Government & Politics

Abridged Profile of (Otunba) Engineer Seyi Makinde Abiodun

Seyi Makinde was born on 25 December 1967. Makinde was born to a renowned teacher turned accountant; late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde of Aigbofa Compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan. He is the third child of the family.

Seyi Makinde is a Nigerian businessman, politician, and philanthropist from Ibadan, Oyo State in South-western Nigeria. He is an Engineer and a subject matter expert on fluid and Gas Metering. He is the Group Managing Director of Makon Group Limited; an indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria. Also, he established his first oil and gas private business called Makon Engineering and Technical Services, (METS) at the age of 29 in the year 1997. After earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies.

Otunba Seyi Abiodun Makinde was born and grew up in Ibadan and is a successful businessman. The son of a chartered accountant, late Pa Olatunbosun Makinde. Seyi had the spirit of service instilled in him at an early age involving himself in sports and church. While in primary and secondary school, Seyi was selected to attend most of the school academic external events. No doubt, this experience opened Seyi’s eyes to public service.

Profile of Seyi Makinde

Early Life

Otunba Seyi had begun thinking about entering politics in the early age of his youth partly based upon Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s ideology and legacy “Free Education” to give back to the community. He is “moderate” with “progressive” views as a Democrat and has the people’s welfare at heart. Seyi had managed to work his way out of poverty through hard work and his commitment to the plight of ordinary citizens of Oyo State is undisputed.

Education

Makinde began his education at St Paul Primary School and completed his primary education at St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan. His secondary education was at Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan.

In 1985, Seyi gained admission to the University of Lagos (Unilag) where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. While still in school, he worked for Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited for one year before leaving school in 1990 to work full-time for the same company. In 1997, Seyi Makinde left Shell to set up his private business and ever since then, he has never looked back for sixteen years as Group Managing Director of Makon Engineering and Technical Services International.

In 1998, Oluwaseyi trained at Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas on Safety Shutdown System; and Development of Analytical Competence for Managing Operations at Lagos Business School (now Pan-Atlantic University) in 1999. In 2000, he had training in automation. In 2002, he studied Fundamentals of Crude Sampling at Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre, Kent, England. Also, in 2005, he studied Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

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Professional and Business Career

Makinde did his national service (NYSC) with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria, where he was later engaged as a pupil engineer. He served in different capacities; handling and partaking in several key projects between 1990 and 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a Field Engineer (Eket operations) for Rebold International Limited and in 1995, he was appointed as Field Manager in the same company.

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

In 2007, Makinde contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). Though he lost to the People’s Democratic Party candidate- Kamoru Adedibu. Moreover, Makinde remained undeterred by his first failed attempt and in 2010; under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, he aspired for the Oyo South 2011 Senatorial seat but lost the primary to the incumbent Oyo South Senator.

In 2014, Makinde aimed for the Oyo State 2015 governorship ticket under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In December 2014, upon the conclusion of the party’s primary election, he was denied the governorship nomination ticket. Makinde however, remained true to his ambition and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Under which platform he contested for the Oyo State 2015 SDP gubernatorial candidate, but lost out in the end.

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In September 2017, the Caretaker National Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi visited him in Ibadan. Following extensive, deep and wide consultations with National Leaders, Oyo State leaders and elders of the Social Democratic Party, and cross sections of strategic partners within Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde returned to his former political party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He maintained that joining the PDP was not for personal gains. He, however, stated that it is for the development of the State by finding lasting solutions to the array of problems facing the State.

 Profile of seyi makinde

Awards and Recognition

  • 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.
  • Nigerian Association of Social Workers Merit Awards (Oyo State Chapter)-Philanthropic gestures and contribution to Social Care Delivery Services.
  • Junior Chamber International (JCI) University of Calabar Chapter.-Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.
  • CCII National Merit Award.
  • Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Ibadan) – awarded Seyi Makinde “Astute Politician of the Year 2018” for his resilience with which he had continued to assist the less privileged in the society.
  • Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (Oyo State Chapter)-Gold Merit Award for immense and invaluable contribution to sports development.

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He has also touched many indigenes by awarding student bursaries. In addition, he donated blocks for school building, provision of boreholes for clean water and financial assistance to the less privilege. He has also been creating job opportunities through vocational courses to mention a few through his philanthropic foundations.

Seyi faithfully has consistently kept his promise to spend his own money to touch peoples’ lives in his community and in Oyo State at large.

Moreover, he was worried by the infrastructural decay and perpetual darkness in a small town called Ajia Community in Ibadan. Therefore, he donated a 65 megawatts turbine rural electric power plant to serve the people of the community. Thus putting an end to the era of darkness in the community.

Without a doubt, he has also created over 2,000 jobs for Oyo State indigenes alone through his Youth Empowerment programmes initiated 8 years ago. Seyi Makinde also remains committed to helping Oyo State’s private sector create 250,000 jobs by 2017.

Seyi Makinde is married to Tamunominini, and they have three children.

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