Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has called on key stakeholders and political players from southwest states to build on existing relationships to further develop the region.

The governor made the appeal at the closing ceremony of the maiden edition of the Osun State Industrial Investment Summit, held in Osogbo.

Represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, the governor said the common ancestry of the people of the region, along with the efforts of the founding fathers, should inspire leaders to work more collaboratively in developing the states within the region.

According to him, “The founding fathers of our region saw industrialisation as the quickest means to rapid development, and most of their policies were directed towards this goal. The free education programme that propelled our region to the forefront of development was aimed at providing skilled labour for the envisaged industrial development.

“We are not here today to instruct Osun on how to drive investment, but rather to share some of the ideas we adopted in our quest to encourage investment activities in Ondo State, and some of the successes we have enjoyed as a result. We are on the same journey, and that is one of the reasons I was committed to being here today.

“In addition, from the discussions at this event, we too can gain lessons that will be of use to us in our own ambition to further industrialise Ondo State. So, it is no competition. The more economic hubs we can create in our country, the greater the prosperity for our people and our nation as a whole.”

The governor urged the Osun State government to explore the advancement of tourism by promoting the state’s rich cultural heritage.

“Osun is no less endowed, with your potential in gold deposits, railways, agriculture, etc., but I will particularly mention an area where you stand tall: arts and culture,” he remarked.

In his address, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, assured investors of an enabling environment once they meet the necessary requirements to invest in the state.

He thanked Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his industrial drive to transform the fortunes of Ondo State and the Southwest, while emphasising Osun State’s commitment to industrialisation.

“I believe that after this summit, Osun will emerge as one of Nigeria’s economic giants. In conclusion, I assure you that the state government will implement and utilise the outcomes of this summit to accelerate the industrialisation of Osun State for the benefit of its people,” Adeleke added.