By Sulaimon Olanrewaju
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its 2022 National Multi-dimensional Poverty Index report, put the number of multi-dimensionally poor people in the country at 133 million, representing 63 percent of the population. The agency also stated that of this number, 86 million people (65 percent) live in the North, while nearly 47 million (35 percent) live in the South.
Although the internationally recognized metric for categorizing anyone as being poor is living below $2.15 per day, the NBS, in its report, adopted the multi-dimensional approach of identifying non-monetary deprivations that breed poverty. Thus, NBS identified four major determinants of poverty; which are health, education, living standards, work and shocks.
According to the agency, health comprises nutrition, food security as well as access to healthcare; education has to do with school attendance, years of schooling and school lag; living standard is determined by access to water and good sanitation; work is a function of unemployment and underemployment, while shocks have to do with security.
NBS’s position on the determinants of poverty correlates with that of the United Nations as well as the World Bank.
According to the United Nations, poverty, fundamentally, is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. “It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society. It means not having enough to feed and clothe a family, not having a school or clinic to go to; not having the land on which to grow one’s food or a job to earn one’s living, not having access to credit.”
The World Bank describes poverty as pronounced deprivation in well-being in a multi-dimensional manner. “It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity. Poverty also encompasses low levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life.”
The distillation of the definitions of the two global bodies shows that poverty starts with exclusion and results in deprivation. The poor are so because they have been excluded from opportunities to access good healthcare, receive good education, access good nutrition, access clean water and sanitation, earn decent income and are left vulnerable to the vicissitudes of life. It is this exclusion that leads to a debilitating lifestyle which underpins poverty.
Poverty as the worst enemy of humanity
A 2013 research conducted by Anandi Mani, Sendhil Mullainathan, Eldar Shafir and Jiaying Zhao, all of Princeton University in the United States of America, found out that poverty is the greatest enemy of humanity. The study, Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function, found out that poverty and all its related concerns require so much mental energy to manage that those battling with the dearth of money have less brainpower left to devote to other areas of life.
The researchers aver that being poor hinders a person from concentrating on the thoroughfare out of poverty. According to their finding, a poor person’s cognitive function is swallowed by the constant and all-consuming effort of coping with the immediate effects of having little money, such as scrounging to pay bills and cutting costs. Thus, the person is left with fewer “mental resources” to focus on complicated, indirectly related matters such as education, job training, personal development and even time management, all of which are necessary for him to experience the desired change. So, poverty keeps the poor so embroiled in coping with lack that they can’t break out of that ring to generate more income or create wealth.
The Makinde Dimension
In Oyo State, long before the NBS came up with its report, the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde had rolled out a plan of taking the people of Oyo State from Poverty to Prosperity using the four pillars of Health, Education, Economic expansion and Security. This strategy is well enunciated in the governor’s Oyo State Roadmap to Accelerated Development 2019-2023 and Oyo State Roadmap to Sustainable Development 2023-2027.
Healthcare
Makinde has deployed the ‘One Ward One Primary HealthCare Centre’ strategy to take good healthcare services to the doorstep of every Oyo State resident. Consequently, over the past six and a half years, Oyo State Government has upgraded almost 300 PHCs with about 264 of them fully equipped. To ensure the people have the best of healthcare in their neighbourhood facilities, Oyo State Government provides Level 3 facilities, which can render comprehensive healthcare services. Level 3 PHCs have ancillary facilities such as accommodation for healthcare providers that need to be within that facility, a perimeter fence, potable water and electricity. To ensure constant power supply, the state government has not only connected the PHCs to the national grid, it has also installed solar panels in them while also supplying them with generating sets.
Similarly, the state government has upgraded, equipped and staffed a number of secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. These include Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan; Ring Road State Hospital, Adeoyo, Ibadan; Jericho Nursing Home, Jericho, Ibadan; LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso; General Hospital, Aremo, Ibadan; General Hospital, Eruwa; General Hospital, Tede and Secretariat Staff Clinic, Agodi, Ibadan.
