Aiyedatiwa: Every Ondo Community Will Benefit from My Administration’s Development Agenda

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has reassured residents that his government will ensure development reaches every community across the state.

He gave the assurance during a thanksgiving service to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary at the Chapel of the Annunciation, Archbishop Vining College of Theology, Oke-Emeso, Akure.

The governor pledged that no part of Ondo State would be left out of his administration’s inclusive growth and security-focused agenda.

“In the last several months, much has been achieved, yet I stand before you to humbly say that we are only just beginning. By God’s grace, we shall not relent until every community in the state can feel the touch of development. Our works are ongoing and the results are spreading. More will be done, because we too will do new things,” Aiyedatiwa said.

He described Nigeria’s Independence as more than just a symbolic raising of flags, calling it a reminder of unity, responsibility, and sacrifice. The governor urged Nigerians to remember the sacrifices of the nation’s heroes who secured freedom and unity.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s survival through civil war, ethnic and religious conflicts, economic downturns, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Aiyedatiwa said thanksgiving was necessary. Quoting Psalms 124, he added: “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, then they had swallowed us up quick. Truly, if not for God, there would not have been any entity called Nigeria.”

On insecurity, he noted that safety is a shared responsibility: “Security is the primary duty of government, but it is everybody’s business. It is not the elephants or bamboos that cause insecurity; it is human beings breaking the laws. Citizens’ participation is very key.”

The governor also commended the Church for its role in promoting peace and morality, while praising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he called revolutionary reforms and infrastructure development. “We are very proud of the exemplary leadership of the President. It is our collective duty to support him and remain loyal to his Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

In his sermon, Rt Rev. Joseph Alaba Olusola, Bishop of Ijesa North Diocese and Chairman of the Board of Vining College, urged Nigerians to embrace repentance, unity, and a return to God. He described the 65th anniversary as a moment of hope, referencing Isaiah’s promise of restoration.

“There must be a national moral divide, and the new belief must begin with repentance and with everyone returning to God. Nigerians must be able to sleep without fear and travel without anxiety. The new thing must mean honest management of our resources, industrial growth, and an economy that works for all. Our young people are the future of this nation. God’s new thing must empower our youth with education, innovation, jobs, and government leadership,” he said.

Ven. Dr. Moses Adetunbi, Rector and Vicar of the College, also commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for ongoing infrastructure projects, especially road construction outside Akure, and praised his administration for prompt salary and pension payments.

Opinion Nigeria News