Governor Seyi Makinde spares no effort to ensure that the environment in Oyo State is conducive for businesses to thrive.
That was the submission of Engr Segun Bolaji, Managing Director of S. Adiss Agricultural Engineering Limited, during an interview with The People’s Verdict.
According to him, “We had a customer who came from the east and landed at the airport in Alakia. We went to pick him, but the road was extremely bad at that time. The man got so pissed that he cancelled the deal. But that road has been fixed now by our working governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde.
“When we talk about an enabling environment what do we mean? We are talking about good roads, electricity and access to market. Those are the things that constitute an enabling environment. I must give it to Engr Seyi Makinde in terms of roads, he has done excellently well. Look at the road from Iwo Road to Olodo, which had been an eyesore for years, it has been fixed. Now, you can move freely. Can you imagine how bad Akobo Road was before he came on board? Now the road is in a perfect condition. As far as I am concerned, our governor has provided an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Oyo State.”
Speaking about how the Seyi Makinde administration has impacted his own business, Engr Bolaji underscored the importance of good roads in business growth, noting that they provide access to more customers.
He added, “Also, for someone who has been in Oyo State for some time you will have heard of EXPOYO. EXPOYO means Exposing the Potentials of Oyo State to the entire globe. EXPOYO used to be a brand name while we were growing up. But EXPOYO just went down the drain. Engr. Seyi Makinde resuscitated EXPOYO in the Year 2024. Now, EXPOYO is back.
“What has EXPOYO done to my business? I have been able to bring my machines to exhibit and that has brought quite a number of customers. We have done 2024, we have done 2025. A number of people came from the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and even from outside Nigeria because it is an international trade fair. This has expanded my market. Quite a number of people that I met at the trade fair are now my customers. These are some of the things that our governor has done that have impacted our businesses.”
Bolaji, who is also the Treasurer of Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), posited that Oyo State economy has improved on Makinde’s watch.
Justifying this position, he said, “I was opportune to be on the Federal Government delegation to understudy AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) in Ghana and Rwanda. These things are being done by nations but I am telling you that under our able governor, Oyo State, out of 591 sub-nationals in Africa, has been able to sign the implementation strategy of the AfCFTA. What does that imply? It means bigger market for people of Oyo State. It means from Oyo State, we can move our goods and services with ease without any problem to all of the 54 countries in Africa. Things are really changing under our governor. The roads are very accessible even for farmers to move their produce.
“During the NACCIMA’s (Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture) Annual General Meeting, where we elected a new president in Ilorin, for the first time, I plied the Oyo-Iseyin Road and Iseyin to Ogbomoso Road. That road is top notch. These are things that Engr Seyi Makinde is bringing to us in Oyo State. The Oyo-Iseyin Road was an eyesore before he came on board.
“The economy, as far as I am concerned, has really improved. He has done fantastically well and we are happy to have him. In fact, if there were to be a third tenure, I would have personally voted for him.”
On tax administration in Oyo State, the S. Adiss boss said, “Before the coming of Governor Seyi Makinde, multiple taxation was a major challenge in the state. But now, that has changed; if you are dealing with the state, you deal with the state and if you are dealing with the Federal Government, you deal with the Federal Government. Multiple taxation was a major problem that we entrepreneurs were facing in this state because even funds that were meant to be our profit sometimes had to be paid as taxes. It is during the administration of Engr. Seyi Makinde that everything has been merged and I can say that there is no more multiple taxation in Oyo State.”
Engr Bolaji said Governor Makinde has spread good governance to all parts of the state with his impactful leadership.
His words: “I will give our governor 150 per cent in terms of roads, he has done fantastically well. What about healthcare? I am aware he has equipped over 264 primary healthcare centres across the state with necessary facilities so that the people of Oyo State can enjoy quality healthcare. Look at our airport, look at the road. I know they are working on our airport to become international. So, that means even the issue of AfCFTA we are talking about, these are things that need to be put in place. Even when we need to move our products, we move them directly from our own base here, we don’t need to go to Lagos. What about the model schools? I have seen beautiful model schools in Oyo State. From my findings, they are about 56. So, he is expanding the market of entrepreneurs in Oyo State for more profits, more gains. So, he has done so well, even more than what a couple of us had expected.”
For the S. Adiss CEO, the roads are the most outstanding of the governor’s projects because of their great impact on the people and the economy.
He said, “I spoke about losing a big customer who would have given the company hundreds of millions because of the road. Now, imagine if that road had been done before that time, the funds would have come into our company and we would have also paid our tax. So, in terms of roads, I want to give kudos to Governor Makinde and secondly for signing the Implementation Strategy of the AfCFTA and leading others because Oyo is the pacesetter.”
His verdict: “Governor Seyi Makinde is a go-getter.”
