Early and Personal Life
Engineer Seyi Makinde was born on 25 December 1967 in Ibadan, Oyo State, to Late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde of Aigbofa Compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan.
He attended St. Michael’s Primary School, Yemetu in Ibadan and Bishop Phillips Academy, Iwo Road Ibadan. He also attended the University of Lagos, Akoka Yaba, Lagos and graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Electrical Engineering in 1990.
He was trained in Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas in 1998; and Development of Analytical Competence at Lagos Business School (now Pan African University) in 1999. He studied Fundamentals of Crude Sampling at Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre, Kent England in 2002, and Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA in 2005.
Professional and Business Career
Seyi worked for Shell Petroleum Development Company for two years from 1990 to 1992 as a pupil engineer. Thereafter, he worked for Rebold International Limited as a Field Engineer and Assistant Manager (Eket operations) from 1992-1997 where he designed, installed, supervised and commissioned several instrumentation projects.
In 1997, Makinde established his first business, Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited (METS), after working for five years (1992-1997) with various international oil and gas companies (IOCs), as the Engineering Manager. He is now the Group Managing Director of Makon Group of Companies.
Makinde is a member of national and international professional bodies notably: Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Council for Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Oil and Gas Design Engineers of Nigeria (OGDEN), International Society of Automation (ISA), Institute of Measurement and Control UK; and American Measurement Institute (AMI).
Political Career
Engineer Seyi Makinde maintained that joining the PDP was not for personal gains but for the development of the State by finding lasting solutions to the array of problems facing the State.
On September 29, 2018, Makinde emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections for Oyo State, after polling 2772 votes at the primary election that took place at liberty stadium,Oke Ado in Ibadan.
On February 23, 2019, the Makinde led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secured majority votes (515, 621) to record an emphatic victory over the ruling party, The All Progressives Congress (APC), during the General elections. Mr. Seyi Makinde was elected into the Office of the Governor of Oyo State at the 2019 Gubernatorial elections for Oyo State which held on March 9th, 2019.
Awards and Recognition
- Humanitarian Ambassador Award, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan – 2014.
- Nigerian Union of Journalists (Oyo State Council)-Laudable Contribution to Humanity Merit Award.
- National Association of Oke-Ogun Students (Ibadan)-Merit Award.
- Fiditi Grammar School (Oyo State)-Old Student Merit Award in appreciation to the commitment, dedication, and service to the association and humanity.
- Junior Chamber International (JCI) University of Calabar Chapter -Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.
- Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (Oyo State Chapter)-Gold Merit Award for immense and invaluable contribution to sports development.
- Nigerian Association of Social Workers Merit Awards (Oyo State Chapter)-Philanthropic gestures and contribution to Social Care Delivery Services.
- CCII National Merit Award.
- Maryhill Convent School, Ibadan-Academic Development Merit award
- Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Ibadan) – awarded Seyi “Astute Politician of the Year 2018” for his resilience with which he had continued to assist the less privileged in the society.
- CCII 2018 Most Patriotic Ibadan Indigene Award
Philanthropist Works
- Construction of boreholes to various communities in Oyo State, such as Ansarudeen Mosque Iseyin LGA, Ojagbo Junction Ibadan North-East LGA, Aigbofa Compound, Oja’ba Ibadan, Ibadan South-East LGA, Ogbere near Agugu, Ibadan, Ibadan North-East LGA, Ajia Village Ibadan, Anko Eruwa in Ibarapa East LGA, from 2006-2016.
- Sponsorship of the construction of website for the Federation of Ibadan Students Union and the construction of programmable logic control (PLC) laboratory for his Alma Mata, the University of Lagos, Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering in 2011.
- Construction of gas-powered turbine to generate independent power/electricity at Ajia Town in Ibadan, commissioned on September 17, 2011.
- Construction of block of classrooms for Bishop Oyebode Memorial Primary School; Agugu in 2012.
- Construction of blocks of classrooms at BOMAC Primary School Oremeji Agugu, Ibadan in 2012.
- Provision of relief materials to fire disaster victims in Ibadan in 2013.
- Renovation of Ibadan House, Ibadan in Ibadan North LGA in 2014.
- Donation of relief materials to some victims of flood and rain storm across Oyo State in 2014.
- Provision of electricity transformers to various communities in Oyo State, at Soka an area in Oluyole LGA, Olode village and Akobo Ojurin Lagelu LGA, Elere-Eleshinmeta, Apata, Ibadan South-West LGA, Idi-orogbo, Igangan Town Hall, Ibarapa North from 2014 to 2017.
- The construction of the Olatunbosun Makinde Media and Agro Allied Hall in the Ajia Village, Ona-Ara LGA.
- Scholarships to outstanding students from numerous secondary schools across Oyo State, particularly Bishop Philip Academy, Ibadan.
- Procurement of medical equipment and dispensing of medications to the aged.
- Sponsorship of medical team from United States of America to Nigeria to carry out free medical procedures.
- Annual sponsorship of pilgrims to the Holy Land of Mecca, Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem, Isreal.
- Distribution of teaching and writing materials to the pupils of primary and secondary schools in Oyo State.
- Construction of Science Laboratory for the PEN Junior School Iyaganku, Ibadan.
- Installation of Street Light at Bayo Oyeleke Street, Ikolaba Ibadan with 10 KVA Generator.
- 1,500 students drawn from across the tertiary institutions in the country have also benefited from Seyi Makinde’s scholarship awards.
- Donation of N1 million to UCH Indigent Patients Fund.
- Donation of N5 million to support LAUTECH fund raising effort in 2017.
- Donation of N50 Million for 2017/2018 Seyi Makinde Bursary Scheme Award to 2,500 tertiary institution students.
- Donation of multi-million naira project an e-library to his alma mater- Bishop Phillips Academy, Iwo Road, Ibadan.
- Sponsorship of Omituntun Foundation Mega Praise Event for Christians.
- Sponsorship of Omituntun Annual Ramadan Lecture for Muslims.
- Donation of golf kits to Tiger Golf Club Odogbo Cantoment, Ibadan
- Sponsorship of Seyi Makinde’s ‘Women’s Support Golf Tournament.’
- Adoption of seven children with full scholarship up to tertiary education level.
- Seyi has created several jobs for Oyo State indigenes through his Youth Empowerment Programmes initiated in 2006 and he remains committed to helping Oyo State’s private sector create 250,000 jobs by 2022.
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