Aiyedatiwa and Systemic Destruction of Legacies
By
Sola Ajisafe, Esq
On Monday, November 17, 2025, our governor and leader of our party, His Excellency (Dr.) Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, announced a N492,795,667,939 budget for the 2026 fiscal year, branding it the “Budget of Economic Consolidation”. According to Aiyedatiwa and his economic advisors, the budget “aims to deepen reforms, stabilise 2025 gains, and drive socio-economic growth in key sectors”.
However, a glance at the facts reveals empty rhetoric and broken promises. Where are these reforms? In 2025, the Department of Agric Services received zero funding, crippling support for farmers even during planting seasons. In September, Ondo State’s agricultural team had their training at Soiless Company (Ogun State) cancelled at the last minute.
Ondo State’s revenue generation is dismal — it ranks 33 out of 36 states.
The ODIRS that was making money for the State under the former Chairman has become a deadwood because of lack of innovative ideas. In education, social services, Security and economic growth the Aiyedatiwa government is missing in action.
Give it to the Governor, there are areas he excels. For a man that could not give subventions to the State Universities or pay the salaries of the Staff, he finds every opportunity to dance Azonto or Skelewu anytime he hears the clinging of cymbals. Owo Polytechnic Staff are hungry and starved of their salaries after an “audio” promise of payment if their outstanding salaries.
After the collapse of one of the buildings at the Judiciary Village in honour of Aketi, one could see there is nothing this government will not deny. At the last new legal year, lawyers in Ondo State through the Chairman of Okitipupa Branch and Mr Goke Fakunle, SAN made appeals to the governor on behalf of Magistrates concerning their welfare. Many of them ride Okada and public transport to their places of work. Appeals were also made on judicial autonomy.
How did the Governor react? He claimed he had given approval but a mistake was made on the amount for the purchase of vehicles for the Magistrates. It’s close to a month now the mistake is still there!!! On judicial autonomy, he pushed back by saying he had set up two committees under the Secretary to government and the Attorney General to agree on the way forward even though this issue is a constitutional matter. How could you set up committees for an obligation that is constitutionally flavoured? These two issues were also raised during the just concluded Law Week of the NBA Akure Branch.
One must accept that something is negatively going on in Ondo State under the suzarainity of governor Aiyedatiwa. That is the systematic destruction of legacies he met on ground. I do not wish to mention the Cenotaph at Owo because it is filled with malice. For instance, Amotekun is no longer the effective and active civil security outfit it used to be. It has been effectively cowed. Also, despite the cry of the effect of ozone layers, Aiyedatiwa has succeeded in removing all the trees that beautifies the city replacing it with concrete. We are seeing more works on “rambadouts” (roundabouts) than actual developments. Local government monies is missing in action and the governor is unaccountable to anyone.
Another area of it’s concentration is to set his goons and data boys against support groups working for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Anyway, what has a begining would soon have an end. Four years ( the maximum he could spend as our governor ) is coming to an end. We would soon be spared this government that is moving round and round like a barber’s chair. A clear case of “rounbadout” government would soon end and be replaced with a totall focused and innovative government. The clock is ticking.
Sola Ajisafe is a lawyer, journalist and farmer. He practices law in Akure.
