Ogun State, the Gateway State, stands tall at 50—a beacon of progress forged in the fires of determination and the spirit of Ogun, the Yoruba god of iron and ingenuity. Born on February 3, 1976, from the heart of the old Western State, you emerged not just as land and people, but as a symphony of ambition, where fertile soils birthed industrial might and ancient traditions fuelled modern dreams.
From the roaring factories of Agbara and the scholarly halls of Abeokuta to the bustling markets of Sango-Ota, your story is one of transformation. You cradle Nigeria’s industrial heartbeat: over 5,000 manufacturing firms, from cement giants like Dangote to pharmaceutical pioneers, powering a GDP that rivals nations. Abeokuta, the Rock City, whispers of Olumo’s defiance, where legends like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti rallied for freedom, echoing in today’s strides in education—Olabisi Onabanjo University, Covenant University—nurturing minds that shape Africa’s future.
Ogun, you are the land of firsts: home to Africa’s first brewery, first cement factory, and a mosaic of cultures where Egba resilience meets Ijebu enterprise and Remo innovation. Your agro-industrial prowess feeds millions, with cassava fields and poultry farms turning red earth into gold. Through economic storms and global shifts, leaders like Olabisi Onabanjo, Olusegun Osoba Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun laid rails of infrastructure, while Dapo Abiodun charts a digital horizon—reviving the Arakanga water plant for potable supply; reconstructing key bridges like Opako, the 32 km Akute-Ajuwon road, and the near-complete Papalanto road (vital 100km East-West connector linking Ogun East, Central, and West from Sagamu Interchange through Papalanto to Opele/Ilaro, with 25km of reinforced concrete paving easing industrial truck flow)—via the Ogun Public Works Agency; commissioning the state-of-the-art 250-bed Medical Centre of Excellence opposite Buhari Estate on Abeokuta-Sagamu Road in Oke-Mosan to slash medical tourism; launching health insurance and emergency services; boosting SMEs with grants (including ₦560 million for women-owned businesses); surging IGR from ₦52 billion in 2020 to nearly ₦100 billion through OGIRS reforms (targeting ₦250 billion for 2026); and advancing the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport to full scheduled commercial operations (direct cargo from London, passengers to Abuja/Port Harcourt), generating 25,000-30,000 jobs and unlocking FDI—drawing investments from Seoul to Silicon Valley and positioning Ogun as Nigeria’s economic powerhouse.
At 50, Ogun, we salute your unyielding spirit—the farmers who till at dawn, the entrepreneurs who innovate by dusk, the youth coding start-ups amid palm groves. You are more than a state; you are Nigeria’s engine, a promise kept. As you stride into the next half-century, may your iron forge brighter tomorrows, uniting hearts in prosperity and pride.
Happy 50th Golden Jubilee, Ogun State—the Gateway that never closes!
Otunba Dr. Oluseyi Oduntan OON, FCIM
