching and non-teaching staff, including 7,500 teachers and 3,000 support personnel, addressing years of teacher shortage in public schools.

At the SUBEB (State Universal Basic Education Board) level, another 7000 qualified teachers and 3,500 non-teaching staff were recruited during the Omituntun 2.0 administration—an unprecedented step that earned commendation from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), who described it as “historic and exemplary among all 36 states.” Someone should please name one State that surpasses this empirical facts?

This is not POLITICS , it’s POLICY. It’s how a serious government responds to the crisis of learning poverty. By reducing class congestion, deploying qualified hands, and eliminating illegal levies, Oyo’s schools now breathe the fresh air of inclusion and quality.

HEALTH: Human Capital Starts with Healthy Citizens

Governor Makinde’s health policy has redefined accessibility. Close to 351 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are being upgraded across the state, with 264 completed as of 2025. These facilities are solar-powered, staffed, and stocked with essential drugs—ensuring that rural dwellers no longer travel long distances for basic care.

Beyond the PHCs, the state has recruited more than 1,500 health professionals, including doctors, nurses, and consultants. Modern oxygen plants have been installed at Jericho Specialist Hospital, State Hospital Oyo, and others—strengthening the state’s emergency response capacity.

The Oyo State Free Health Mission (Omituntun Medical Outreach) continues to serve thousands across local governments, offering free surgeries, diagnostics, and treatments. That’s not charity—it’s governance that feels the pulse of its people.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Building the Economy, One Road at a Time

Under Makinde, Oyo State has delivered over 335.77 kilometres of completed roads and 273.31 kilometres currently under construction. From the Moniya–Iseyin to Oyo–Iseyin and Iseyin–Fapote–Ogbomoso corridors, these arteries connect people to opportunities and expand the state’s economic frontier.

Urban renewal projects in Ibadan—Dugbe–Eleyele, UI–Sango, Challenge–Orita, among others—have reshaped the face of the capital city. The Ultra modern bus terminals at Ojoo,Challenge and the ongoing nearly completed Ibadan Central Motor Mark at Iwo road will also enhances public mobility and commerce.

Even more visionary is the remodeling and upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola International Airport, Ibadan, with a new international terminal nearing completion. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu landed there on September 27, 2025, he witnessed firsthand what foresight can build—an infrastructure that promises jobs, tourism, and regional connectivity. An initiative that will eventually open pace setters state to the world.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: Turning Dreams into Skills

Through the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, the Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Programme (YEAP), and public-private training schemes, thousands of young men and women have been trained in digital skills, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship.

Projects like the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub and Eruwa Agribusiness Park are transforming rural youths from job seekers to job creators, ensuring food sustainability and economic diversification.

This is what governance should look like a bridge between the classroom and the marketplace.

CIVIL SERVICE & WELFARE: Restoring Faith in Government

Governor Makinde has built a new social contract with workers and pensioners alike. For six years running, salaries and pensions have been paid promptly—every 25th of the month, known statewide as “GSM Day.”

Pension arrears have been consistently cleared, with the monthly gratuity allocation raised from ₦250 million to ₦500 million and still counting. The civil service has regained morale, and public confidence in government has soared.

These are the unseen pillars that hold a people together, the quiet revolutions that don’t make headlines but define legacy.

SECURITY: Practical, People based solution from the People’s Governor

When the security of lives and property came under threat, Makinde didn’t fold his arms. He helped institutionalize the Western Nigeria Security Network – Amotekun, providing patrol vehicles, communication gadgets, and logistics support that reduced response time to emergencies.

Complemented by community-based security initiatives and anti-grazing laws, the result is a more secure and stable environment proof that local solutions can complement national security.

Makinde’s government is built on transparency and structure. From timely payment of salaries to solar installations powering public utilities, and the digitization of government processes, the system now works with efficiency and accountability.

He has shown that governance is not rocket science; it is about sincerity, structure, and service.

At the national level, Nigeria battles inflation,growing insecurity, unemployment, and social distrust. Yet, one state, Oyo under Seyi Makinde, has offered a working prototype of how leadership can heal and build simultaneously.

Makinde is not an accidental leader; he is a prepared servant leader,I obliged you to go through his administration’s economic philosophy which rests on four pillars namely, *Expanding the Economy* *Education*,*Health* and *Security*. An intentional reformer; an engineer who designs progress, an administrator who executes with precision, and a patriot who leads without noise or mere propaganda.Hurray !What a gentle giant.

If Oyo State could be repositioned this far under his watch, imagine what Nigeria could become under his tutelage.

Nigeria needs a President who builds systems, not empires.
A leader who sees governance as stewardship, not entitlement.
A man who delivers results, not excuses.
That man is Engr. Seyi Omo Olatunbosun Makinde, FNSE.

While we call for Makinde’s elevation, Oyo State must not be allowed to retrogress. The next leadership must consolidate on his achievements,gains and: sustain free education,timely payment of salaries,expand teacher recruitment, deepen healthcare access, modernize infrastructure, and maintain peace and transparency.

Oh Allah, accept our humble plea.No amount of gang up, political alignment or re alignment against Engr Seyi Makinde concerning 2027 in Oyo and beyond shall prevail. let no Pharaoh return to undo what angels have built. May your divine hand continue to guide, protect and uplift his leadership.

This is not a partisan cry, it is a patriotic call.
Nigeria has seen what works in Oyo State. Let us scale it, not ignore it.

Seyi Makinde represents a leadership grammar that spells progress, not propaganda, prosperity not empty promises. He embodies governance that heals, not hurts.

So, as we celebrate Nigeria at 65, let this message echo across every state, every heart, and every hope:

*E je ki Nigeria o SEYI, ki o le SETTLE*

“Left to me I am tired of recurring decimal of failures and padded policies that take us no where”