- swears in new Commissioner, Special Advisers; inaugurates boards, Tutors-General
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Thursday swore in a commissioner, special advisers and Tutors-General, and inaugurated chairmen and members of commissions and boards, charging them to justify the confidence reposed in them through measurable performance.
The ceremony, held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome), Igbatoro Road, Akure, also saw the governor cautioning the appointees against rivalry, bureaucratic obstruction, mediocrity and misuse of public trust.
Those sworn in included Erelu Taibat Yemi Oloruntoba as Commissioner for Special Duties; Rt. Hon. Abimbola Fajolu as Special Adviser on Environment; Chief Ade Adeniyi as Special Adviser on Rural and Community Development; Mr Muyiwa Ogunyemi as Special Adviser on Transport; Mr Femi Fadairo as Special Adviser on Special Duties and Strategy; and Rt. Hon. Iroju Ogundeji as Special Adviser on Legislative Matters.
The newly appointed Tutors-General are Mr Iwagun Austin Olusola for Ondo South Senatorial District, Dr Jogbodo Bosede for Ondo Central and Mr Fasawe Toluwalase Abayomi for Ondo North.
The governor also inaugurated Dr. Man Ali as Chairman of the Ondo State Civil Service Commission, with Mr Michael Oshodi as member; Mr Oladimeji Abimbola as Chairman of the Ondo State Sports Council, alongside members; Mrs Olufunmilayo Ademulegun-Brown as Chairman of the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board, alongside members; and Pastor Segun Ayerin as Chairman of the Ondo State Local Government Service Commission, alongside members.
Others inaugurated were Alhaji Adam Chandy as Chairman of the Ondo State Muslim Welfare Board, alongside members; Pastor Peter Abimbola as Chairman of the Christian Welfare Board, alongside members; Mr Oluyemi Fasipe as Chairman of the Ondo State Competition and Consumer Protection Agency; and Mr Omolade Fabiyi as Chairman of the Ondo State Cocoa Revolution and Management Board, alongside members.
Governor Aiyedatiwa said the exercise was not merely another constitutional ritual but an opportunity to renew the covenant of service, reaffirm commitment to good governance and strengthen the institutional architecture through which government fulfils its obligations to the people.
He congratulated the appointees, saying they had been selected from among several qualified sons and daughters of the state based on their competence, experience, character and capacity to contribute to its advancement.
The governor, however, reminded them that public office is a trust and not a reward, while appointment is not a trophy for personal gratification but a mandate for service and a responsibility to produce results.
He said the appointees were assuming office at a time when citizens’ expectations of government had become higher and more complex, stressing that the people expected tangible results rather than rhetoric.
Governor Aiyedatiwa charged the commissioner, special advisers and Tutors-General to demonstrate competence, loyalty, discretion, intellectual courage and measurable performance.
He urged chairmen and members of commissions and boards to uphold merit, fairness, transparency, professionalism and due process in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The governor warned against personal preference and sectional interests in decisions affecting appointments, careers, regulation, resources and public services.
He charged the appointees to work together as “One Administration and one team”, warning against needless rivalry, bureaucratic obstruction, mediocrity and misuse of public trust.
He also urged them to familiarise themselves immediately with the “OUR EASE” development agenda and remain financially prudent, stressing that the ultimate beneficiary of every policy, budgetary allocation and government decision must be the people of Ondo State.
He announced that following a mid-year assessment of the 2026 Appropriation Law, the state’s budgetary framework had been raised from N524.411 billion to N769.384 billion, with additional resources targeted at roads, water, healthcare and other critical infrastructure.
According to him, at least five kilometres of roads would be constructed in each of the 18 local government areas, representing a minimum of 90 kilometres across the state.
He added that additional provision had been made for the Adegbola–St Mathias Flyover along Oba Adesida Road, Alagbaka, Akure.
As the next electoral season approaches, Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed his commitment to the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the success of all APC candidates, recalling his earlier Executive Order declaring Ondo State for Tinubu in 2027.
He urged the appointees to serve with humility, excellence and integrity and leave every institution better than they met it.
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, reflected on the bedrock of leadership, emphasising that holding public office comes with the duty to uphold fundamental rights and practise responsible governance.
He stressed the critical roles of the appointees in sustaining momentum in infrastructure, education, health and agriculture, noting that every effort must align with the broader vision of building an economically self-sufficient and prosperous state.
Fasoranti praised the governor’s visionary leadership for laying a firm foundation for future development and urged the appointees to work as a unified team, grounding their service in unwavering loyalty, transparency and dedication to the people.
While wishing them success in their appointments, he encouraged them to leave a lasting legacy for the state.
Responding on behalf of the appointees, the new Commissioner for Special Duties, Erelu Taibat Yemi Oloruntoba, thanked Governor Aiyedatiwa for the confidence reposed in them to serve the state.
She assured the governor that they would justify the trust by bringing their experience, commitment and expertise to bear on their responsibilities.
Present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Ololade Gbegudu; State Chairman of the APC, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Chief Segun Odusanya; members of the State Executive Council; political appointees; traditional rulers; religious leaders and others.
