– Says Mimiko Commissioned Mother and child Hospital, Mega schools within 100 days in office
Former Ondo State Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperative Services, Yetunde Adeyanju, has described the celebration of the state’s 50th anniversary as “nothing to celebrate,” insisting that the milestone should instead serve as a moment of sober reflection for stakeholders.
Ondo State was created on February 3, 1976, marking five decades of existence on Tuesday.
While Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has maintained that the state has recorded significant progress across various sectors over the years, Adeyanju disagreed with that position.
Speaking with journalists in Akure on the sidelines of the Golden Jubilee celebrations, Adeyanju said the anniversary should be an opportunity for stakeholders to critically assess the state’s development and chart a new course.
“Today’s celebration should be a call for sober reflection, a day that stakeholders in Ondo State will come together and think of a developmental blueprint to develop the state,” she said.
According to her, Ondo State has fallen behind its peers in the Southwest geopolitical zone.
“The truth is that Ondo State is behind. The state is the least among all the Southwest states. Our stakeholders, our fathers and mothers, should rise up and do something to move the state forward,” she stated.
While acknowledging some improvement in security, Adeyanju insisted that there was little else to celebrate.
“We thank God that the killings and insecurity have reduced. But for this 50th anniversary, honestly, there is nothing for us to celebrate in Ondo State,” she said.
She compared Ondo unfavourably with neighbouring states, noting that progress in Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Oyo was more visible.
“If you go to Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Oyo states, you will agree with me that there is nothing for us to celebrate in Ondo State,” she added.
Adeyanju called on stakeholders to actively support the executive arm of government in driving development.
“They should rise up to complement the executive so that something meaningful can come up. We need a developmental blueprint to move the state forward,” she said.
She credited Governor Aiyedatiwa for efforts in improving security but criticised what she described as weak performance in infrastructure development.
“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has tried in the area of security, but when it comes to infrastructural development, without missing words, he needs to step up his game,” she said.
The former commissioner further urged the governor to assert greater independence in governance.
“The governor needs to free himself from his handlers and step up his game,” she stated.
Adeyanju expressed disappointment that no major projects were commissioned as part of the anniversary celebrations.
“I was expecting that today we would be talking about commissioning of projects. I expected that the Oyarugbulem project started by his former boss, late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, would be commissioned today,” she said.
She also mentioned other uncompleted projects.
“It has been two years in government. I was expecting that the Oda road and other roads would be commissioned today,” she added.
Drawing from her experience in previous administrations, Adeyanju stressed that milestone celebrations should be accompanied by tangible achievements.
“When you are talking about anniversary celebrations, it should come with project commissioning and showcasing of what government has done. But what people are talking about now are street lights and the like,” she said.
Recalling past achievements, she referenced the state’s 40th anniversary.
“I was part of the Ondo at 40 celebration, and I can remember vividly what we did. Within our first 100 days in office, we commissioned Mother and Child Hospitals, mega schools, and projects across all the 203 wards’ health centres,” she said.
She concluded by calling for collective responsibility in the development of the state.
“Ondo State is our business. It is a PLC that we must develop together. Stakeholders should collaborate with the executive to move the state forward so that we can catch up with other Southwest states,” Adeyanju said.
