The system builder: The work behind the name

IN recent weeks, the name, Dr Debo Akande, has begun to feature more prominently in conversations across Oyo State. For many, the question has been simple: Who is he? But perhaps the more useful question is different: What has he built? Across different sectors, one pattern becomes clear:

Not programmes. Not projects. But systems. In agribusiness, that system is visible through the work of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), where initiatives such as the Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project (YEAP) and YEAP-SAfER have moved beyond training into structured enterprise development. More than 5,000 young people have been trained. Over 1,000 enterprises are active. Across value chains, businesses are emerging with the capacity to grow, scale and create jobs. At the centre of this is design. A system that connects: training, enterprise development, access to finance and long-term support But agribusiness is only one part of the picture.

As Executive Adviser on International Cooperation Development, Dr Akande has played a central role in positioning Oyo State within global investment conversations. Over the past several years, these efforts have contributed to attracting over $280 million in investment interest and commitments, alongside the establishment of 22 new agribusinesses and factories within the State. Today, Oyo State ranks second in VAT remittance in Nigeria, reflecting a broader expansion of economic activities. These outcomes are not the result of isolated engagements… but of sustained relationship-building, negotiation, and the structured positioning of Oyo State as a credible investment destination. At the Oyo State Agribusiness Transformation Centre, Fasola, this approach becomes tangible.

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What began as a concept has evolved into a functioning hub with production and processing facilities, supporting enterprise development and demonstrating what coordinated investment in agribusiness can achieve. It is not simply infrastructure… it is a platform. The same pattern appears in other sectors. In healthcare, Oyo State secured a €58 million French-supported facility to support equipping of the primary and secondary health care, sustained engagement and positioning. The State was selected ahead of others through a process grounded in credibility and structured advocacy. In ICT, a $1 million ICT Youth business incubation facility in Oyo State further reflects this same approach… where opportunity is not assumed but deliberately secured. Even at the level of international engagement, the signals are clear.

The visit of the President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, to Fasola marked a historic moment… the first time a sitting President has visited a sub-national state in Nigeria in this manner. It was not just a visit. It was recognition. Across these examples, a consistent approach emerges: build structure before scale, establish credibility before expansion, connect systems before outcomes. This is what defines a system builder. Someone who understands that sustainable progress does not come from isolated interventions… but from creating frameworks that continue to function, adapt and grow over time. As conversations evolve and attention increases, it is natural that individuals come into focus.

But the clearer picture is this: Before the conversations… there has been a pattern of work. Work that reflects: discipline, coordination, and a long-term view of development. There is still more to be done. The opportunity ahead is not simply to continue what exists but to deepen systems, expand access, and ensure that growth becomes both scalable and sustainable across sectors. And in that work lies the real question. Not who Dr Debo Akande is… But what he represents. A continuation of a journey that has moved from vision to engineering, and now, increasingly, to systems. And in that pattern of work lies a quiet but compelling argument for what leadership can look like.

•Dr Awolaja is on the staff of Nigerian Tribune