Wole Olanipekun, SAN, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has called on the people in the South-West to be prepared for the post-2031 period after the completion of the second tenure of President Bola Tinubu in office, saying the South-West must be united.
Olanipekun disclosed this on Monday in Akure, during the Ondo at 50 public lecture, titled “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, held at the International Cultural and Events Centre (The Dome), Akure.
Olanipekun, who chaired the public lecture, while speaking with journalists said; “I’m not just asking us to prepare for post-2031, because President Bola Tinubu will not be there forever, he will be there till 2031, so we should be prepared for post-2031, hold ourselves together, be united, there should be cohesion, there should be unity, there should be love, there should be respect, there should be thoughtfulness, otherwise, that’s the way I see it.”
Taiwo Oyedele, the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, the Guest Lecturer of the public lecture, said, “We must govern not just for today, but for generations yet unborn, ensuring stable electricity, reducing poverty, and creating lasting wealth and prosperity.
“This future vision is not a government project alone; it is a collective responsibility. The government must provide the platform, the private sector must drive the growth, our traditional institutions must enforce social cohesion, and every citizen must work hand-in-hand, committed to diligence and unity, to build the prosperous and exemplary Ondo State of our dreams.
Oyedele, the son of the soil from Ikaram-Akoko, in Akoko North West Local Government Area the state, therefore, said in order to ensure inclusive development, Ondo State should facilitate the creation of an economic development plan by each Local Government Council and establish a dedicated micro portal on the state’s website for all LGs to report their long term economic plans, annual budgets, and audited financial statements for proper financial accountability.
“As a gesture of my gratitude, and hopefully to inspire others, I am announcing a scholarship of up to N500,000 to cover the final examinations of the best final year student in every public secondary school graduating this Golden Jubilee year across the state.
“Our commitment to education has been a sacred covenant, moving beyond mere access to unwavering focus on quality delivery and global competitiveness,” he said.
Olu Arowolo Verheijen, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, the Keynote Speaker of the public lecture, said, “our cocoa, timber, palm oil, bitumen, and hydrocarbons must not continue to leave Ondo State in raw form. Value addition-chocolate, furniture, processed palm oil, petroleum products, and petrochemicals, is how we create jobs, generate revenue, and secure dignity.
“As Special Adviser to the President on Energy, I am helping to drive the reforms that are restoring Nigeria’s competitiveness, reforms designed to attract investment not for its own sake, but to create jobs, deepen industrial activity, raise incomes, and improve the everyday lives of Nigerians.
“Ondo State, with gas infrastructure running through it, the revival of the Odigbo power plant, and modular LNG projects underway, is uniquely positioned to become an energy and industrial hub. There is simply no reason Ondo State should know darkness.”
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in his keynote address, said that Ondo State at 50 stands as a testament to vision, resilience and shared sacrifice.
According to Aiyedatiwa, “Yesterday offers lessons. Today demands diligence. Tomorrow calls for courage and imagination. As we reflect, learn and plan, we hope that this lecture will ignite knowledge-based policymaking, strategic investment and ethical leadership, so that the next 50 years will surpass the last in impact, equity and inclusiveness.
“Fifty years on, Ondo State stands transformed, not without challenges, but with remarkable progress and renewed confidence. Our economy is steadily transitioning from primary production to value addition and industrial processing. Flagship initiatives such as the Sunshine Free Trade Zone, the Golden Ceramics Industrial Plant, and the Ethanol Plant in Ore, the Ondo Deep Sea Port and others underscore our commitment to job creation, investor confidence and industrial diversification.
“Tourism is also being deliberately repositioned as a growth driver through the development of our coastline, eco-tourism assets and rich cultural heritage, creating new opportunities for local enterprise and community participation.
“We continue to invest deliberately in education, skills acquisition and youth empowerment, fully recognising that human capital remains our most strategic asset. Scholarships, vocational training programmes, digital literacy initiatives and innovation hubs are being deployed to prepare our young people for an increasingly competitive global economy.
“In the area of infrastructure and connectivity, strategic investments in roads, bridges, transport corridors, energy and water infrastructure, including the Onyearugbulem–Irese Bridge, are enhancing mobility, trade and social integration across both urban and rural communities.
“The story of Ondo State would be incomplete without its people, both at home and in the diaspora. Development is not the exclusive responsibility of government; it is collective and collaborative.
“Our citizens must continue to contribute through entrepreneurship, innovation, community service and civic engagement, while our Diaspora should bring invaluable skills, capital, networks and global perspectives.
“Engaging the Ondo diaspora is, therefore, not optional; it is strategic and imperative for accelerated development, knowledge transfer and global competitiveness.
“As we look ahead to the next fifty years, our vision is bold, inclusive and ethically anchored. We envision an Ondo State where economic prosperity is broad-based and sustainable; where education produces innovators, ethical leaders and problem-solvers; where infrastructure supports growth, inclusion and environmental stewardship; where governance remains responsive, transparent and accountable; and where social cohesion is strengthened by shared values and civic pride.”
