By Yemi Ishola
Among the critical stakeholders who are championing the course of a power shift to Ogun West, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi) remains a delight. However, some people have misconstrued the salient support he derives from the teeming populace to mean that he is projecting himself to be the best among the prospective aspirants for the 2027 governorship election. It is not so far from it. Such insinuation can only come from those who envy his soaring reputation as a successful grassroots politician and people’s representative per excellence. Except, perhaps, for certain body language, he has not formally declared his intention to contest or not the election. Until he does that, everything remains in the realm of speculations. Of course, only the best is good for the marginalized Yewa/Awori people at this time. But let no one put words into his mouth. At present, his major preoccupation is to deliver on his electoral promise to make life better for his constituents. And he has been doing that in several ways through philanthropy and other benevolence gestures. When the time comes to decide who the cap fits, we shall cross the rubicon. For now, let the sleeping dog lie.
This clarification is against the background of a sponsored article in the media written by a hireling, who goes by the name, Hakeem Adisa from Idi-Iriko, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State. In the poorly composed piece, he made some wrong presumptions that question the integrity of the writer. On one hand, he accused Senator Yayi of flaunting money around to buy the governorship ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a smart move to beat his other contenders like Gboyega Isiaka, Adekunle Akinlade and Dimeji Bankole. His words: “As 2027 draws near, the Senator Yayi’s camp has embarked on strategies to clinch APC ticket and become the party’s flag bearer, in a party that Gboyega Isiaka and Adekunle Akinlade, Dimeji Bankole (former Speaker House of Representatives) who contested for the governorship seat in 2023 under the ADP platform and several others have returned to in full force and they are scheming to clinch same ticket being eyed by Yayi.” What a laughable presupposition!
How does this add up at a time when we are just barely one year into the second term of the administration of Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, leaving us with three more years before the next general elections? To the best of my knowledge, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to set the date for the release of the guidelines for the next transition. So, who are the delegates to the primaries of the party to pour money on to buy the ticket? Adeola is politically too advanced to fall into such permutation.
In another breadth, he raised a doubt about Adeola’s ancestry but did not substantiate it. There is nothing people with pernicious minds cannot do. However, for those who have a sense of critical analysis, these assumptions are not only distasteful, repugnant, and inherently pedestrian but also divisive. There is no need to dissipate energies on such frivolity in the guise of promoting individuals with similar ambitions.
It is too early in the day to begin to biker over who should be the consensus candidate to put forward to actualize the dream of Ogun West to produce the next governor. The time is also not auspicious for the for talent hunt. In simple terms, talent hunting is the process of finding the best candidate for a specific job role. In corporate governance, people use talent hunting to fill specialized roles. Usually, a talent hunter analyses individual professional requirements as a basis for the hiring process.
On this note, one can say without any equivocation that Adeola is on top of the game. He’s experienced, competent, humane, compassionate and kind-hearted. He has a passion for service delivery. Having been in the business of lawmaking for decades, the quintessential lawmaker remains the most tested and trusted person people can trust with their destiny to be in a higher capacity to govern them.
This is without prejudice to the rights of other intending aspirants inclined to serve the people. As a quick reminder, we have had the like Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (aka GNI), Adekunle Akinlade, and the late Gen Tunji Olurin contest the election before. They all failed to make it to the government house because of a lack of unity and collective support of the Yewa/Awori people. This time around, all the people are asking for in their quest for power shift is a united front to actualize their age-long dream to produce the next governor. And it can only be fair and just for every stakeholder in the state to support the aspiration of these marginalized people of Ogun West. By so doing, they are not taking it for granted that power will fall on their laps or that other zones do not have the right to aspire when the time comes. In a democracy, the freedom to vote and be voted for is an inalienable right of every citizen. However, we must all agree that Ogun West has been unjustly shortchanged in the scheme of things, and fairness and justice demand that a compromise be reached to allay the perceived fear of domination.
In as much as we cannot take it for granted that the ticket we would be given to anybody on a platter of gold, it is, therefore, imperative for the stakeholders in Ogun West to put forward a candidate that combines popularity with political acceptability. Without fear of contradiction, Senator Adeola Olamilekan embodies humility, popularity, and acceptability that make him a household name not only in his Ogun West Senatorial District but the state as a whole. And there is no other secret behind his rising profile other than his experience and unblemished record of service.
In Nigeria today, he is among the most experienced and respected members of the National Assembly. His experience spans over two decades of unbroken legislative career at the state and national levels combined. Over the years, he has cultivated the necessary trust and confidence that make people see him as a leading light. In a democracy, trust is the basic social capital that governs the relationship between the government and the people. Where there is a deficit of trust and confidence, there can be no sustainable symbiotic relationship. In all his years of service to his constituents, Adeola has always ensured that his aspiration aligns with the yearnings of the majority of his people. Apart from his close affinity with the underprivileged, he is always willing to give back to society.
The combined effect of good representation, philanthropy, and purposeful leadership makes him a light to his constituents. In terms of effective representation, there is a long list of legislative bills he has to his credit. The details of the bills, one after the other, are beyond the scope of this piece. The most recent of all is the proposed Bill for the establishment of a college of Geological Sciences and Cement Studies, Iselu, in Yewa North Local Government area of Ogun State. His foresight in proposing the bill is a further demonstration of his innate capacity for innovative ideas, legislative competence, purposeful representation as well as a genuine desire for good governance. When eventually approved, the college will be a veritable centre for learning and research. It will also improve the economy of the State and the country at large and by extension, enhance the quality of life and living conditions of the people of the area. The timing for the proposed legislation is even more auspicious especially now that the Federal Government has shown renewed commitment to the diversification of the economy from oil dependence to mineral development. Optimism is high that the bill will receive expeditious passage by the lawmakers which will be a good plus for the economy of Ogun State.
Other than his purposeful representation, Adeola’s reputation for philanthropy in his immediate constituent and beyond has no equal. For his benevolence gestures, he has left an imprint in the sound of time. Through his Foundation (Yayi Foundation), he has been giving awards of scholarship to youths of Ogun West willing to further their education in tertiary institutions of their choice nationwide. This has not stopped.
His philanthropic gestures have also continued to find resonance among the grassroots people in gthe areas of health service delivery, road infrastructures, rural electrification, human capital development, youth and women empowerment. For instance, he has donated three 300KVA/33KWA, five 500KVA/11KWA, and twelve 500KVA/33KWA electric transformers to 200 communities and Community Development Committees and Area (CDAs) across the five local governments of Ogun West Senatorial District to ameliorate the suffering of the communities which had been without power supply for over five years. While some communities, markets, and streets in Ogun West have benefitted from the borehole projects sponsored by Adeola, many others have also been enjoying street lights erected by him for ease of movement and security purposes.
As one of the leading figures who was instrumental to the emergence of the current leadership of the 10th Senate in alignment with the aspiration of the ruling party APC, Adeola is much aware of the enormity of the task before the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to alleviate the hardship of the present economy on the vulnerable members of the society. Leveraging his prime position as the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, he has consistently promised to give his best to the eradication of hunger and poverty in the land. By so doing, he’s already serving us with what to expect if given the opportunity to govern the state. Therefore, there is no need for talent hunting.
Ishola wrote from Oke Odan, Yewa South LGA of Ogun State
