Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has announced a cabinet reshuffle that resulted in the removal of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and the appointment of new officials into key positions.
The changes were announced on Monday in a statement issued by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju.
According to the statement, Governor Makinde relieved Professor Olanike Kudirat Adeyemo of her duties as Secretary to the State Government with immediate effect.
The governor subsequently appointed Professor Musibau Adetunji Babatunde as the new SSG.
As part of the reshuffle, Barrister Temilolu Seun Ashamu was redeployed from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Governor Makinde also named his Senior Special Assistant on Public Works, Ademola Aderinto, as a commissioner-designate. Aderinto is expected to be forwarded to the Oyo State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
In addition, the governor approved the appointment of Honourable Abiodun Adedoja as Special Adviser on Energy Security, while Kolawole Elijah Akanmu was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Budget and Economic Planning.
The newly appointed SSG, Professor Babatunde, is a distinguished economist and academic from the Department of Economics, University of Ibadan.
He previously served as Chief Economic Adviser to Governor Makinde during the governor’s first term and later as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning.
Professor Babatunde holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, as well as Master’s and PhD degrees, from the University of Ibadan.
He earned his doctorate in Economics in June 2007 and joined the university as an Assistant Lecturer in November 2006.
He is currently a Professor in the Department of Economics.
In 2005, Babatunde received the World Trade Organization Doctoral Internship Visiting Scholar Support Award in Geneva, Switzerland.
He also emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student in the Master’s degree programme in Economics at the University of Ibadan and won the African Economic Research Consortium PhD Scholarship Award in Nairobi, Kenya.
His international exposure includes serving as Director in courses on Industrial Policy in Africa and Domestic Resource Mobilisation for Investment for African policymakers at the United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning in Dakar, Senegal.
Professor Babatunde has consulted on several national and state-level economic projects, including studies on the impact of the Economic Partnership Agreement on Nigeria’s economy, export supply constraints, and output market initiatives.
He has also served as Chief Consultant on the Niger State Economic Development Strategy and Coordinating Consultant on the Niger State Vision 3:2020 and Local Governments Vision 3:2020 documents.
