ABEOKUTA — It was an electric atmosphere packed with deep gratitude, high-profile testimonies, and double celebrations on Friday, May 22, 2026, as the Ogun State Government hosted a grand send-forth ceremony in honour of the retiring Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Kehinde Olufemi Onasanya, mnipr, FNuj.
The historic event, held in the state capital, served a dual purpose as the state’s top bureaucrat marked his milestone 60th birthday, reaching the mandatory retirement age in the civil service. The high-octane ceremony also honored Onasanya’s predecessor, Mr. Kolawole Peter Fagbohun, alongside 28 recently retired Permanent Secretaries who were formally sent forth by the state government.
Flanked by his wife, Mrs. Folasade Onasanya, his daughter, Faith, and an array of close family members and professional associates, the celebrated Head of Service stood at the center of a homecoming of stellar testimonies from both the government and organized labour.
A Legacy of Reform and Harmony
Though his impactful tenure at the apex of the state’s bureaucracy spanned two years, Mr. Onasanya left an indelible mark on the workforce. His administration was characterized by a re-energized civil service, significantly lifted staff morale, and structural reforms that cascaded across all ministries, departments, and agencies.
Delivering his remarks at the event, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, poured encomiums on the retiring HoS, thanking him for his unwavering commitment to the growth and modernization of the state’s civil service.
“You ran the engine room of government with discipline, loyalty, and foresight,” Governor Abiodun stated. “You are leaving the service significantly better than you met it.” Other government officials echoed the Governor’s sentiments, describing Onasanya as the vital “bridge between policy formulation and execution,” noting his relentless drive for solutions over excuses.
Accolades From the Bureaucracy and Labour
During a deeply emotional valedictory session held in his honour, the Body of Permanent Secretaries described Onasanya as “our compass.” One after another, the top directors testified to his open-door leadership style, uncompromised insistence on core professionalism, and a unique ability to defuse industrial storms without losing focus on service delivery.
Organized labour leaders also stepped forward to pay tribute to the retired administrator’s diplomatic prowess. Speaking on behalf of the state workers, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hakeem Ambali, lauded Onasanya’s transparency. “You listened, you engaged, and crucially, you kept your word. That is the fundamental reason industrial harmony held firmly under your watch,” Ambali remarked.
In the same vein, the state’s senior citizens voiced their appreciation. The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Baba Waheed Oloyede, described the outgoing HoS as a compassionate gentleman and a consummate administrator who never trifled with the welfare of retirees. He noted that Onasanya’s tenure witnessed an unprecedented roll-out of welfare packages for senior citizens, while also thanking Governor Abiodun for consistently funding pension obligations.
Adding to the tributes, a retired Permanent Secretary, Mr. Somerset Obawunmi, presented a comprehensive chronicle of Onasanya’s administrative milestones. Welcoming him to the retirement fold, the Association of Retired Heads of Service noted with pride: “You have brilliantly upheld the core values we left behind. Ogun State’s bureaucracy remains in safe hands, and you have made us incredibly proud.”
’A Tenure Divinely Ordained’
In his valedictory address, Mr. Onasanya, an accomplished media professional, Fellow of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), was a picture of humility, attributing his administrative triumphs entirely to divine grace.
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“I thank the Lord Jesus for life, for strength, and for the rare privilege to serve at the very peak of my career,” Onasanya expressed emotionally. “I extend my deepest gratitude to His Excellency, Governor Dapo Abiodun, for this profound opportunity, to my colleagues for their unwavering partnership, and to the entire state workforce for walking this journey with me. What we achieved together was not by my power, but by God’s grace and the collective commitment of an incredible team.”
With his exit, the state prepares to usher in a new administrative era, even as stakeholders agree that Onasanya’s transition from active service represents one of the most glorious and celebrated exits in the history of the Ogun State Civil Service.
