By Imoru Busayo and Modupe Oluremi
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Ondo State Coordinating Office, participated prominently in the Golden Jubilee celebration marking fifty years of the creation of Ondo State, held at the International Event Centre (The Dome), Alagbaka, Akure.
The landmark event attracted top government officials, policymakers, traditional rulers, captains of industry, investors, development partners, youth groups, and members of the media, and provided a platform to reflect on the state’s developmental journey since 1976 while outlining pathways for sustainable growth.
A major highlight of the celebration was the commemorative lecture titled “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, delivered by Professor Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee. The programme also featured a world press conference addressed by the Executive Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
The RMRDC Ondo State Coordinating Office was represented by the State Coordinator, Mrs. Tejumola F.A., alongside other staff members. In her goodwill message, Mrs. Tejumola congratulated the Government and people of Ondo State on the milestone of fifty years of statehood and emphasized the importance of raw materials development and industrial processing as drivers of economic growth.
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She highlighted its statutory mandate, particularly the policy requirement for a minimum of 30% value addition on agricultural and mineral raw materials produced within the state. Mrs. Tejumola noted that effective implementation of the value addition policy would stimulate industrialization, create employment, attract investment, enhance skills development, and boost internally generated revenue. She therefore urged everyone to support the bill.
Mrs. Tejumola further underscored Ondo State’s rich endowment in agricultural commodities such as cocoa, cassava, oil palm, timber, and fisheries, as well as mineral resources including bitumen, limestone, and granite. According to her, “systematic value addition to these resources would broaden the state’s economic base, improve livelihoods, and reduce dependence on federal allocations, in line with national economic diversification goals.”
In his lecture, Professor Oyedele reviewed Ondo State’s historical evolution, acknowledging progress in education, infrastructure, and governance, while identifying challenges such as regulatory inefficiencies and the need to improve the ease of doing business. He outlined Agenda 2076, a long-term development framework anchored on sustainable industrialization, agro-industrial transformation, solid minerals development, digital governance, youth empowerment, security, and strong institutions.
At the world press conference, Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive growth, fiscal discipline, and people-centered governance. He announced proposed industrial initiatives, including refinery, fertilizer and petrochemical projects, advancement of the deep-sea port, electricity sector reforms, expanded bitumen exploration, and strengthened agro-industrial value chains.
