By Henry Akubuiro
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, epitomises a thickly braided cord that doesn’t slack. Such is the strength of his convictions to raise the bar of governance that he has created policies that have become an elixir to the people of Ogun State, making it one of Nigeria’s strongest economies in terms of revenue generation and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In almost five years as the Ogun State governor, Abiodun has donned the regalia of a high achiever with tangible infrastructural projects, unassailable human capital development, agricultural breakthroughs as well as youth and women empowerment.
Abiodun’s trump card is the successful implementation of his “Building Our Future Together Agenda,” anchored on Five Development Pillars – ISEYA (Infrastructure, Social wellbeing and Welfare, Education, Youth empowerment and job creation and Agriculture).
His administration is turning cities like Abeokuta, Ota, Ijebu-Ode, and Sagamu, to industrial hubs, with an industrialisation programme modelled after the Asian Tigers.
This has boosted economic development and attracted steady domestic and foreign investments to the state.
In place of desolate, barren forest, the Abiodun government has created an enviable aerotropolis, spanning 50 million square metres, a monumental achievement that has seen assets spring out of the blues.
Through strategic partnerships to further unlock the state’s potentials in different sectors, he has created the Tongeji Island Project, a $3 billion crude oil refinery, in collaboration with Gasoline Integrated International, with the potential to create over 10,000 direct jobs, as well as contribute to the state’s rising IGR.
He has envisioned the Kajola Dry Port, to be situated at the Kajola Free Trade Zone, meant to streamline cargo shipping, creating job opportunities and fostering trade.
Beyond the expectations of many, he has built a long-lasting infrastructure that will last for decades.
The idea behind the Light Up Ogun Project is the hallmark of his visionary leadership. No part of Ogun State has been left out of the Abiodun Midas touch – from the scenic Abeokuta-Sagamu interchange road to the arresting Epe-Ijebu Ode expressway. In education, he had solidified Ogun State as a force to reckon with and, in healthcare, he has given succour to ailing hospitals and humans.
Abiodun’s political career took a flying start in 1998 when he contested and won the Ogun East Senatorial seat on the platform of the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party.
More than two decades after that major feat, his visionary leadership earned him the Forbes Best of Africa’s Governor in Industrial Revolution. The Sun Board of Editors has added to the accolades by awarding him The Sun Governor of the Year.