Seyi Makinde’s Quotes

Leadership is not only seen in actions, but also in the clarity of thought behind them.

These statements capture key thoughts, positions, and perspectives expressed by Seyi Makinde across different areas of leadership and governance.

They reflect the perspectives and guiding principles of Seyi Makinde on governance, development, and the future.

Each statement offers insight into the values and priorities that inform decisions and drive progress.

“Being a leader should not be seen as a leeway to dominate and dictate but as a privilege and opportunity to serve and leave a lasting legacy of positive change and continued growth.” — Seyi Makinde

“True leadership is not about wielding power but about empowering others, dismantling barriers, and ensuring that every voice is heard at the table.” — Seyi Makinde

“Because in the end, leadership is not measured by how long you stay in office. It is measured by how long what you built continues to work, after you are gone.” — Seyi Makinde

“Leadership becomes memorable when power is used to uplift others and create lasting value for the people.” — Seyi Makinde

“Leadership is a trust, and that trust must be earned through transparency and measurable results.” — Seyi Makinde

“The real strength of leadership lies not in wielding power, but in applying wisdom, restraint, and empathy” — Seyi Makinde

“Leaders must always maintain channels for clear and transparent communication between the government and the citizens” — Seyi Makinde

“Leadership is a continuous process based on interaction between leaders and followers” — Seyi Makinde

“True leadership is often about knowing when to speak and when to remain silent.” — Seyi Makinde

“One of the most important qualities of good leaders is that they are loyal followers. So, if you aspire to be a leader, you must learn how to be a follower.” — Seyi Makinde

“If you want to be a great leader, find a leader you believe in and follow them loyally.” — Seyi Makinde

“When the best leader’s work is done, the people say, “we did it ourselves” — Seyi Makinde

“Leadership is not measured by how long you stay in office. It is measured by how long what you built continues to work” — Seyi Makinde

“When you are a person of value, even your enemy cannot devalue you” — Seyi Makinde

“I am here as your governor to serve you. I will work tirelessly and take responsibility for the workings of every sector” — Seyi Makinde

“Let us cooperate and coordinate ourselves to deliver good governance to our people. Together, we can build a legacy of good governance that stands the test of time” — Seyi Makinde

“As I said in my welcome remarks, democracy is not defined by the success of one party. It is defined by the existence of real alternatives, by the ability of citizens to choose, and by the confidence that those choices matter” — Seyi Makinde

“I will keep the business of governance very simple; without any complication. We will communicate and communicate with the people” — Seyi Makinde

“We are open for business and we want to give confidence to the international community that we are going to be transparent.” — Seyi Makinde

This is because we believe this is one of the best ways to build stronger states and nations. We have walked, crawled, ran, stumbled and risen again. We have experienced moments of pride and moments of reflection. “But, above all, we have demonstrated unwavering resilience — Seyi Makinde

“We have not scored 100 per cent concerning waste management…The people need to change their attitude and when we meet in the middle, our problems will be less.” — Seyi Makinde

“I want to be remembered for the institutions that will endure beyond my tenure, ensuring that governance continues to serve the people effectively.” “A legacy is not what you start, it is what you finish — and finish well” — Seyi Makinde
 
“A complete restructure of Nigeria is needed.” “In a restructured Nigeria, there would be less focus on who becomes president especially with reference to the person’s ethnicity” — Seyi Makinde
 
“We’ve transformed agriculture through institutional reforms. ” — Seyi Makinde
 
“Leadership is not about doing it all, it’s about bringing people together who can execute the vision.” — Seyi Makinde
 
“Leadership is a trust, and that trust must be earned through transparency and measurable results” — Seyi Makinde
 

“We need restructuring in order to address the challenges that hold us back and which restructuring alone can help us address”
— Seyi Makinde

 

“A complete restructure of Nigeria is needed.”
“In a restructured Nigeria, there would be less focus on who becomes president especially with reference to the person’s ethnicity”
— Seyi Makinde

 

“Adequate security of lives and properties as well as restructuring, is what matters most to Nigerians and not who occupies the seat of the president.”
— Seyi Makinde

 

“A restructured and decentralised country will not be a fix-all (solution) but it will, at least, put us on that trajectory where we can start dealing with other issues at the local level structuring of our minds, starting from the leaders to the followers in this country”.”
— Seyi Makinde

 

