Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has assured that the deep seaport planned for the state will be delivered before the end of his administration.
The seaport, located in Ilaje Local Government, was initially approved by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and recently had its licence revalidated by the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists on Thursday on the activities lined up for the state’s 50th anniversary, Aiyedatiwa described the project as a game-changer for Ondo’s economic future.
He said approval had already been secured and the project was firmly on course for execution during his tenure.
“The deep seaport, by the grace of God, will be built during our time. We already have the approval, and I believe strongly that this project will be delivered before I leave office,” the governor said.
“Ondo State has similar terrain to Lagos — coastline, waterways, and the sea. Once the seaport is built, it will support industrialisation, agriculture, bitumen exploration, and movement of people into our state.”
Aiyedatiwa expressed confidence that the seaport would stimulate job creation, infrastructure development, hospitality growth, and population inflow, laying a strong foundation for long-term prosperity.
Speaking on the golden jubilee anniversary, he described it as “not merely commemorative; it is civilisational in significance,” offering “an opportunity to reflect on the state’s past, evaluate its present, and plan strategically for the future.”
He noted that half a century was long enough to assess the vision that inspired Ondo State’s creation and the contributions of successive administrations in pursuing that goal.
Paying tribute to the state’s first civilian governor, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Aiyedatiwa described him as “a rare gem, a statesman of extraordinary integrity whose principled leadership set enduring standards for governance, public morality, and the benchmark within which governments were assessed in Ondo State.”
He also acknowledged the contributions of other nationalists and elders, including the late Chief Ayo Fasanmi, late Barrister Deji Adegoroye, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, and Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, emphasizing that their legacy remains ingrained in the state’s political consciousness.
“From its inception, Ondo State has been guided by a succession of administrators and governors, military and civilian, each operating within the peculiar constraints and possibilities of their time.”
“Beginning with Wing Commander David Ikpeme, the pioneer military administrator, to the last military administrator, Colonel Moses Fasanya, through subsequent administrations, the state has benefitted from leadership efforts that collectively advanced its institutional growth,” the governor added.
He further acknowledged the contributions of Chief Bamidele Olumilua, Chief Adebayo Adefarati, Dr Olusegun Agagu, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, and his immediate predecessor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, whose commitment to democratic consolidation, welfare, and security of the people of Ondo State remains indelible.
Ondo State was created on February 3, 1976, by the military government of Major General Murtala Muhammed.
