Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, and a foremost lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who chaired the Ondo at 50 Public Lecture in Akure, on Monday
A foremost lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has charged Yoruba elders and leaders to shelve their differences, which are normal, and take bold steps now to tackle the development and security issues rocking the region.
The legal giant, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and a former Ondo State Attorney General and Justice commissioner, spoke at the public lecture held at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), Akure, as part of activities marking the Golden Jubilee of the state’s creation.
He chaired the Ondo State at 50 Public Lecture, themed “Ondo yesterday, today and forever”.
Reminding the Yoruba elders that political power, presently held at the centre by one of them, President Bola Tinubu, would not remain in the region forever, he said that now is the time for them to unite and address the region’s problems.
Particularly, he said that President Tinubu, a son of the South-West, would not be at the helm of national affairs forever, noting that another region would most likely assume power by 2031.
He stressed that leaders and elders of Yorubaland must therefore act with urgency, foresight and unity, warning that failure to do so could be costly.
“A stitch in time saves nine,” he said, urging elders to speak out rather than remain docile in the face of pressing regional and national challenges.
He described development, progress and evolution in Yorubaland as a collective responsibility that required courage, strategic thinking and sustained engagement beyond partisan interests.
In his remarks, Olanipekun described former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, as a “living legend,” advising the incumbent Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, to tap from Mimiko’s wealth of experience, particularly as he remains the only surviving civilian governor of the state.
He also lamented that another former governor, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, had not been duly recognised for his landmark contributions to Ondo State’s progress.
Olanipekun recalled that Olumilua consistently referred to Ondo State as “our Canaan,” stressing that it was his vision, courage and determination that laid the foundation for the state’s current status, recognition and wealth as one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states.
Tracing the historical process, Olanipekun explained that the achievement was the product of teamwork and strategic engagement during Olumilua’s administration.
He said the departed governor mandated his deputy, Dr Olusegun Agagu, the then Commissioner for Health, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, and himself, as Attorney-General of the state, to vigorously pursue the recognition.
According to him, when the documents were first presented, Chief Clement Akpamgbo, SAN, a native of Anambra State and then Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, insisted that Imo and Abia states be included to strengthen the agitation before it could receive federal approval.
Fresh documentation was subsequently prepared to include his request and submitted, making the recognition a reality in principle.
However, Olanipekun noted that the process stalled when Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida stepped aside in August 1993, leaving the recognition largely on paper.
He added that the team later went to Abuja, and engaged the Head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, and reached an agreement which culminated in Shonekan’s pronouncement during a visit to Ondo State that the state had officially become one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states.
Earlier in his keynote address, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa described the Golden Jubilee as both a milestone and a mirror for reflection on the past, honest assessment of the present and deliberate planning for the future.
The governor said the public lecture, titled “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” was not merely ceremonial but intellectual and visionary, aimed at shaping a sustainable and inclusive future for generations yet unborn.
He paid tribute to the Chairman of the lecture, Chief Olanipekun, as well as the Keynote Speaker, Mrs Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Energy, and the Distinguished Guest Lecturer, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, describing their participation as timely and deeply relevant to Ondo State’s developmental discourse.
Reflecting on the state’s history since its creation in 1976, Aiyedatiwa said Ondo State was established to bring governance closer to the people, unlock development potential and nurture human capital anchored on strong moral values.
He recalled the state’s agrarian roots in cocoa, oil palm, timber, fishing and trade, as well as the role of communal labour, integrity and respect for authority in sustaining social order.
The governor highlighted notable progress recorded over the years, including the transition from primary production to value addition and industrial processing, citing projects such as the Sunshine Free Trade Zone, Golden Ceramics Industrial Plant, the Ethanol Plant in Ore and the Ondo Deep Sea Port.
He added that tourism was being repositioned as a growth driver through investments in the coastline, eco-tourism assets and cultural heritage, while deliberate investments in education, skills acquisition and youth empowerment remained central to his administration’s agenda.
Aiyedatiwa stressed that development was a collective responsibility, calling on citizens at home and in the diaspora to contribute through entrepreneurship, innovation, community service and civic engagement, noting that diaspora engagement was strategic for accelerated development, knowledge transfer and global competitiveness.
Looking ahead, the governor outlined a vision of an inclusive and ethically grounded Ondo State driven by economic diversification, technology, innovation, human capital development and strong institutions.
He expressed the hope that the public lecture would inspire action, partnerships and accountability, leading to knowledge-based policymaking, strategic investment and ethical leadership that would ensure the next 50 years surpass the last in impact, equity and inclusiveness.
The event attracted top government officials, traditional rulers, academics, professionals and stakeholders from across the state and beyond, standing out as a major intellectual highlight of the Ondo State at 50 celebrations.
