The Ijesa Community Development Assembly (ICDA) has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for nominating Dr. Charles Akindiji Akinola as the pioneer Managing Director of the newly established South West Development Commission (SWDC), describing the move as a bold and visionary step toward regional transformation.
In a statement released over the weekend, ICDA Chairman Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi hailed the appointment as a well-deserved national recognition of Dr. Akinola’s decades-long service to public administration, governance, and sustainable development.
“This prestigious and well-deserved appointment is a glowing testament to Dr. Akinola‘s enduring legacy of excellence, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to public service, notably demonstrated during his meritorious tenure as Chief of Staff to the former Governor of Osun State, His Excellency Adeboyega Oyetola.
“Dr. Akinola has consistently exemplified brilliance, innovation, and strategic insight in governance, development planning, and capacity building, qualities that will undoubtedly position the South West Development Commission as a beacon of regional transformation, economic empowerment, and inclusive growth.
“The entire Ijesaland is immensely proud of this national recognition and expresses deep gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his foresight in entrusting this critical mandate to such a competent and illustrious son of Ijesaland,” Fasuyi said.
Dr. Akinola’s nomination, submitted last Thursday to Senate President Godswill Akpabio for confirmation, joins that of Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi as Chairman of the SWDC Board and other key nominees.
Dr. Akinola is widely celebrated as a leading public policy expert and development strategist with over 30 years of multi-sectoral experience. He most recently served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy and concurrently as Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister in the same sector.
From 2018 to 2022, Dr. Akinola was Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State, where he was pivotal in developing strategic initiatives and regional collaboration. As Chairman of the Technical Committee under the South West Governors’ Forum, he drafted the SWDC Bill, consolidating policy input from all six regional states.
Dr. Akinola holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where he was an Edward S. Mason Fellow. His academic training includes studies at the University of Cambridge, Cranfield University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Beyond academia, he has served as Director General of the Office of Economic Development and Partnerships (OEDP), Chairman of the Osun State Planning Commission, and founder of Enterprise for Development International (EfDI). His work with TechnoServe and significant oil and gas companies, including WAPCo, has been widely recognized for advancing community development and economic empowerment across West Africa.
As Dr. Akinola prepares to lead the SWDC, stakeholders and community leaders across the South West have expressed hope that his visionary leadership will usher in a new era of integrated infrastructure, economic growth, and inclusive prosperity in the region.