The administration has equally provided free medical services to over two million people in the state through the annual Omituntun Free Health Mission, which is taken to all the 33 local government areas in the state.
Nutrition
To facilitate food security and increase food production in the state, the Seyi Makinde administration has been empowering and supporting smallholder farmers. The administration came up with the tractorisation subsidy policy, through which the state government defrays 50 percent of the cost of hiring tractors to clear farmlands for farmers. This automatically reduces farmers’ cost of doing business.
To improve farmers’ output, the government also recently launched a comprehensive digital soil testing initiative across 100 communities in the state. The scheme is designed to provide farmers with precise soil data, which will enable them to maximize their farming practices and increase productivity.
Oyo State Government has similarly given agricultural inputs to farmers across the state. Over 10,000 farmers from all the 33 Local Government Areas in the state have benefited from agricultural input distribution carried out in four phases with each of them receiving 40 bundles of cassava stems and 16kg of improved Premiere maize seeds. These are special inputs that guarantee maximum yields. Each of the farmers also got one knapsack sprayer, 20gm Atrazine, one bottle of Zeetact herbicide as well as 16gm of Emmamectin and one liter of Kombat Insecticide to protect their crops against invasion of destructive insects.
To ensure that nothing hinders the productivity of the farmers, Oyo State Government also provided 21,000 bags of fertilisers to 10,500 farmers.
In the same vein, the state government, as part of the Sustainable Actions for Economic Recovery (SAfER), supported over 3,000 farmers with a sum of N1billion as agric credit loan through the Oyo State Agricultural Credit Corporation. Qualified farmers had access to between N250,000 and N1 million based on the size of their farms to improve their farming enterprise.
As the government supports crop farmers, so does it also support non-crop farmers. A total of 2,660 poultry farmers across the state have each been given eight bags of 50kg of maize grain, a total of 1,000 fish farmers across the state were each given three bags of fish feeds, no fewer than 1,008 swine farmers across the state have benefited from the free distribution of 100kg bags of palm-kernel cakes and two jars of Agrichlor disinfectants each all of which have enhanced their capacity and boosted their productivity.
There has also been a statewide free vaccination of 250,000 sheep/goats and 120,000 cattle with application of anthrax and CBPP vaccines respectively.
Consequent on all the actions of the government, Oyo State recorded one of the lowest food inflation rates in the country in February 2025.
Education
Governor Makinde sees education as the force that unleashes the potential of individuals and positions them to take advantage of opportunities around them. He is of the persuasion that education spurs creativity and promotes innovation, both of which improve the quality of life. He considers education as the platform with the capability to transform a person’s attitude, broaden his horizon and help him to appreciate the value in others.
In his first pronouncement shortly after taking the oath of office on May 29, 2019, Governor Makinde abrogated the payment of N3,000 fee per child, thus making education at both the primary and secondary levels free in the state. That pronouncement has seen over 80,000 out-of-school children in the state return to school. Consequently, Oyo State which, according to a 2018 StatiSense report, had the highest number of out-of-school children in South West Nigeria has moved up the ladder of states with low out-of-school children rate in the country. With the cancellation of payment of fees in Oyo State public schools, 80,000 children, who might have grown up without any marketable skills and would probably have been consigned to a life of grinding and perpetual poverty, can now look forward to a secure and prosperous future.
The Governor then made a promise that he would endeavour to meet the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO’s) recommendation of voting between 15 and 20 per cent of budget to education. The high budgetary allocation to education, coupled with an unflagging commitment to paying counterpart fund for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects, enabled the government to embark on extensive improvement of facilities in primary and secondary schools. Over the past six and a half years, close to 1,000 classrooms in all 33 local government areas of the state have been renovated. Similarly, over 60 model schools have been completed while free textbooks and exercise books have been provided to secondary school students.
