Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior in Nigeria, has publicly praised the leadership style of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, the former governor of Ondo State. According to Punch, Tunji-Ojo identified the individuals mentored by Mimiko as his most significant legacy. The minister made these remarks during a birthday and conversation event held in Abuja to mark the former governor’s 72nd birthday.
In his address, Tunji-Ojo characterized Mimiko as the primary builder of modern Ondo State and the finest chief executive the region had produced. He pointed to specific achievements in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, noting that these legacies remain visible despite the challenges faced during Mimiko's eight-year tenure. The minister emphasized that the former governor demonstrated that government could effectively serve the populace, citing the mother and child hospital and the medical university as enduring examples of his work.
Tunji-Ojo also shared his personal experience of being mentored by Mimiko while running for the House of Representatives. He stated that Mimiko treated junior aspirants as equals, a relationship that eventually led to Tunji-Ojo’s appointment as a federal minister. The minister described himself as remaining a "boy" to the former governor, acknowledging the investment made in his life. He encouraged other public servants to adopt similar mentorship practices, arguing that leaders must prepare successors for their eventual exit from office.
The event also featured remarks from Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the current Ondo State Governor. Aiyedatiwa proposed renaming the Ondo State International Centre for Culture and Events, commonly called the Dome in Akure, after the former governor. This decision underscores the continued influence of the former governor in the state's political landscape. Tunji-Ojo concluded by praising Mimiko’s reading habits and his ability to achieve what many deemed unattainable through governance, assuring the former governor that younger leaders would continue to leverage his ideology.