In a significant administrative move, Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has executed a major reshuffle of his executive cabinet. The changes, announced on Monday, 5th January 2026, involve the removal of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and the appointment of several new officials to key positions.
Key Changes in the Executive Council
The reshuffle was disclosed in an official statement issued by the Governor's Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju. Professor Olanike Kudirat Adeyemo has been relieved of her duties as the Secretary to the State Government with immediate effect. Stepping into this pivotal role is Professor Musibau Adetunji Babatunde, a seasoned economist and former Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning.
Further adjustments include the redeployment of Barrister Temilolu Seun Ashamu. He has been moved from his previous portfolio at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to head the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Governor Makinde also elevated his Senior Special Assistant on Public Works, Ademola Aderinto, to the position of commissioner-designate. Aderinto's name will be forwarded to the Oyo State House of Assembly for the necessary screening and confirmation process.
New Appointments Announced
Alongside the reshuffle, the governor approved fresh appointments to bolster his administration's focus on specific sectors. Honourable Abiodun Adedoja has been appointed as the Special Adviser on Energy Security. This role is crucial for ensuring stable and secure power supply in the state.
Additionally, Kolawole Elijah Akanmu has been named the new Senior Special Assistant on Budget and Economic Planning, a position that will support the strategic financial planning of the state.
Profile of the New Secretary to the State Government
The newly appointed SSG, Professor Musibau Babatunde, brings a wealth of academic and practical experience to the role. He is a distinguished professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Ibadan.
His professional journey is marked by excellence:
- He served as Chief Economic Adviser to Governor Makinde during the governor's first term in office.
- He is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, where he obtained his B.Sc, Master's, and PhD degrees in Economics, earning his doctorate on June 30, 2007.
- He began his academic career at the University of Ibadan as an Assistant Lecturer on November 1, 2006.
- He was the Overall Best Graduating Student in the Master of Science degree in Economics at UI.
Professor Babatunde also possesses significant international exposure and consultancy experience. He was a recipient of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doctoral Internship Visiting Scholar Support Award in Geneva in September 2005. He also won the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) Collaborative PhD Scholarship Award.
His consultancy portfolio includes high-level assignments such as serving as Director for UN training programmes in Dakar, Senegal, and acting as Chief Consultant for the Niger State Economic Development Strategy and its Vision 3:2020 documents.
This cabinet reshuffle signals Governor Makinde's intent to reinvigorate his administration's machinery as it pursues its developmental agenda for Oyo State. The appointment of a seasoned economist like Professor Babatunde as SSG underscores a continued focus on economic planning and strategic governance.