“We must repair our economy to free people from poverty… shift its focus to export orientation instead of import substitution.” — Seyi Makinde

“Our focal point is how to strengthen the economy of the state so that all and sundry will prosper.” — Seyi Makinde

“Prosperity will not come except we raise entrepreneurs, reduce illiteracy, and become productive.” — Seyi Makinde

“Gone are the days when roads are built for show off and political cheap points. All our infrastructural development will be targeted at economic revitalisation.” — Seyi Makinde

“Because when we build roads and supporting infrastructure, we are not just connecting places — we are connecting people to possibilities” — Seyi Makinde

“I don’t want to be remembered for constructing roads, but for building enduring institutions.” — Seyi Makinde

“As we say in Oyo State, where roads go development follows.”We will move from ‘sick care’ to the wellness of our people- through acute forces on education, health and economic posterity” — Seyi Makinde

“Oyo is not just farming; we are building a complete agribusiness ecosystem that guarantees wealth creation, food security, and inclusive economic development.” — Seyi Makinde

“We are building a future where agriculture feeds not just homes, but industries. Where it does not just sustain families, but entire economies.” — Seyi Makinde

“Agribusiness represents our commitment to transforming agriculture from a subsistence activity into a modern engine of inclusive economic growth.” — Seyi Makinde

“We are leveraging on agribusiness to revamp the economy of the state… [our strategy] is to work with private organisations and development agencies (PPDP) to get funding.” — Seyi Makinde

“It was a no-brainer that we had to leverage on agriculture. But we were not content with practising agriculture like it was done in the past.” — Seyi Makinde

“We’ve transformed agriculture through institutional reforms” — Seyi Makinde

“We are focused on creating a green economy that respects our environment, promotes renewable energy, and encourages businesses to adopt sustainable practices.” — Seyi Makinde

“Oyo State has attracted private investments of over N27 billion in agribusiness alone over the past eight years” — Seyi Makinde

“The goal is clear: to build a tourism economy that funds itself and funds our future. The future of heritage is not nostalgia. It is strategy. And in Oyo State — it is investable.” — Seyi Makinde

“Tourism remains a cornerstone of our economic strategy.” — Seyi Makinde

“Tourism grows where there is structure, hospitality, clarity of purpose and continuity.” — Seyi Makinde

“We’ll partner investors to unlock tourism potential.” — Seyi Makinde

“Our primary goal is to use the industry as a springboard for the generation of well-paying jobs for our teeming unemployed youth population; creation of wealth and empowerment of our rural communities.” — Seyi Makinde

“One of the factors holding back exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in various states, including Oyo State, is the ownership of resources… It is time to again push for resource control for all states.” — Seyi Makinde

“Though mining activity is on the exclusive legislative list, the state government chose to be proactive in ensuring adequate protection of the mining communities against insecurity and exploitation, as well as on the attendant environmental issues — OCTOBER 2023.” — Seyi Makinde

“We have observed illegal mining operations and the resultant environmental degradation… We will not allow these operations to persist.” — Seyi Makinde

“I will not go out to ban mining activities because there are people who are legally mining in the state… We will not have a knee-jerk reaction to the issue.” — Seyi Makinde

“Education is our priority and the greatest asset we will leave behind for our people.” — Seyi Makinde

“No nation or state will witness any meaningful development without heavy investment in education.” — Seyi Makinde

“I will not rest until good jobs, thriving businesses, and quality education are the standard in Oyo State.” — Seyi Makinde

“Having been a product of the free education system of the Bola Ige administration in the 1980s, I take it as a duty to ensure that no child is left educationally disadvantaged in Oyo State.” — Seyi Makinde

“Education is more than just learning how to read and write, as he sees education as what helps us grow personally, professionally, and socially.” — Seyi Makinde

“When teachers are well trained, well supported, and well-motivated, society as a whole prospers.” — Seyi Makinde

“Education projects are seeds for future generations.” — Seyi Makinde

“Our goal remains simple: to move from healthcare as a privilege to healthcare as a right.” — Seyi Makinde

“A person’s overall quality of life is directly linked to their health. The health of Oyo State people also plays a role in our state’s economic viability as it affects workers’ productivity and educational outcomes for students.” — Seyi Makinde

“No society can make progress without adequate provision of healthcare facilities for the citizenry.” — Seyi Makinde

