I remember vividly the first day my late mother explained a proverbial phrase about the chewing stick, pako, which in Yoruba can either be said as “jije ni pako” (eating the stick) or “ri’run ni pako” (chewing the stick). Both expressions could be right or wrong, depending on who is speaking and from what perspective. It’s the same irony often used to describe the figures 6 and 9: what one person sees as six, another sees as nine. The difference lies only in where one is standing.
This timeless wisdom perfectly mirrors leadership, especially in a society where perception often overshadows reality. In Oyo State today, this irony plays out vividly in the story of Governor Seyi Makinde, a man whose calm resolve, people-first governance, and result-driven policies have redefined leadership beyond political rhetoric.
Governor Makinde’s leadership style defies the conventional template of Nigerian politics. He is not the loud, camera-chasing type; instead, he leads with quiet confidence, data-driven decisions, and strategic planning. For him, governance is not a performance staged for applause; it is a deliberate mission to uplift lives, strengthen systems, and secure the future. While some may interpret his calmness as indifference, others, especially those who look deeper see a leader steadily building institutions that will outlive his tenure. The irony of figure 6 and 9 again appears: what one sees as “frank,” another recognizes as “paying attention to details.”
When the current administration began in 2019, the message was clear, Oyo State must rise again through a sustainable, inclusive, and accountable governance model. Today, the evidence is visible across all sectors. Governor Makinde understands that no infrastructure is more valuable than the human mind. Hence his massive investment in human capacity development, recruitment of a new workforce, and improved welfare for civil servants. Beyond this, he established the Oyo State Investment and Public-Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA) and the Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Programme (YEAP) to empower youths with practical skills, funding access, and mentorship for self-sufficiency.
In the health sector, his administration has revived Primary Health Care Centres across all 351 wards, ensuring healthcare accessibility for the poor and rural dwellers. These are not random gestures, they are deliberate investments in human capital, building a healthier, more productive Oyo State. The recruitment of capable hands into the Hospital Management Board has also repositioned secondary healthcare services in the state, improving efficiency and patient outcomes.
Governor Makinde’s economic blueprint anchored on Omituntun 2.0- Sustainable Development Through Competitiveness has expanded Oyo’s economy beyond dependence on federal allocation. With strategic road interconnectivity projects like the Moniya–Iseyin, Oyo–Iseyin, and Ibadan Circular Road, he is linking rural communities to urban markets, boosting internal trade, and facilitating regional commerce. Under his watch, the Ibadan Airport is being upgraded into a regional aviation hub, positioning Oyo State as a commercial and logistics centre in the Southwest. The Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, implementation of the AfCFTA framework, the Oyo State Tractorization Subsidy, and the Light-Up Oyo Project all testify to a government thinking globally and acting locally.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s philosophy of leadership is simple: development must touch lives directly. He governs with empathy but insists on due process and accountability. Those who misread his calmness as softness often discover a man of strong conviction and deliberate patience; a governor who would rather let his work speak than engage in empty political theatrics.
On public perception, like the pako proverb, varies with position and perspective. To some, he is too strategic in a noisy political climate; to others, he is the silent achiever delivering more with less talk. But facts don’t lie. From the numbers, infrastructure, and human development indices, Oyo State under Makinde is setting new standards of governance in Nigeria.
In every generation, leadership is often misunderstood before it is celebrated. What some called “6” yesterday is being revealed as “9” today. The story of Governor Seyi Makinde is one of vision, humility, and steady transformation, a story of focus over flair, and results over rhetoric.
Just as jije ni pako or ri’run ni pako depends on who’s speaking, perception will always vary. But when the dust settles, history will record that under Seyi Makinde, Oyo State found its rhythm again where governance met purpose, and people became the center of development.
