By Com. Allen Sowore, Esq.
More than ever before, it is now crystal clear that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa does not only possess the political will to fix Ondo State; he also has the strategies, vision and game plan to move the State forward.
Across the three senatorial districts, construction of critical infrastructure are at various completion stages—from rural and township roads to dual carriageways and major arteries linking towns and cities.
Beyond the road projects, modern structures are springing up in Alagbaka and other parts of Akure, the State capital. At the same time, the installation of pipelines and other heavy equipment for the revitalisation of the Owena Multipurpose Dam and Water Treatment infrastructure, which had remained moribund for decades, is ongoing.
All these projects have not prevented the government from continuously recruiting and injecting qualified and competent young people into various sectors, including education, health, justice, security and the mainstream civil service.
Mr. Governor has also strengthened the State’s policy trust. His assent to the Ondo State Electric Power Sector (Amendment) Law, 2026, does more than align the State’s legal framework with the National Electricity Act, 2023. It establishes the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) as an independent regulator with oversight of tariffs, open access, franchises, mini-grids, renewable energy, and the licensing of generation, transmission and distribution facilities.
More importantly, the Ondo State Power Company is now empowered to invest in power generation, distribution, renewable energy and small hydro projects, while provisions for exclusivity rights and State Protected Investments provide private investors with the certainty and confidence needed to commit capital.
Because education is the movement from darkness to light, the Governor has also continued to demonstrate his commitment to strengthening the sector. Most recently, he approved an immediate 60 percent increase in the monthly subventions to all state-owned institutions of higher learning.
August 24, 2026, marked another remarkable milestone in the development trajectory of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration, as he officially flagged off the construction of the 2.38-kilometre Adegbola Junction–St. Mathias/NNPC Filling Station flyover in Akure.
The Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Olawoye Ayorinde, explained that the flyover would provide a permanent solution to the incessant traffic gridlock that has defied previous interventions.
In his remarks, the Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, expressed gratitude to the Governor. He noted that only a Governor who truly loves his people would understand and respond to their yearnings.
Some people have expressed divergent opinions about the project. This is natural and acceptable. At the conception of every major project, there will always be divergent views.
Similar arguments were made during the conception and construction of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. Even the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has attracted criticism from some senior citizens who have described it as a waste of resources or a misplaced priority.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, for his part, maintained that the flyover does not fall into the category of bridges that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu referred to as needless. The Akure flyover, he declared, is necessary.
Fortunately, the increase in the State’s resources is being matched by prudent financial management, making it possible to fund enduring and legacy projects such as this without posing a threat to the State’s financial stability.
After the brief flag-off ceremony, I ruminated over the government’s decision to execute the project, juxtaposing it with the divergent views expressed by critics. I came to the conclusion that Governor Aiyedatiwa and his team may have gotten the priority right.
Akure, the capital city, like the heartbeat, must breathe development through its arteries—connecting the ongoing road projects across the senatorial districts to major cities and towns such as Akungba, Ikare, Okitipupa, Igbokoda, Oke-Aro and Idanre.
This is leadership that builds confidence, creates opportunities and lays the foundation for a more prosperous Ondo State.
To the critics, rather than repeatedly asking what is wrong with every initiative, perhaps it is time to ask a more constructive question:
Would you rather join Governor Aiyedatiwa to fix it?
Allen Sowore, Esq.
Special Adviser to the Governor
(Communication & Strategy)
25th August, 2026
