I won’t mind crushing toes to serve Oyo people, says Makinde

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared that he would not stepping on, even crushing some, toes if it would aid his service the ordinary people.

During the thanksgiving service on Christmas Day at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan, to mark his 52nd birthday, Makinde said he would continue to fight on the side of the ordinary people.A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor clocked 52 on December 25.

The governor said his determination to serve the ordinary people informed his decision to declare free and qualitative education in the state, adding that education remained the surest way to lift people out of poverty.He said: “If I can be who I am today, then no child should be left behind in Oyo State. That explains my passion for education. Once we give education to our children, the sky is their starting point.”

Makinde stated that he never thought he would live up to 30 years of age and that he had remained grateful to God since he crossed that age.“I thought I would join the army, fight for my country and possibly get killed and that may be the end of the story. So, for me, every year I have lived above 30 years is like a bonus,” he said.

Maintaining that he was getting more mature at 52, the engineer appreciated everyone who impacted his life, and the people of Oyo, without whom he said he would not have been able to achieve anything in last six months of his tenure as governor.

“During the electioneering, people said the political terrain here was rough, and that I could get killed. So, I looked at myself and said that I could take the risk since I am more than 30 because I had always believed that anything I have after 30 would be like a bonus to me. That is why without looking back, I will continue to serve the people of Oyo State, without minding whose toe I will step on.

“Truth is, I will break some toes if I really have to and will continue to fight for the ordinary people of this state.”In his sermon, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Rev. Segun Okubadejo, encouraged Christians to gift Christ the best of their thoughts, actions, and deeds.He said: “The gift Christ is asking of us today are the gifts he has given through finished work of redemption and the gifts are not for Christ’s benefits; they are for our benefits.

Today, I am telling you children of God here celebrating Christ’s birth that the first gift Christ wants from us is love. He has deposited that love in us and he is asking for the same love. Love to God and to our neighbours.“The second gift he is asking is that of humility in place of pride. Pride has turned the society and a lot of people into something else.“Today, Christ is asking for the gift of doing good deeds,” Okubadejo stated.