Engineers in Politics: Engr. Seyi Makinde, Oyo State Governor Elect

He was born into a humble but proud family of a teacher, Pa Olatunbosun Makinde and Mrs Abigail Makinde of Agnofola Compound, Oj’aba, in Ibadan on December 25, 1967.

He had his Primary education at St. Paul Primary School and St. Michael Primary school both in Yemetu, Ibadan. While he has his secondary school education at the Bishop Philips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan where he obtained his WASCE Certificate in 1985. In 1985, he gained admission to read Electrical Engineering at the University of Lagos.

In his quest for more knowledge, he was 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 underwent training in automation. He later proceeded to Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre, Kent, England to study Fundamentals of Crude Sampling. In 2005, he studied- Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

Without mincing words, the Oyo State governor-elect who, against all odds, defeated the APC candidate in the election, led credence to the saying that it doesn’t matter where and how one starts, but where one ends depends on one’s ability. A man with spartan life and self-discipline, Seyi Makinde, by his leadership example, stands out as a great testimonial to the strength of character of a conscientious self-made man that is not given to frivolities.

His Engineering career began when he did his compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). During his service year, he was engaged as a pupil engineer and he served in different capacities, handling several key projects between 1990 and 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a field engineer (Eket operations) for Rebold International Limited and, in 1995, he was appointed as Field Manager in the same company.

He thereafter established his own company, the Makon Group Limited; indigenous oil and gas companies in Nigeria at the age of 29. It is on record that he established his first oil and gas private Business, Makon Engineering and Technical Services (METS) in 1997 after earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies after working for five years (1992-1997) with various international oil and gas companies (IOCs) as the Engineering Manager.

Makinde is a member of several national and international professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), he is a Registered engineer with Council for Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Oil and Gas Design Engineers of Nigeria (OGDEN), International Society of Automation (ISA), Institute of Measurement and Control UK; and American Measurement Institute (AMI).

As a public figure, he demonstrated a high level of commitment, accessibility, tolerance and service. He is a reputed philanthropist who has been helping the less-privilege in the state.

He entered into politics and in 2007, contested for the Oyo South Senatorial District election on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) but lost.

He remained undeterred and contested for and lost in the PDP primary for the same district in 2010. In 2014, he upped the ante as he sought the governorship ticket of the same party but he, again, lost out. Determined to fulfill his ambition, he defected into the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but lost out in the 2015 governorship election.

Beyond the rhetoric of politics, mudslinging and the ranting of lazy critics, Seyi Makinde has, through sheer determination and sincerity of purpose, embarked on a silent revolution to reposition Oyo State. In fact, in the build up to the 2019 elections, he was seen as the new face of politics in the state. And it was, indeed, not a surprise that he eventually won the governorship election on March 9.

Known for his numerous charitable and philanthropic deeds, the governor-elect has clearly demonstrated a strong character as a good visioner and a man with a large heart. He had made donations and awarded scholarships to students across Ibadan, Oyo States and beyond, even as widows and individuals were not left out from his charity programme.

In recognition of his remarkable contributions to the socio-economic development of the state, especially grassroots development and uplifting the downtrodden, the Oyo State governor-elect is a recipient of several innumerable awards and honours.

He is happily married with children.

For this and many others, we will be placing him on the watchlist of engineers in politics to watch as we look forward to his making the Engineering community proud.

Edited by Isqil Najim