Activities marking the 50th anniversary of the creation of Ogun State continued yesterday with an interfaith thanksgiving and prayer session held at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, OkeMosan, Abeokuta.

The event drew a distin-guished audience, including former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba, past military administrators, traditional rulers, and other eminent sons and daughters of the state.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Dapo Abiodun said Ogun State had recorded remarkable progress over the past five decades, particularly in education, housing, healthcare, agriculture, and other key sectors of the economy.

According to him, Ogun is now one of the fastest-growing economies in Nigeria, with an estimated value of N17 trillion. “Recent reports rank Ogun as the second-largest economy in Nigeria, after Lagos. Our state has attained an unprecedented level of prominence and excellence,” the governor said.

Abiodun noted that Ogun has become the gateway to Nigeria’s prosperity, driven by multimodal transportation infrastructure, a world-class airport, and an extensive road network.

He added that the state leads in education across all levels, has delivered an unprecedented number of affordable housing units, strengthened its healthcare system, and supported productive farmers, reinforcing its status as Nigeria’s industrial capital.

The governor also paid tribute to notable sons and daughters of the state, including Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Chief MKO Abiola, whose legacies laid a strong foundation for Ogun’s development.

In his remarks, former President Obasanjo commended past leaders of the state for their vision and dedication, noting that Ogun had made significant contributions to national development through its people. He urged the current administration to further leverage the state’s proximity to Lagos by strengthening infrastructure and attracting more investments.