● Why Governor Abiodun Won The Awards
The most tragic thing in the world is a man of genius suffering a lack of honour. Governor Dapo Abiodun, however, is both a man of genius and a man of honour. His renown sprouts where dishonour declines, and his legend flowers on the stem of his innate gifts.
Aside from his administrative depth, If Governor Dapo Abiodun starts a school on leadership and governance, many a politician would definitely be his most ardent students. Governor Abiodun rocks.
Indeed, if Governor Dapo Abiodun’s story reads like a super legend, it’s probably because he has always been an enterprise stylist. Adept at combining grit with desire, his life espouses crucial entrepreneurial anecdotes by its metaphor-rich manifestations of his hard work.
At work, he shifts gear seamlessly between the whimsical and the earnest, demonstrating time and over again his ability to tame challenges and ride out storms – without falling prey to Scylla and Charybdis of cynicism and failure. All in pursuit of glory.
Little wonder his discipline and devotion attract a flurry of laurels and commendation. Despite his acclaim, Abiodun maintains a culture of enviable humility. Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of his excellence in public service, the richest gem in the diadem of his accolades.
The Ogun State governor projects a perfect illustration of the maxim that practice sows the seeds of mastery, from which the effectual leader reaps the fruits of excellence.
Just recently, Governor Abiodun was accorded two of Nigeria’s most prestigious awards for excellence in public governance. First, he was chosen as the Silverbird Man of the Year 2023, after securing the highest number of votes out of the four individuals shortlisted for the prestigious award.
Governor Abiodun was nominated for his remarkable achievements in infrastructure development, including a cargo Airport and his commitment to an eco-friendly future, particularly through his emphasis on clean energy solutions.
Some of the past winners of the Silverbird Man of the Year Award, include late Professor Dora Akunyili, Sanusi Lamido, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Adams Oshiomhole, Godswill Akpabio, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Doctor Mike Adenuga, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Babatunde Fashola.
Others are Peter Obi, Aminu Tambuwal, Nyesom Wike, Ifeanyi Okowa, Willy Obiano and Seyi Makinde.
The Silverbird Man of the Year Award was instituted eighteen years ago to recognize individuals who have positively impacted the lives of Nigerians in their chosen careers.
And barely few days after he was named as the Silverbird Man of the Year, Abiodun was pronounced as the Governor of the Year at the The Sun Awards 2023. A statement released by the newspaper’s awards committee revealed that Abiodun earned the honour due to his capacity to effect consolidation in his state.
There is no gainsaying Ogun State has witnessed unprecedented development since Governor Abiodun assumed office at the State House in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, the state’s capital.
Amid the desolateness and decline triggered by institutional failure and misgovernance, to mention a few, Governor Abiodun is a welcome deviation from the norm of predators prowling public offices.
Every day, he leads with his values and vision, his knowledge and strategic thinking—always putting the citizenry over politics.
By building Ogun State’s first cargo airport, for instance, Abiodun made history. After the airport, more businesses will thrive and entrepreneurs will score unimaginable profits.
The maiden test flight landed successfully in the airport on February 23, 2023. Ever since, the general public and business community have been granted access to its major facilities which include the biggest Cargo Apron in Nigeria, which is four times the size of the Muritala Mohammed International Airport. The airport’s 4km runway and its 60m width track have been adjudged the widest and longest in Nigeria.
The promotion of foreign investment; a major aspect of the developmental agenda of Abiodun’s administration, also spurred him to commence the rehabilitation of inherited roads and to construct new ones. In all, the administration has reconstructed, rehabilitated and constructed over 400km of roads while many are at different stages of completion. It is on record that no local government area has been touched by road redesign, construction and rehabilitation in the last four years.
And great thanks to Abiodun, Ogun State has reclaimed its position as a major force in the field of education. En route to the 2019 gubernatorial election – which heralded his first term as Executive Governor of Ogun State – Dapo identified the shortcomings of the state’s education system and promised to resolve them via visionary policies and a pragmatic, sustainable approach.
Starting with a 20 per cent increase in budgetary allocation, Governor Abiodun unleashed his ingenuity to bring back the lost education glory of the state. This, among other measures, has put paid indiscriminate charges in primary and secondary schools and spurred an increase in the rate of student enrolment in the benefiting schools.
As he sanitised the primary and secondary school systems, Governor Abiodun also focused on the tertiary education sector thus triggering unprecedented progress in the state’s tertiary education system.
Like all progressives around the world, Abiodun subscribes to the idea that no government should leave no one behind. The idea that no matter who you are or where you come from, you should have every chance to succeed in life manifests to good measure on Abiodun’s watch.
As a leader in everything from corporate enterprise to public service and grassroots organizing, Governor Abiodun has dedicated his impressive career to a moral imperative: the pursuit of infrastructure growth and the inclusion of equity and justice in public governance.
Governor Abiodun’s indispensable work on behalf of communities that have long suffered from the burden of infrastructure lack has demonstrated that his fight for good governance is ultimately a movement for human dignity and the collective good of the Ogun people.
As a public administrator who once held sway, running an impressive corporate enterprise, Governor Abiodun shows an incomparable capacity to experiment with capital and human resources, materials, mediums, and processes. The breathtaking combination of experimental rigour and inspired vision turns his oft-visionary dreams into remarkable projects.
Even fate acknowledges his capacity and genius. Ultimately because he is intrepid and eager, the fruits of his achievements manifest beyond abstraction. Ask the blessed citizenry of Ogun State, they will tell you time and over again, that Governor Abiodun is the best man for the job.
Thanks to Abiodun, the melody of efficient governance resonates across the nooks and crannies of Ogun State. Before he emerged as Ogun governor, the Gateway State loomed eerily as the misgoverned contraption where every heart sings a song, incomplete until another heart whispers back.
Few politicians embody that journey as the Ogun State governor does. If his exploits during his first term are worthy of applause, his performance during the first few months of his second term further establishes him as a symbol of hope and inspiration.
Taking the helm of an iconic state and positioning it for long-term success in a way that reflects his values is no easy task. Abiodun is one of the most impactful administrators of modern Nigeria.
This is why he is a worthy recipient of two of Nigeria’s most prestigious awards for public governance for the outgone year, 2023.
