By Asiwaju YSO Oladunni
By all standards, some might say Seyi Makinde must be crazy.
Crazy for refusing to follow the old playbook.
Crazy for investing heavily in infrastructure when others would play politics. Crazy for thinking Oyo State can compete on a global stage. But if this is madness, then perhaps Oyo State needs more of it.
Is This the ‘Destruction’ People Talk About? Look Closer
They say Makinde is leading Oyo to destruction. But what kind of destruction builds roads?, expands airports?, boosts agriculture?, and pays salaries consistently? What kind of “failure” restores public confidence in governance and makes citizens begin to believe again?
Under Makinde, Oyo State has witnessed:
Massive road construction and urban renewal projects improving connectivity across Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oyo, and Oke-Ogun corridors. Modern bus terminals and a more organized transport system easing movement for workers, traders, and students. Transformation of the Ibadan Airport into a more viable and internationally compliant facility. Strategic investments in agribusiness and industrial zones aimed at long-term economic prosperity.
Notably, the ongoing Ibadan Circular Road project stands out as a generational infrastructure initiative designed to decongest the city, open up new economic corridors, and position Ibadan as a modern urban hub. When completed, it is expected to redefine mobility, attract investments, and reshape the economic landscape of Oyo State for decades to come.
If this is “destruction,” then it is one that is laying the foundation for generational growth. And perhaps, what is being destroyed is not the state, but the old culture of stagnation.
A Leadership Style That Breaks the Mold
Governance in Nigeria has often been associated with noise, grandstanding, media drama, and endless promises. Makinde chose a different route. Measured. Calculated. Result-driven. No unnecessary noise. No political theatrics.
Just steady, visible progress.
Workers receive salaries consistently, restoring dignity to public service, Internally generated revenue improves without placing unbearable burdens on the people, Primary healthcare centres are being upgraded, bringing care closer to the grassroots, The education sector continues to benefit from sustained policies that keep children in school. This is not governance built on propaganda. This is governance built on structure.
From Vision to Execution: Rebuilding Trust in Government
One of the most overlooked achievements of the Makinde administration is not just physical infrastructure, it is psychological infrastructure. Before now, many citizens had lost faith in government promises. Projects were announced but never completed. Budgets were passed but rarely felt. Policies were introduced but quickly abandoned. Makinde’s approach is gradually reversing that narrative. Today, when a project is announced, citizens watch with expectation, not doubt.
That shift is not ordinary.
It is the foundation of sustainable governance. The Bigger Picture: Engineering an Economic Future, Beyond roads and buildings lies a deeper strategy., Makinde is not merely governing, he is positioning Oyo State.
Positioning it as:
A logistics hub, leveraging its geographical advantage in the South-West
A trade and investment destination, attracting private sector confidence
An agro-industrial powerhouse, tapping into the state’s vast agricultural potential
A gateway economy, ready to benefit from regional and continental trade opportunities.
This is long-term thinking, rare in a system often driven by short-term gains.
Why the Criticism Will Never Stop
Transformation is never convenient.
Every serious reform comes with resistance. Because progress disrupts comfort zones.
It challenges entrenched interests.
It exposes inefficiencies that once thrived in silence.
So yes, there will always be voices shouting:
“Nothing is happening.”
“The state is failing.”
“This is not enough.”
But reality speaks differently.
The roads are there.
The systems are improving.
The direction is clear.
The Question That Truly Matters: What’s Next for Oyo State?
As the administration of Seyi Makinde advances, a more critical conversation is emerging, not about what has been done, but about what comes next. Because development is fragile without continuity. History has shown that progress can be reversed overnight if leadership changes direction.
Oyo State now faces a defining moment:
Return to a cycle of inconsistency and abandoned visions or Consolidate on existing gains with leadership that understands the blueprint already in motion. This is where leadership succession becomes more than politics, it becomes strategy.
The next phase of Oyo’s growth will require someone who does not need to start from scratch, but someone who understands the philosophy, the structure, and the long-term vision already laid.
Continuity: The Bridge Between Progress and Greatness
Great societies are not built by one administration alone. They are built through continuity of vision. What Makinde has done is to lay the foundation. What comes next must be to build on it, not abandon it. The conversation, therefore, is no longer just about performance.
It is about preservation.
It is about consolidation.
It is about taking Oyo State from growth to greatness.
Maybe This Is the Kind of ‘Madness’ We Need
If being “crazy” means:
Choosing development over populism
Prioritizing structure over sentiment
Building systems that outlive political tenures
Thinking beyond today and investing in tomorrow
Then perhaps this is not madness.
Perhaps it is leadership.
Because in the end, the truth remains:
Makinde is not destroying Oyo State.
He is redefining it.
He is repositioning it.
He is rebuilding it, quietly, steadily, and deliberately. And when the noise fades and history begins to write its verdict, Oyo State may look back and realize this “madness” was exactly what it needed.
Asiwaju YSO Oladunni is a media entrepreneur, strategist, and public affairs commentator. He is the Publisher of TODAY SPLASH and the driving force behind Splash Arts.
He writes from Ibadan and contributes to conversations on leadership, public policy, and sustainable development in Oyo State and Nigeria.
