Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said Nigeria’s federal system can only achieve its intended goals if political leaders and stakeholders reach an elite consensus on the country’s long-term direction.
Makinde made the remark on Friday during the 2026 Obafemi Awolowo Memorial Lecture held at Efunyela Hall, the residence of the late Obafemi Awolowo in Ikenne, Ogun State. The event was organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.
The governor praised Awolowo’s leadership style, noting that the former Premier of the Western Region relied on data, logic and scientific reasoning before making policy decisions. He said many leaders in the country had since become complacent in governance.
Makinde explained that the programmes implemented in his administration—education, healthcare and economic empowerment—reflect the core principles championed by Awolowo, adding that security has also been prioritised in his government.
According to him, Nigeria’s diversity makes federalism the most suitable system of governance, but its success depends on political leaders agreeing on long-term national goals rather than focusing solely on electoral victories.
The governor warned that without such consensus, Nigeria could remain trapped in prolonged instability, drawing comparisons with the decades-long conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and citing Rwanda as an example of a country that overcame crisis through decisive reforms and national unity.
