Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has stated that Nigeria needs more active citizen participation in community service, civic responsibility and skill-based voluntary efforts in order to further enhance the development drive in the country.
According to the governor, countries with strong development models typically rely on structured volunteerism to strengthen social systems, bridge manpower gaps and support critical sectors such as environmental management and emergency response.
Aiyedatiwa stated this during the 2025 International Volunteer Day celebration held at the International Event Centre, The Dome, in Akure, with the theme ‘Every Contribution Matters.’
The governor, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Volunteer Service and State Coordinator of the Nigerian National Volunteer Service, Comrade Adeolu Charles Iwakun, emphasised that volunteerism has been one of the critical pillars for driving President Bola Tinubu’s economic growth agenda and achieving sustainable national development.
He said: “Volunteerism is a passion that has shaped my journey, and being entrusted with this mandate is an honour I hold dearly; and volunteerism, in all its forms, community participation, humanitarian support, donations, corporate social responsibility, problem-solving initiatives, or simply offering one’s skills, remains a powerful pillar for sustainable and accelerated development.
“Every act of service counts, and I encourage us all to continue showing up for our communities in whichever way we can, as today marks the formal launch of the Ondo State Volunteer Service, a platform designed to coordinate, nurture, and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism across our state,” Aiyedatiwa said.
The governor, while commending youths, community groups and civil society organisations for their continued contributions to nation-building, stated that his administration had been collaborating with community health volunteers, climate action groups, agricultural extension volunteers and disaster-response teams.
Aiyedatiwa, however, urged governments at all levels, as well as the private sector, to support volunteer-driven initiatives through partnerships, grants and capacity-building programmes that would make voluntary service more impactful and better integrated into national development plans.
Also speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Dr Tunji Rhema, highlighted the success of recent community-led sanitation exercises across Akure, Ondo and Owo.
Rhema said volunteers, local businesses and civil society groups partnered with government agencies to clear drains, plant trees and enlighten residents on proper waste disposal.
In his keynote address, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by the agency’s South-West Zonal Director, Mrs Olufunke Salako, said volunteerism must move beyond sentiment to become a structured element of national policy.
Issa-Onilu stressed the urgency of citizen-driven problem-solving in a time of economic pressure and social strain, highlighting the civic actions carried out earlier in the year by youth groups and local organisations, which included clearing blocked drains, cleaning streets and educating residents on hygiene.
“The nation is not defined solely by its government but by the active participation of its people. Volunteerism is one of the purest forms of civic engagement. It reflects the readiness to contribute, to sacrifice, to belong, and to live without a title.”
