Vision, Sacrifice Drove Ondo’s Emergence as Oil-Producing State — Olanipekun
Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has attributed the state’s emergence as an oil-producing entity to visionary leadership, strategic sacrifice and collective resolve, warning that neglecting the wisdom of elders and lessons of history could stall future development.
Olanipekun spoke on Monday at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome), Akure, during a public lecture titled “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, held as part of activities marking the state’s Golden Jubilee.
Recounting developments of the 1990s, Olanipekun said Ondo’s recognition as an oil-producing state, alongside Abia and Imo, was the outcome of painstaking legal and political processes driven by foresight and collaboration.
He reflected on his tenure under the administration of the late Governor Bamidele Olumilua, noting that the drafting of the enabling decree for oil derivation was achieved through deliberate engagement with stakeholders and sacrifices made in the overall interest of the state.
“Leadership requires humility, the willingness to listen and adherence to truth. Ignoring advice born of experience is dangerous for any society. We are still young, and we want you to lead us on,” Olanipekun said.
He stressed that Ondo State’s progress was not accidental but the product of careful planning and strategic choices across successive military and civilian administrations.
He urged the preservation of legacies left by prominent families and leaders, describing them as critical to maintaining the state’s identity and guiding future generations.
Declaring the lecture open, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa described the Golden Jubilee as a defining moment to chart a bold course for the next fifty years of Ondo State, anchored on industrialisation, innovation and youth-driven growth.
“Fifty years is not just a number,” the governor said. “It is a milestone that challenges us to rise to the responsibility of shaping the next era with wisdom, courage and innovation.”
Governor Aiyedatiwa highlighted the state’s transition from an agrarian economy to an emerging industrial hub, citing projects such as the Sunshine Free Trade Zone, Golden Ceramics Industrial Plant, Ore Ethanol Plant and the proposed Ondo Deep Sea Port. According to him, these initiatives are designed to boost industrial processing, value addition and export-led growth.
He also underscored tourism and culture as engines of economic opportunity, pointing to coastal and eco-tourism initiatives capable of stimulating local economies and entrepreneurship. On infrastructure, the governor said sustained investments in roads, bridges, transport corridors and energy projects — including the Onyearugbulem–Irese Bridge — were enhancing connectivity and trade across the state.
“Our youth are our most strategic resource,” Aiyedatiwa said, noting that scholarships, vocational training, digital literacy programmes and innovation hubs are being deployed to prepare young people for global competitiveness. He added that the Ondo diaspora remains vital to development through skills transfer, networks and capital.
In her keynote address, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Mrs Olu Verheijen, commended the role of ordinary citizens — farmers, teachers, civil servants, artisans and entrepreneurs — in building Ondo State.
She identified gas infrastructure development, revival of the Odigbo power plants and modular LNG projects as key drivers of industrial growth.
Verheijen also referenced major infrastructure investments, including the Lagos–Canaba Coastal Highway, road expansions in Akure, upgrades to teaching hospitals and the Ondo Deep Sea Port, noting that they would create jobs, boost revenue and enhance quality of life.
“Value addition is the foundation for job creation, revenue generation and the dignity of our people,” she said, urging the state to blend its rich heritage with modern innovation.
The guest lecturer and Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, praised the foresight of Ondo’s founding fathers, describing education and creativity as pillars that produced generations of leaders and innovators.
He announced a Golden Jubilee scholarship of ₦500,000 for the best graduating student in every public secondary school in Ondo State this year.
Oyedele highlighted the state’s natural endowments — fertile land, a 180-kilometre coastline, the Idanre Hills and vast bitumen reserves — noting that industrialisation, infrastructure development and cultural tourism are reshaping the economy under the Agenda 2076 development framework.
Calling for unity across political, religious and generational lines, he urged collective action to realise Ondo’s aspirations. “Fifty years on, Ondo State stands as a beacon of opportunity, resilience and innovation, poised to lead Nigeria into the next half-century with pride and purpose,” he said.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the Anniversary Committee, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, described the celebrations as nostalgic and emotional.
He expressed gratitude to past leaders, royal fathers and elder statesmen, revealing that eminent citizens, including octogenarians and nonagenarians, would be honoured during the festivities.
Dignitaries at the event included the First Lady of Ondo State, Mrs Esther Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa; Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami and his wife, Mrs Abosede Adelami; the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji; former Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; former deputy governors; traditional rulers led by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi; senior government officials, lawmakers, security chiefs, party leaders and other eminent personalities.
