By Olanrewaju Fatunmbi
Without being judgmental, it is now more understandable why genuine patriots in Ogun West will want Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi) to throw his hat in the ring for the 2027 governorship election. They are sincerely and convincingly canvassing for him as the best option available among others to present to the State for the epic contest. In doing so, they are taking a cue from the wisdom of elders that often informs the common saying that “it is more humane to proceed from the known with caution than a giant stride into the unknown”. Arguably, Adeola is already a tested and trusted hand as his contribution to the development of the Yewa/Awori land remains unequalled and unparalleled.
With what the stakeholders saw on Friday, October 25, in the serial commissioning of several projects he facilitates to his constituency, they are well convinced in their strident call that he will make the state an envy of others if given the mandate to be Governor.
Though he is one among the equals, the developmental projects he has sponsored in the senatorial district within the short period of his tenure in the Senate give him a competitive edge over his peers who are similarly eyeing the highest seat in the State. That is a topic for another day anyway.
Currently, the commissioning of road infrastructures connecting different parts of Ogun West is still the talking point. The event brought together stakeholders across political divides who wanted to catch a glimpse of what the Senator extraordinary and excellent philanthropist of no mean guile had done to improve the socio-economic lives of his people. You could touch the palpable excitement that filled the air during the tape-cutting ceremony. The glamour of it all is the open endorsement of his governorship ambition by the young, the old, men and women of calibre chorusing “Yayi ni”, “Yayi ni joo”.
Of course, it is not an occasion for a campaign of any sort. However, it is not too surprising that they so clamoured, given that he warmed his way into the minds of the grassroots people through several other life-impacting projects covering health, education, social safety nets, scholarship schemes, youth, and women’s empowerment he had earlier initiated and completed.
Notable among communities that benefitted from the latest developmental projects facilitated by Adeola are in Imeko-Afon, Yewa South and Yewa North Local Government Areas. In Imeko-Afon, the people were excited by the Ilara Ultra-modern Market, Ilara, Iwoye Police Station, the Primary Health Centre at General Hospital, Imeko, ICT Centre at Nazareth High School, the newly constructed Area 5/Immigration Road, a block of 12 classrooms at Imeko Comprehensive College, Imeko, a block of 12 classrooms at Community High School, Afon, Afon Township Road, Afon and Owode Afon Ultramodern Townhall, Owode, among others.
These align with his commitment to quality service delivery and his vision for sustainable development. As can be seen from the various edifices commissioned in sequential order, the projects aim to enhance infrastructure, boost the local economy, and improve access to essential services, including health, education, security, and infrastructure, in the larger interest of the entire community.
The story resonates among the residents of Yewa South Local Government who trooped out in their numbers to witness the commissioning of the ICT centre at the School of Nursing, Ilaro. The state-of-the-art facilities provided at the centre make the School the best in Ogun State. Not only that, at Oke-Odan, where Ọba Rótìmí Fagbenro commissioned the newly built primary health centre, the people could not hide their joy. In his outburst of emotional excitement, Chief Lekan Otemoye praised Senator Adeola’s efforts, saying “only Yayi can do this type of project.” The community leaders also prayed for his continued success.
At Pahayi, the Golden Sister Indigenous group welcomed the community to the newly constructed primary health centre with traditional entertainment. The hallmark of the project in this local government was the commissioning of the Intensive Care Unit (ICT) at the state hospital, Ilaro, where the Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bolanle Lateefat Àjàyí represented Senator Adeola.
In her keynote address, she applauded his performance, noting that he had delivered more dividends of democracy than any of his predecessors in the Ogun West Senatorial District.
As the security of lives and property forms part of the essential ingredients of an integrated development plan, Adeola also saw the need for a Police POST at Pahayi and facilitated it to enhance the safety of the community.
These gestures further attest to his commitment to the overall well-being of the people of his constituency. With continuous improvement in healthcare service delivery, education, and security, Ogun West remains an envy of others.
To ensure that the communities take ownership of these projects, Adeola’s office has enjoined the concerned beneficiaries to ensure proper maintenance, assuring that it will continue to monitor the impacts and identify areas of further development. It, therefore, encouraged them to make optimal use of the facilities and provide feedback for future improvement.
In line with his promise not to leave any part of Ogun West out in the scheme of things, all he did was to ensure that each Local Government was served based on the peculiar needs of its people. Thus, like others, Yewa North equally had its fair share of the life-impacting projects the beneficiary communities will remain eternally grateful for.
Here, Adeola (Yayi) commissioned two significant educational projects. These included a 12-classroom block at Ansar Ur Deen Primary School in Igbogila and another 12-classroom building at Technical College in Joga Quarter, Ayetoro. While Chief Olu Agemo performed the tape-cutting ceremony for Ansar Ur Deen, Rt. Hon. Suraju Adekunbi, a former Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, declared that the Technical College, Joga Quarter, opened. Chief Agemo charged the community members to support Senator Yayi in his political career, urging them to reciprocate his gestures. In the same way, Adekunbi commended him for the judicious use of his office for the development of his constituent, noting his commitment to good representation.
Apart from these, other major projects constructed included the Omidokun Ultra Modern Hall, Ayetoro, Isle Araba Road and Èbúté Igbooro Road. Hon. Haruna Egungbohun, member, of Ogun State House of Assembly, while performing the commissioning ceremony of Igbooro Road, showered encomiums on Yayi for putting the people of Ogun West as the topmost priority of his representation.
Oba Azeez Adelakun, Alaye of Ayetoro, who represented Senator Adeola, commissioned Omidokun Ultra Modern Hall, amid a loud chanting of “Yayi ní jọọ, “Yayi ni jàre,” symbolising the declaration of their total support for his governorship ambition. The monarch called for effective collaboration among the stakeholders to ensure proper maintenance and sustainability of the project. He noted that his efforts had earned him a place of pride as a champion of development and a true advocate of the people.
Similarly, in Yewa South, Adeola dazzled the people with multiple projects aimed at transforming the lives of his constituents. Expectedly, the commissioning took place amid pomps and pageantry.
All of these projects merely added to the number of other critical infrastructures he had sponsored or facilitated for the development of Ogun West and the state in general. In road interconnectivity, human capital development, healthcare service delivery, security, and purposeful representation, among others, Adeola has stamped his feet in the sand of time.
As a demonstration of his commitment to human capital development, he had earlier before now facilitated the construction of 156 classrooms with other facilities in some select schools across the senatorial district. This is in addition to the Information, Technology Communication Centres (ICT) facilities he had also constructed at various centres within the senatorial district. To enhance the quality environment for learning, he equally supplied School Furniture for 25 Primary, Secondary and post-secondary schools in the state.
The recent commissioning of a block of classrooms and office complexes at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, and Federal College of Education (FCE), Osiele Abeokuta, all in Ogun State, is also another testament to his commitment to qualitative education for the youths of his constituency, and the state, at large.
All this is in his way of giving back to society and fulfilling his electoral promises. He can never be tired of giving because of his generosity of mind and the philanthropic spirit in him. With total commitment and compassion, he has dedicated his life to transforming the socio-economic condition of his constituents through infrastructure development and community projects. So far, his efforts have not gone unnoticed, as his name continues to resonate among the grassroots people.
Fatunmbi wrote from Okeagbede, Imeko-Afon LGA, Ogun State
