Ondo @50: Aiyedatiwa Declares Lecture Open as Development Does Not Happen by Accident
By Olusegun Hosea. 2nd February, 2026.
The Executive Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has declared open the public lecture commemorating the state’s fifty years of existence. The programme, held at the International Culture and Events Centre, The Dome, attracted notable personalities and dignitaries. The lecture, titled “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” was delivered by Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, as the guest lecturer.
The event was opened with a short briefing by the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). He said he was probably eleven or twelve years old when the state was created. He thanked the Governor for giving him the opportunity to head the committee and work independently without any interference. He pledged his commitment to the leadership of the Governor and appreciated all the guests who graced the programme, wishing them safe travels back to their various destinations. The programme was also opened with a performance by the cultural troupe of Ondo State to entertain the guests. This performance served as a literary and comic humour for the good people of the state.
The Governor laid the foundation for the programme. He thanked God for His mercy that has been keeping everyone alive. He appreciated the people for their presence and the sacrifices made to attend the programme. He said that the announcement made by General Murtala Muhammad on 3rd February 1976 was the reason for the celebration. He noted the contributions of past leaders to the development of the state and what is currently unfolding. He also appreciated his wife, Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, his Deputy Governor, and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Olayide Adelami, for their support in uplifting the state to its present position.
In his remarks, the Governor said he was delighted to celebrate the programme because it was very dear to him. He reflected on his experience in 1976 when he was still in the village at the time the state was created. He said he witnessed the past when the state was created and that today he is here as the Governor of the state, though the future remains uncertain. He stated that the gathering was more than ceremonial but an intellectual one, as it provided an opportunity to reflect on the past and plan ahead for the betterment of the state’s economic growth. He thanked the guest lecturers and the keynote speaker, Olusegun Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, noting that their experiences would benefit the economic growth of the state.
Reflecting on the achievements made by the state, he said development does not happen by accident, as it requires sacrifices and commitment to bring the state to its present level.
Present at the event were former and the only living past Governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and the elder statesman, Pa Seinde Arogbofa, a recognised vocal personality in the creation of the state in 1976, alongside other top government functionaries who graced the occasion.
