Seyi Makinde Biography
Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde (born 25 December 1967) is a Nigerian businessman, politician, and philanthropist from Ibadan, Oyo State in South-western Nigeria. He is an Engineer and a subject matter expert on fluid and Gas Metering. He is the Group Managing Director of Makon Group Limited; an indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria.
He established his first oil and gas private business called Makon Engineering and Technical Services, (METS) at the age of 29 in the year 1997, after earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies. In 2015, Makinde contested for the Oyo State gubernatorial seat on the platform Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Early Life and Education
Makinde was born to a renowned teacher turned accountant; late Pa Olatubosun Makinde and Madam Abigail Makinde of Aigbofa Compound in Oja’ba, Ibadan. He is the third child of the family.
Makinde began his education at St Paul Primary School and completed his primary education at St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan. His secondary education was at Bishop Phillips Academy, Monatan, Ibadan. In 1985, he gained admission to the University of Lagos (Unilag) where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
In 1998, Oluwaseyi trained at Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas on Safety Shutdown System; and Development of Analytical Competence for Managing Operations at Lagos Business School (now Pan-Atlantic University)in 1999. In 2000, he had training in automation. In 2002, he studied Fundamentals of Crude Sampling at Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre, Kent, England. Also, in 2005, he studied Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.
Professional and Business Career
Makinde did his national service (NYSC) with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria, where he was later engaged as a pupil engineer. He served in different capacities; handling and partaking in several key projects between 1990 and 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a Field Engineer (Eket operations) for Rebold International Limited and in 1995, he was appointed as Field Manager in the same company.
In 1997, Makinde established his first business, Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited (METS), after working for five years (1992-1997) with various international oil and gas companies (IOCs), as the Engineering Manager. He is now the Group Managing Director of Makon Group of Companies.
Makinde is a member of national and international professional bodies notably: Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Council for Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Oil and Gas Design Engineers of Nigeria (OGDEN), International Society of Automation (ISA), Institute of Measurement and Control UK; and American Measurement Institute (AMI).
Personal Life
Oluwaseyi Makinde lives in Ibadan, Oyo State. He is married to Tamunominini, and they have three children.
Political Career
In 2007, Makinde contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) but lost to the People’s Democratic Party candidate- Kamoru Adedibu. Makinde remained undeterred by his first failed attempt and in 2010; under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, he aspired for the Oyo South 2011 Senatorial seat but lost the primary to the incumbent Oyo South Senator.
In 2014, Makinde aimed for the Oyo State 2015 governorship ticket under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In December 2014, upon the conclusion of the party’s primary election, he was denied the governorship nomination ticket. Makinde however, remained true to his ambition and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), under which platform he contested for the Oyo State 2015 SDP gubernatorial candidate, but lost out in the end.
In September 2017, the Caretaker National Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi visited him in Ibadan and following extensive, deep and wide consultations with National Leaders, Oyo State leaders and elders of the Social Democratic Party, and cross sections of strategic partners within Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde returned to his former political party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He maintained that joining the PDP was not for personal gains but for the development of the State by finding lasting solutions to the array of problems facing the State.