Ogun 2027: The Yayi conundrum

For the first time in as many years, Yewa land in Ogun State is presenting a gubernatorial candidate for election. That is Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, a.k.a. Yayi. Hitherto, Yewa would field candidates for other parties for healthy competition to give people the opportunity to choose. Not so this time. I understand someone from the same area and the same party showed interest, but the party decision killed the ambition with the consensus candidate arrangement. However, it is unfair for the party not to refund his money for the form after taking a decision on consensus candidacy. Hopefully, the right thing or justice will be done.

There have been insinuations about Yayi’s state of origin or his link to Yewa. I have read stories and seen social media posts about Yayi’s Yewa indigeneity. Even political opponents from other parts of Ogun State are trying to campaign around this issue instead of focusing on their developmental programmes for the state. However, a related issue was raised during the time of Governor Gbenga Daniel from Remo, but Ogun people voted for him as governor on two occasions. Two standing facts exist to settle the issue of indigeneship of Yayi, where there is good faith.

Yayi contested the position of Senator for Ogun West in 2023 and won by a landslide, thus becoming a sitting Senator for the area in the present National Assembly. That represents the first level of acceptance by his people despite the fact that he has lived all his life and represented Lagos State as a Senator. The second point is the fact that politicians in Yewa land from different political parties conceded, a priori, the governorship candidacy to Yayi by not presenting themselves for the same position on the platform of their parties, as is usual practice.

What is of interest to voters and to me in Nigeria is the economic blueprint a candidate presents. So the blueprint Yayi presented at his campaign inauguration was of interest. Anytime I cross the Kara bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway into Ogun State, or whenever I enter Sango-Ota, the border town between Lagos State and Ogun State, I always feel like I have just moved into the boys’ quarter of Lagos State. I believe Yayi could change the narrative for the better, given his manifesto. Ogun State is becoming as industrialised as Lagos State. Arguably, Ogun State is the home to the largest number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. On the last count, about 15 private universities, including the first-class ones, in Nigeria are domiciled in the State, implying that abundant skilled manpower to feed into the growing industries is being produced there. Many of the products of these institutions return to Ogun and Lagos for jobs.

Given the challenges posed by Lagos State’s development trajectory to Ogun State, the latter needs a well-experienced and articulate politician to steer the ship of State. I have seen and read Yayi’s “ITESIWAJU” manifesto for Ogun State, which is based on nine pillars and is appealing and represents a well-thought-out program. I wish to see the manifestos of the other contenders to confirm the quality of the opposition. What I have seen and which I am willing to share with you here gives me some confidence that Ogun is ready to compete with Lagos on industrialisation and job creation, infrastructure and agriculture, that might change the landlord-boys’ quarter relationship.

On infrastructure, Yayi’s manifesto promises focus on opening up economic corridors rather than building roads without clear economic value, and plans to establish an intra-state transportation system connecting major towns. Transformation of agriculture through mechanisation and farmer financing, and establishment of agro-industrial parks are major planks towards agricultural transformation. Under the Mining and Natural Resources/Industrial Expansion theme, the manifesto promises the establishment of a Solid Minerals Development Company to handle official licenses and joint ventures, as well as further pursuance of oil exploration in Ogun State and development of a 200-kilometre Coastal Energy Corridor stretching to Ondo State. He promised to extend the present Ogun West economic empowerment programme to the whole State and to reposition public finance to create greater fiscal space through transparency and accountability.

As a Senator for Ogun West, Yayi has given account of himself in many areas of human and physical development. I took my time to assess the performance of the Ogun State Senators in this dispensation in terms of human and physical development and found Yayi ahead of his peers. It is as if he was the only one who got a constituency allowance. Just as he made his presence felt while representing his party in Lagos State, he showcased himself in Ogun West. Hopefully, the other contestants in the State will produce their manifestos for public assessment.

Just last week, the Lagos State governorship candidate under the APC, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, presented a 100-point manifesto to a crowd of party members at his inauguration.   That is the way to go now. Apart from the Party manifesto, each candidate should present his/her manifesto, particularly at the governorship level, and people should be allowed to comment or ask questions then or thereafter. Our electoral preparation and processes should become more interesting in content and context. We should review qualifications for presenting oneself for election to different categories of positions.

The ability to comprehend the content of suggestions, ideas, and advice from partners or third parties is very important for leaders. The ability to understand global issues should be of significance to a Nigerian President. Let us put aside issues of indigeneity, though it is important, particularly when the people in the area claim to have accepted the candidature. That is how Lagos State operates, and that is why the state continues to make more progress than others. How many former governors of Lagos State are Lagosians? Even Yayi, in this case, has been proven to be from Ogun State and of Yewa extraction. Where you have all manner of good brains to run your community, you make progress quickly and consistently. Let the campaigns continue, and let them focus on issues of economic development to reduce poverty and social suffering.