Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has called on residents of Ogun State to stand firmly behind the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, to sustain ongoing development projects in the state and across the nation.
Speaking at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion Ground in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, during a surprise reception marking the senator’s 56th birthday on Sunday, Salako described Yayi’s leadership as impactful and people-oriented.
He commended the senator’s recent intervention in rural electrification, which saw the donation and energisation of 102 electric transformers to 435 Community Development Areas across 17 Local Government Areas in Ogun State.
“This gesture is a clear demonstration of his commitment to grassroots development. I want to emphasise the need for us to stand firmly on the mandate of our dear President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and that of Senator Adeola Yayi. Together, we can advance the cause of development for our people,” he said.
He further applauded Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for creating an enabling environment that allows such projects to thrive, stressing that the governor’s support has been crucial in enabling the senator to deliver on his promises.
The large-scale transformer distribution forms part of the “Light Up Ogun State” initiative, which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda on infrastructure of the Tinubu administration.
Senator Adeola facilitated the donation and energisation of 102 transformers in different capacities 500kva/33, 500kva/11, 300kva/33 and 300kva/11 tailored to the needs of each benefitting community.
The transformers were officially presented to community representatives during the Ilaro birthday reception.
According to a statement signed by Chief Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser to Senator Adeola, said a total of 17 Local Government Areas benefitted from the scheme. These are Yewa North, Ado-Odo Ota, Yewa South, Abeokuta North, Ifo, Obafemi Owode, Ewekoro, Sagamu, Ijebu Ode, Odogbolu, Ipokia, Ijebu North East, Ikenne, Ijebu East, Remo North, Abeokuta South and Ijebu North.
Explaining the motivation for the project, Adeola said his office had been inundated with requests for transformers following periodic donations over the years.
“It is a thing of joy for me to bring light to various homes and businesses through the provision and energisation of transformers,” he said.
He noted that the initiative is complemented by the provision and installation of solar-powered street lights along streets, markets, communities and palaces, with more than 16,500 poles installed so far across Ogun West Senatorial District and beyond.
“Let me state clearly that this facilitation is an ongoing process as there are still many more communities in darkness as a result of damage or inadequate energy infrastructure. I will continue to address these challenges that are already compiled in my office,” Adeola added.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Jagunmolu Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, FCA, said the occasion was not merely a birthday celebration but a gathering to honour a man whose contributions have reshaped the development narrative of Ogun West and the state at large.
“We are not just marking another year in the life of our revered senator; we are celebrating a leader who has become a pillar of hope for our people.”
“His projects are not limited to paper promises they are visible, tangible and life-changing. From roads to streetlights, from transformers to scholarships, Yayi has shown that politics can truly serve the people,” Ominiyi mentioned.
He described the senator as “our own Moses” who has led his constituents out of years of infrastructural neglect into a new era of progress.
According to him, Yayi’s leadership style is unique because it combines political strength with genuine human empathy.
“Here is a man who remembers faces, who calls people by name, who listens to concerns without rushing off to the next meeting. Such warmth is rare in politics, yet it is the heartbeat of his leadership, earning him not just political support but the trust and affection of the people,” Omoniyi stated.
The celebration in Ilaro also featured cultural performances from Yewa North, Yewa South, Ipokia, Ado-Odo and Imeko local governments. Similar events were held in Abeokuta, Ijebu Igbo and Abuja, reflecting the senator’s popularity and the wide reach of his development projects.
