Engr. Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2019 gubernatorial election in Oyo is now the governor.
Born into the family of late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde of Aigbofa Compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan, a renowned teacher turned accountant.
As a third child of the family Makinde began his education at St Paul Primary School and completed his primary education at St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan. His secondary education was at Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan. In 1985, he gained admission to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
In 1998, Oluwaseyi further trained at Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas on Safety Shutdown System; and Development of Analytical Competence for Managing Operations at Lagos Business School (now Pan-Atlantic University)in 1999. In 2000, he had training in automation. In 2002, he studied Fundamentals of Crude Sampling at Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre, Kent, England. Also, in 2005, he studied Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.
Career
Seyi worked for Shell Petroleum Development Company for two years from 1990 to 1992 as a pupil engineer. Thereafter, he worked for Rebold International Limited as a Field Engineer and Assistant Manager (Eket operations) from 1992-1997 where he designed, installed, supervised and commissioned several instrumentation projects. He is a subject matter expert in fluid and gas metering with special bias for automation and control.
In 1997, Seyi set up his private business, Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited (METS). He transformed his infant company into a multi-million-dollar business entity now known as Makon Group with four subsidiaries in Nigeria, South Africa and United States of America. METS started operations “as an instrumentation, Automation and Control Systems Company and has through the years evolved as a leader in the provision of Engineering, Procurement, Installation/Construction, Commissioning, Operation and Maintenance with distinctive competences in the design and the execution of large scale Onshore, Offshore in the Oil & Gas and Energy Market.”
He is a member of several national and international professional bodies notably; Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE); Council For Regulations of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN); Oil and Gas Design Engineers of Nigeria (OGDEN); Instrument Society of America (ISA); Institute of Measurement and Control UK; America Measurement Institute (AMI) Sub Committee on Measurement Quality.
Political sojourn
Seyi has made a lot of effort to vie for electoral offices but met stiff competition. In 2003, he was part of a think tank, Fortune Group which provided some intellectual backing for the gubernatorial campaign of Senator Rashidi Ladoja.
In 2007, Makinde contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) but lost to the People’s Democratic Party candidate- Kamoru Adedibu.
Makinde remained undeterred by his first failed attempt and in 2010; under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, he aspired for the Oyo South 2011 Senatorial seat but lost the primary to the incumbent Oyo South Senator.
In 2014, Makinde aimed for the Oyo State 2015 governorship ticket under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In December 2014, upon the conclusion of the party’s primary election, he was denied the governorship nomination ticket. Makinde however, remained true to his ambition and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), under which platform he contested for the Oyo State 2015 SDP gubernatorial candidate, but lost out in the end.
In September 2017, the Caretaker National Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi visited him in Ibadan and following extensive, deep and wide consultations with National Leaders, Oyo State leaders and elders of the Social Democratic Party, and cross sections of strategic partners within Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde returned to his former political party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He maintained that joining the PDP was not for personal gains but for the development of the State by finding lasting solutions to the array of problems facing the State. On September 29, 2018, Makinde emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections for Oyo State, after polling 2772 votes at the primary election that took place at liberty stadium,Oke Ado in Ibadan.
On February 23, 2019, the Makinde led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secured majority votes (515, 621) to record an emphatic victory over the ruling party, The All Progressives Congress, (APC) during the General elections. Mr. Seyi Makinde was elected into the Office of the Governor of Oyo State at the 2019 Gubernatorial elections for Oyo State which held on March 9th, 2019.
Other Philanthropic Works
Some of philantropic works include:
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Construction of boreholes to various communities in Oyo State, such as Ansarudeen Mosque Iseyin LGA, Ojagbo Junction Ibadan North-East LGA, Aigbofa Compound, Oja’ba Ibadan, Ibadan South-East LGA, Ogbere near Agugu, Ibadan, Ibadan North-East LGA, Ajia Village Ibadan, Anko Eruwa in Ibarapa East LGA, from 2006-2016.
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Sponsorship of the construction of website for the Federation of Ibadan Students Union and the construction of programmable logic control (PLC) laboratory for his Alma Mata, the University of Lagos, Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering in 2011.
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Construction of gas-powered turbine to generate independent power/electricity at Ajia Town in Ibadan, commissioned on September 17, 2011.
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Construction of block of classrooms for Bishop Oyebode Memorial Primary School; Agugu in 2012.
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Construction of blocks of classrooms at BOMAC Primary School Oremeji Agugu, Ibadan in 2012.
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Provision of relief materials to fire disaster victims in Ibadan in 2013.
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Renovation of Ibadan House, Ibadan in Ibadan North LGA in 2014.
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Donation of relief materials to some victims of flood and rain storm across Oyo State in 2014.
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Provision of electricity transformers to various communities in Oyo State, at Soka an area in Oluyole LGA, Olode village and Akobo Ojurin Lagelu LGA, Elere-Eleshinmeta, Apata, Ibadan South-West LGA, Idi-orogbo, Igangan Town Hall, Ibarapa North from 2014 to 2017.
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The construction of the Olatunbosun Makinde Media and Agro Allied Hall in the Ajia Village, Ona-Ara LGA.
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Scholarships to outstanding students from numerous secondary schools across Oyo State, particularly Bishop Philip Academy, Ibadan.
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Procurement of medical equipment and dispensing of medications to the aged.
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Sponsorship of medical team from United States of America to Nigeria to carry out free medical procedures.
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Annual sponsorship of pilgrims to the Holy Land of Mecca, Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem, Isreal.
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Distribution of teaching and writing materials to the pupils of primary and secondary schools in Oyo State.
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Construction of Science Laboratory for the PEN Junior School Iyaganku, Ibadan.
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Installation of Street Light at Bayo Oyeleke Street, Ikolaba Ibadan with 10 KVA Generator.
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1,500 students drawn from across the tertiary institutions in the country have also benefited from Seyi Makinde’s scholarship awards.
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Donation of N1 million to UCH Indigent Patients Fund.
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Donation of N5 million to support LAUTECH fund raising effort in 2017.
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Donation of N50 Million for 2017/2018 Seyi Makinde Bursary Scheme Award to 2,500 tertiary institution students.
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Donation of multi-million naira project an e-library to his alma mater- Bishop Phillips Academy, Iwo Road, Ibadan.
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Sponsorship of Omituntun Foundation Mega Praise Event for Christians.
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Sponsorship of Omituntun Annual Ramadan Lecture for Muslims.
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Donation of golf kits to Tiger Golf Club Odogbo Cantoment, Ibadan
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Sponsorship of Seyi Makinde’s ‘Women’s Support Golf Tournament.’
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Adoption of seven children with full scholarship up to tertiary education level.
Seyi has created several jobs for Oyo State indigenes through his Youth Empowerment programmes initiated in 2006 and he remains committed to helping Oyo State’s private sector create 250,000 jobs by 2022.
Story updated – June 7, 2019
