Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged civil and public servants to make informed choices in the 2027 general elections, saying the future of the state depends on electing leaders who will sustain the reforms and development initiatives of his administration.
Makinde, who is also the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), gave the charge on Wednesday during the 2026 Public Service Week and 2025 Merit Award Celebration held at Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital, Ibadan.
The governor, who honoured 57 outstanding public servants and sports award winners, described his seven-and-a-half-year working relationship with the state workforce as a privilege, commending them for their contributions to his administration’s achievements.
He explained that the Productivity Merit Award was introduced to encourage dedication, excellence and healthy competition among workers, adding that their support had helped his administration overcome initial challenges and pursue its development agenda.
Makinde urged the workforce to extend the same cooperation to the incoming administration, stressing the need to preserve the progress recorded in the state. He also charged the award recipients to sustain their commitment to excellence and serve as mentors to other workers.
The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu of the University of Ibadan, described Public Service Week as an opportunity for reflection and renewed commitment to service, urging civil servants to build lasting legacies through mentorship, institutional development and impactful service.
Similarly, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, and the Chairman of the Oyo State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Kamorudeen Aderibigbe, commended the governor for promoting merit-based recruitment and appointments in the public service.
Earlier, the Head of Service, Dr Adenike Fashina, praised the administration for sustaining the merit award scheme and improving workers’ welfare through regular salary payments, promotion exercises, the resuscitation of the N25,000 wage award and capacity-building programmes. She, however, appealed for additional interventions to address transportation and accommodation challenges facing workers.
A total of 57 workers drawn from the junior, senior and management cadres received awards across various ministries, departments and agencies. The Office of the Surveyor-General emerged as the Most Outstanding Agency, while Emmanuel Alayande University of Education was named the Most Outstanding Institution of the Year 2025.
