The Federal Character Commissioner representing Oyo State, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, has strongly defended the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging Nigerians to endure the current economic challenges for long-term growth.
Speaking on Jamz FM in Ibadan via telephone on Friday, Olowofela also reflected on his tenure as the Chairman of Ido Local Government and Commissioner for Education under the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
“When I was Chairman of Ido Local Government, workers’ welfare was my priority. I focused on developmental projects such as road construction, electricity, security, and water supply,” he said. He noted that under President Tinubu, local government chairmen now enjoy greater financial autonomy, making them more independent and influential than before.
As Commissioner for Education, Olowofela said he tackled poor performance in WAEC and NECO by introducing the School Governing Board System and a N1,000 tuition fee, which he claimed improved education. However, he lamented that the current Oyo State government under Governor Seyi Makinde abandoned these policies, leading to a decline in academic standards.
He also credited the establishment of the First Technical University in Oyo State to the vision of Governor Ajimobi, aimed at reducing the number of students seeking technical education abroad.
Regarding his role at the Federal Character Commission, Olowofela emphasized its duty to ensure fair resource distribution. He stated that while the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) is expected to be impartial, issues of bias in recruitment have been addressed amicably through compliance certificates.
Acknowledging the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, Olowofela urged citizens to make sacrifices, emphasizing that Tinubu’s bold economic decisions, such as subsidy removal, are necessary for long-term national development.
“We need a courageous leader like Tinubu to drive economic growth. Subsidy removal prevents a few individuals from enriching themselves at the expense of the nation’s economy and future generations. We are on the right path with these laudable policies,” he concluded.