However, the governor has not only focused on primary and secondary schools, as he has also improved the lot of all the tertiary institutions in the state. One of the major steps taken by Makinde to steady the shaky state-owned institutions was the payment of the inherited salary arrears. He has also been supportive of Oyo State students in the Law School by providing them with N500,000 bursary awards since 2019. The government has also been giving bursaries to Oyo State students in medical schools, aviation schools and final year students of universities and HND across the country.
In November 2020, the National Universities Commission (NUC) ceded the sole ownership of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, to Oyo State Government. This followed a Memorandum of Understanding by Oyo and Osun State Governments to dissolve the joint ownership of the university, which was founded in 1991. That decision marked a turning point in the history of the university because after years of retarded growth, LAUTECH has come into its own and is now rated as one of the best universities in the country.
Water supply
After many years of service disruption that left the taps dry, Oyo State Government, through the Water Corporation of Oyo State (WCOS), has restored water supply to some parts of the state.
Speaking about the corporation’s effort to improve pipe-borne water supply in the state, the Executive Chairman of Water Corporation of Oyo State, Elias Adeojo, said “We began by facilitating the connection of electricity back to Asejire. This is why we now have water in some areas in Ibadan. The Eleyele Waterworks is fully functional; it is not 100 per cent but we are getting there.
"In Oyo, we have the Erelu Waterworks; it is functional as well. Eruwa is functional as well; there is also water in Eruwa and Ogbomoso. In Saki, we have a minor issue, which is electricity-related. I think there is a problem with the supply of power from Ilorin. So, it's beyond our control.
"Our water supply systems are functional, but obviously the predominant issue is electricity. It is holding us back. We have been managing the situation, because there's no other alternative. The alternative that is available will take time because it is long-term, but for now we are focusing on the short-term and that is to get the IBEDC to work with us to achieve the same objective, which is serving the people.”
Sanitation Governor Seyi Makinde has never hidden his preference for a clean environment. He has often said that investors and tourists will not be attracted to a chaotic environment. Consequently, right from the beginning, he had gone all out to ensure that the narrative about the state, especially Ibadan, the capital, changes for the better. Thus, the administration has deployed different strategies to tackle environmental issues in Oyo State.
These include legislation, sensitization, stakeholder engagement, collaboration with local and international partners and enforcement.
The state government has come up with a number of legislations to ensure that the environment is rid of dirt, debris and decay. The government also established the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OYMASED), which is tasked with the responsibility of educating and mobilizing the public on the state's policies and initiatives. This agency, in conjunction with other organs of government, continually educates members of the public on the need to observe sanitation laws and work towards making Oyo State filth free.
Recently, the Makinde administration partnered the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to eliminate open defecation in all the 33 LGAs in the state by 2028 as well as to strengthen policies, institutional frameworks, and capacity building with a view to accelerating access to inclusive and sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services across the state. The administration has similarly partnered the World Bank on the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme.
To enforce all the environmental laws in the state, Governor Makinde has put in place the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority to, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies in the state, give teeth to the environmental laws in the state.
Employment
No governor in the history of Oyo State holds a candle to Makinde with respect to job creation.
In his first term, he employed 5,000 secondary school teachers. In his current and final term, he has given employment opportunities to over 20,000 people in the state. In July 2024, the government recruited 500 officers and men into the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA). Then, 561 Amotekun operatives were recruited. The government, through the
Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, employed 5,600 primary school teachers and 80 caregivers to shore up the personnel requirement of primary schools in the state. The governor also approved the recruitment of 7,500 teachers as well as 3,000 non-teaching staff for secondary schools in the state. The government also recruited 3,933 workers for the state’s Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). In addition to the PHC workers, the state government has also employed 12 consultants, 28 doctors, eight pharmacists, six physiotherapists, 170 nurses, three pharmacist technicians, eight medical laboratory scientists and 80 other health workers. The state also recruited 791 people to fill the vacant positions in the mainstream civil service. The governor similarly approved the conversion of 1591 local government ad-hoc staff to permanent staff. Similarly, the governor recently instructed the management of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, to absorb 67 security guards, who had been seconded to the institution by a private company, as ad-hoc staff.
