Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s remarkable journey from Boardroom to the Ondo State House
Earlier today, Lucky Aiyedatiwa was inaugurated as the Governor of Ondo State, marking the beginning of his first full four-year term following the passing of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in December 2023. Although he had served in the office since Akeredolu’s demise, his ceremonial ascent today at the Ondo States Sports Complex settled some political tensions that had plagued the state in the last fifteen months.
His political journey is as compelling as it is a bit complex. Born on January 12, 1965, in the oil-producing community of Obe-Nla in Ilaje Local Government Area, Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa began his education at Saint Peter’s Primary School in his hometown and later completed secondary school at Ikosi High School, Ketu, Lagos, in 1982.
His academic pursuits continued with a Nigeria Certificate in Education in Economics and Government from Lagos State College of Education (now Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education) in 1986, an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Ibadan in 2001, a Postgraduate Certificate in Chief Executive Education from Lagos Business School in 2009, and finally an MBA from the University of Liverpool in 2013.
Before venturing into politics, Aiyedatiwa built a diverse business career across education, pharmaceuticals, finance, and general merchandise. In 1996, he founded the Blue Wall Group of Companies, which expanded its interests into trading, foreign exchange, and travel logistics.
His movement into public service began in 2011 with the Action Congress of Nigeria, a party that later merged into the All Progressives Congress (APC). From 2018 to 2019, he served as a Federal Commissioner representing Ondo State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, an opportunity to hone his leadership skills even further.
In 2020, Aiyedatiwa was elected Deputy Governor alongside Governor Akeredolu when he ran for his second term in office. Following Akeredolu’s untimely death on December 27, 2023—after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer—Aiyedatiwa ascended to the governorship.
He formally secured the APC’s ticket in the 2024 governorship election and defeated former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party to clinch a decisive victory, polling 366,781 votes to Ajayi’s 117,845, sweeping all 18 local government areas in a landslide win.
In his inaugural address, Aiyedatiwa paid a heartfelt tribute to his late predecessor, whose visionary leadership and relentless dedication to developing Ondo State left an indelible mark on the community. “I am particularly indebted to him for choosing me as his Deputy and for his public and undisguised prophetic declaration at about this time, on this same podium, four years ago.”
As the new governor, his leadership is expected to build on the foundations laid by the past administrations, driving progress and prosperity in one of West Africa’s most vibrant regions. He has already promised to hit the ground running as he eyes a six billion naira monthly revenue for the state.
