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Youth and Sports

The Commissioner For Youth And Sports, Will Be Somebody Below The Age Of 30

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Our Assessment 

This promise is rated Completed. Governor Seyi Makinde fulfilled this pledge early in his first term by appointing Seun Fakorede, who was 27 years old at the time, as the Commissioner for Youth and Sports in August 2019. 

 

 

Why It Matters 

In a country where the "Not Too Young to Run" movement has gained significant momentum, appointing a youth to a cabinet-level position is a powerful symbolic and functional move. It ensures that the specific interests of the youth (who make up the majority of the population) are represented by someone who shares their lived experiences. For the people of Oyo State, this appointment signaled a shift away from gerontocracy toward intergenerational leadership, providing a direct channel for young people to influence government policy in sports development, agribusiness training, and social empowerment. 

 

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Progress So Far

Dec 10, 2020

Makinde Keeps Youth Promise: Appoints 27-Year-Old as Sports Commissioner

Governor Seyi Makinde fulfilled his campaign pledge to appoint someone below the age of 30 as Commissioner for Youth and Sports by nominating Seun Fakorede, then 27 years old, in August 2019, shortly after assuming office. 

 

We Are Passionate About Youth Empowerment - Oyo Commissioner, Fakorede -
(right to left) Gov. Seyi Makinde with the newly elected Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Seun Fakorede

 

Fakorede, a civil engineer and alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, was sworn in on August 26, 2019, making him Nigeria's youngest commissioner in history at the time. 

 

During the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Makinde reiterated his commitment to the pledge, stating:

 

 “I promised them that whoever is going to be the commissioner of youths and sports will be below 30 years of age and I was conscious of the fact”.

 

Fakorede served continuously in this position from August 2019 through September 2023, covering the entire first term and extending into the second term. During his tenure, he oversaw youth empowerment programs, agribusiness training initiatives, sports facility upgrades including the remodeled Lekan Salami Stadium, and various athletic competitions. 

 

His appointment earned recognition as an innovative approach to youth inclusion in governance, with Fakorede subsequently winning The Future Awards Africa Prize for Governance in 2020 and being named a 2022 Politician of the Year by One Young World. 

 

The promise was not only kept but exceeded in symbolic value, establishing a template for intergenerational leadership in the state.

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