By The Metro 
Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has approved automatic employment for seven National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in recognition of their exceptional performance.
The governor also honoured outstanding students, teachers and other national award recipients, presenting N1 million each to the 66 beneficiaries.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan.
According to the statement, “the governor announced the employment opportunity during the presentation of awards to outstanding education achievers at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure.”
At the event, the governor also presented N1 million each to all the 66 award recipients as a mark of honour and appreciation for their dedication and hard work.
The governor said the gesture reflected his administration’s commitment to promoting excellence and retaining exceptional talents in Ondo State, stressing that sustained investment in human capital development remained the foundation of the state’s long-term growth.
He described the event as a celebration of excellence and a reminder that the quality of a society’s human capital remained its greatest asset.
“The awardees have brought honour to Ondo State through their academic achievements, innovation, discipline and commitment to excellence.
“You have not only excelled in your various endeavours; you have become worthy ambassadors of the Sunshine State and shining examples for generations yet unborn,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Paying tribute to teachers, the governor described them as “the architects of human capital and the silent heroes behind every success story we celebrate today.”
“Countries are not built by chance; they are built in classrooms by committed teachers who mould character, impart knowledge and inspire dreams. History may remember the achievers, but posterity will always honour those who nurtured them for greatness,” he added.
According to the statement, the recognition aligned with the education component of the “Our Ease” agenda, with the administration prioritising the rehabilitation and construction of classrooms, provision of modern learning facilities, recruitment and training of teachers, digital learning, technical and vocational education, workers’ welfare and safe learning environments.
The governor said the government’s goal was to produce youths who are intellectually sound, morally upright, technologically competent, entrepreneurial and globally competitive.
“Education must produce not only certificate holders but responsible citizens, innovative thinkers, problem-solvers and future leaders,” he said.
The award categories included the NYSC National Award, where seven corps members received automatic employment into the state public service, and the JAMB category, which recognised 54 students who scored above 300 out of 400 in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Other recipients included students who represented Ondo State in national and international competitions, while two teachers were honoured under the National Award (Teachers) category.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the recognition was designed to encourage excellence and inspire students and teachers across the state.
He commended the governor for creating the platform to celebrate academic achievements, expressing confidence that the initiative would motivate more students and teachers to strive for excellence.