“Let me make it clear that it is the goal of this administration to leave a befitting legacy in the area of healthcare. I recall the days when Ibadan and indeed Oyo State was the Mecca of sorts for health care services. We intend to bring back those days.” — Seyi Makinde

“No State can keep its patients safe unless it keeps its health workers safe. Now more than ever, we have a duty to give health workers the safe working conditions, the trainings, the pay and the respect they deserve.” — Seyi Makinde

“No society can make progress without adequate provision of healthcare facilities for the citizenry.” — Seyi Makinde

“It has been proven that renewable energy is absolutely essential to real GDP growth. This is the future if we are to drive the economic growth in Oyo State.” — Seyi Makinde

“Our aspiration is that in the comity of states in Nigeria, Oyo State will be the first to attain energy sufficiency because your Governor is into electrical engineering.” — Seyi Makinde

“For us, energy sufficiency is a big part of this administration. When I came in, there was no energy ministry but we now have one.” — Seyi Makinde

“This law [Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Bill] will enable Oyo State generate, transmit and distribute electricity within the State… In years to come as we work towards energy sufficiency, our people can hold State Governments accountable on the issue of electricity supply.” — Seyi Makinde

“We are seeking more investors in the energy sector to meet the energy deficit in the State, there is a ready market for them.” — Seyi Makinde

“Meaningful development can’t take place without adequate security. Security remains pivotal for a thriving and robust economy.” — Seyi Makinde

“Security remains pivotal for a thriving and robust economy.” — Seyi Makinde

“Economic prosperity would mean nothing in an insecure environment.” — Seyi Makinde

“We won’t leave any stone unturned until we keep every inch of space and land in this state safe and secure.” — Seyi Makinde

“I will not sleep until every inch of this state is safe.” — Seyi Makinde

“Nigerians don’t want a one-Party State and are ready to vote out leaders that are not delivering on their promises” — Seyi Makinde
 
“All the leaders in Nigeria know what to do to help the masses out of hardship.” — Seyi Makinde
 
“My priority is to protect democracy, prevent Nigeria from becoming a one-party state.” — Seyi Makinde

“That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy.” — Seyi Makinde

“It is a movement to think clearly, to speak honestly, and to act with a sense of responsibility that goes beyond party lines.” — Seyi Makinde

“Even when we have to disagree with each other, let us do so at the party in government and not to go back to the opposition again.” — Seyi Makinde

“You can’t abandon your house because of a leaking roof.” — Seyi Makinde

“Religious tolerance is not merely a lofty idea; it is crucial for constructing a just and peaceful State like Oyo State” — Seyi Makinde
 
“In my administration, whatever is due to Muslims, Christians and traditional worshipers will be given to them equally without any bias” — Seyi Makinde
 
“I want to say it again that I love both the Muslims and the Christians as well as the traditionalists. “We must not discriminate” — Seyi Makinde
 
“Empowering our youths is very important to me. When they are recognized and empowered today, they become successful leaders of tomorrow.” — Seyi Makinde
 
“As we commence this partnership, our desire is to rapidly see to the reduction of unemployment among our youths and women both within the formal and informal sectors of our State.” — Seyi Makinde
 
“As we mark this Golden Jubilee, we commit ourselves to a future built on strong institutions, sustainable growth, empowered young people, inclusive development, and lasting stability” — Seyi Makinde
 
“I reiterated that our administration remains committed to ensuring women’s inclusion at all levels of government — not as a token gesture but in recognition of their proven capacity to drive our state’s development.” — Seyi Makinde
 
“I give the assurance that we do have the political will to support the prevention of gender-based violence” — Seyi Makinde
 
“You don’t build a sport, you build the youth and the youth then build the sport.” — Seyi Makinde

“Nigerian youths are the building blocks that must be nurtured through sports to acquire the requisite resilience to endure the pressure and strain of a competitive world.” — Seyi Makinde

“Sports can go a long way to reduce unemployment and crime.” — Seyi Makinde

“We are fully committed to leveraging sports as a tool for job creation and wealth generation.” — Seyi Makinde

“The benefits of sports as a recreational activity, career path and business cannot be overemphasised.” — Seyi Makinde

“We are using sports development to engage youths in Oyo.” — Seyi Makinde

“Anytime you have tournaments, you are bringing people to our state… that will really help the economy of our state.” — Seyi Makinde

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