Governor Seyi Makinde and his mother, Mrs. Abigael Omojolagbe Makinde

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Sunday said no one could divide the residents of the state by exploiting their religious differences.

Makinde, who stated this while addressing the congregation at the St Paul Anglican Church, Yemetu, Ibadan, during the 80th thanksgiving service for his mother, Mrs. Abigael Omojolagbe Makinde, stated that the state is too interconnected to be divided along religious lines.

According to him some religious activists who are seeking to divide the state along religious lines would not succeed because, every home in the state has a full complement of both religions and they co-habit peacefully.

The governor also indicated that some saboteurs were striving to stall the efforts of his government to develop the state, adding that his administration was determined to make the difference.

He said, “Once again, I thank the good people of Oyo State for your unalloyed support for this administration. Some people don’t want this government to succeed. Take for example, on my way here, I realised that some people intentionally dumped their refuse on the median. I know that it is not the people of this area that generated those wastes. Some people took it as their assignment to drop those wastes there, knowing that I will pass through that road today. They performed the evil act because they knew I was going to pass through the road to this place today, but we thank God for his usual support. We will continue to serve the people of the Oyo State”.

Congregation at the thanksgiving of Mrs. Abigael Omojolagbe Makinde

Appreciating God and the people for their continued support, he assured that his government would continue to serve the state.

“I want to greet the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Dawud Akinola because he is here with us today. What this means is that those who are seeking to use religion to divide us should look for another job. As a government, we will do what is right and proper”, he added.

Makinde further declared that the free and qualitative education his administration has declared in the state has come to stay, saying “When we were praying, someone said she has seen Mama Seyi (Governor’s mother) and that she too wants to give birth to a governor.

“For the first 13 years of my life, where we lived was not more than five minutes to where we are now. My mum was a telephone operator at the state secretariat. At Adeoyo State Hospital here, I and my brother, Muyiwa also used to help her sell bread by the gate of Adeoyo State Hospital.

“What can propel a child who used to live some five minutes away from here [Yemetu] to become a governor of Oyo state is education. And that is why we have declared that free and qualitative education has come to stay in Oyo state”.

He charged parents and guardians to educate their wards, pointing out that education was the only thing that could make a difference in the life of a human being.

Earlier in his sermon titled “Occupy till I come”, Venerable Rev. Dr. Samuel Osungbeju, urged leaders to serve well so as to receive the reward of God, stressing, “Serve well and the Lord will bless you”.

He compared the respective positions occupied by public officers to the talents given to them by God urging the governor not to relent in doing good.