IBADAN, Nigeria — Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has sworn in a new commissioner and redeployed another cabinet member in a minor reshuffle aimed at strengthening governance and improving service delivery in the final months of his second term.
Dr Taiwo Ladipo was sworn in on Monday as the new Commissioner for Establishments and Training, while Professor Solihu Adelabu was redeployed from the Establishments and Training Ministry to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, Makinde urged political appointees and public servants to redouble their efforts in the closing months of his administration to ensure a lasting legacy.
“Government assignments are determined by the needs of the moment and the expertise required to achieve specific objectives,” Makinde said. He explained that appointments and redeployments should not be interpreted as a reflection of competence or performance, but rather as a normal feature of governance driven by the administration’s priorities.
“When we get people to come and serve the state, it is a privilege. There are so many qualified people, and at any particular time, you have to pick and choose,” Makinde said, adding, “If I ask a commissioner or an appointee to leave a position, it does not necessarily mean that the person has done anything wrong. Sometimes, when you want to farm, the type of implement you need is different from when you want to harvest.”
The governor noted that Ladipo’s earlier exit from the cabinet was not due to any wrongdoing but because his services were required elsewhere within the state administration. Following his return to the mainstream civil service, where he served as Permanent Secretary in the General Administration Department, Ladipo had acquired additional administrative experience that would be valuable in his new assignment.
Makinde said the administration was committed to consolidating reforms already introduced in the state’s civil service, particularly in institutional strengthening, capacity building and staff development. He maintained that opportunities for training and international exposure for civil servants had significantly improved under his administration.
Drawing inspiration from the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, former Premier of the old Western Region, Makinde said: “It is not how long we serve at the end of the day, but how we apply ourselves in the service of the people.”
The governor also urged cabinet members to remain focused on delivering quality service to the people in the closing phase of the administration, stressing that there was still much to accomplish before the expiration of the government’s tenure.
“With the little time we have left, there is still a lot that we can achieve,” Makinde said.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by top government officials, including political office holders, permanent secretaries, and heads of ministries, departments and agencies.
The reshuffle follows an earlier cabinet adjustment in June, when Makinde relieved the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Toyin Balogun, of her appointment and redeployed Faosat Sanni to head the ministry.