According to retired Inspectors General of Police, who had their retreat in Ibadan in 2024, the primary reason for choosing the Pacesetter State as the venue was the peaceful atmosphere that pervades the state. The retired police chiefs then lauded Governor Makinde for making the state safe.
Makinde has been able to make Oyo State safe as a consequence of his pragmatic approach to security issues. He is ever willing to cooperate with and support federal security agencies to improve security in the state. Makinde’s collaboration with the Nigeria Police birthed the Police Mobile Force 72 Squadron in Ago Are, Atisbo Local Government area of the state. The state government just last week approved the construction of a permanent site for the Squadron.
The governor’s collaboration with security agencies also culminated in the establishment of the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Base in Ajia. The base has enhanced NAF’s readiness and responsiveness to security challenges in the state.
In addition to these, Makinde has donated over 500 patrol vehicles to security agencies in the state to ensure that all parts of the state are adequately monitored. Consequently, security operatives are able to effectively patrol the state.
Following the decision of South West governors to set up the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, Makinde immediately set the machinery in motion to establish the network in the state. The Amotekun officers and men are well trained, well equipped, well remunerated and well motivated. Hence, they have played a critical role in securing the state.
The state is in the process of acquiring two surveillance aircraft to beef up security in the state and shield the citizens from the antics of bandits, terrorists and kidnappers.
Road infrastructure
Over the past six and a half years, Governor Makinde has constructed or reconstructed close to 600km of roads and connected all the zones in the state with good road networks. Through the Moniya-Iseyin road, Ibadan zone has been connected to the Oke-Ogun zone; through the Oyo-Iseyin road, Oyo zone has been linked to Oke-Ogun zone; through the Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin road, Ogbomoso zone has been linked to Oke-Ogun zone; and through the ongoing Ido-Eruwa road, Ibadan zone is linked to Ibarapa zone.
Beyond the ease of movement which the road networks guarantee, they are also a pathway to the state’s development; as the governor usually says, “where roads go, development follows.” By connecting all the zones in the state, Governor Makinde has deliberately unleashed the economic potential of each of the zones and has positioned the state and its people for prosperity. By increasing the road network in the state, Makinde has reduced the poverty rate because according to the finding of a study, “The Impact of Road Infrastructure on Poverty Reduction in Africa”, a 10 percent increase in road infrastructure results in a 5.16 decline in poverty.
Inclusion
Through the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency, the state government has ensured that the vulnerable are protected against the debilitating effects of ill health through health insurance. The agency has schemes that cover pupils and students in state schools and tertiary institutions, pregnant women, artisans and pensioners. With this, the issue of having to pay out of pocket when sicknesses strike has been eliminated.
In the same vein, the Makinde administration has improved the lot of pensioners in the state by ensuring prompt payment of their pensions. The administration also approved N25,000 as pension to the least paid pensioner as well as the 33 per cent pension increase of 2010, the consequential adjustment of 2019, 20 per cent of pension increase and part of N32,000 minimum wage across board for Oyo State pensioners.
Mrs Toyin Balogun, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, in a recent interview, said the state government has impacted 1.13 million indigent families over the last 30 months. According to her, the interventions, including conditional cash transfer and financial assistance from the Ministry, have targeted both the male and the female demographics.
Outcome
As a consequence of the efforts of the Makinde administration in providing a high standard of living, improving the environment and the infrastructure as well as securing the people, the 2025 State Performance Index (pSPI) report ranked Oyo State as the most liveable in the country.
For Makinde, taking the people of Oyo State from poverty to prosperity is beyond a slogan, it is a vision whose realization has been aided by the governor’s commitment to the people’s wellbeing and his deployment of appropriate strategy.
Dr Olanrewaju is the Special Adviser (Media) to Oyo State Governor.
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