By Segun Adewale
History often moves slowly, but when it turns, it rewards those who refused to give up. Today, just three months after Ogun State celebrated her 50 years of existence, it appears a new chapter is being written in the history of Ogun State.
For the first time since the birth of our dear state, Ogun West stands on the threshold of producing a broadly accepted governorship candidate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The emergence of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, fondly called Yayi, as consensus candidate is not merely a political development, it is the climax of a fifty-year struggle for equity, justice, inclusion, and balance.
Ogun State was created on February 3, 1976, from the old Western State, with Abeokuta as its capital. Since then, the state has grown into one of Nigeria’s most strategic economic and industrial hubs. It has produced eminent sons and daughters who have contributed immensely to national development. Yet, in the politics of governorship, one question remained unresolved: when would Ogun West have its turn?
Since inception, the governorship of Ogun State has largely rotated between Ogun Central and Ogun East. From military administrators to civilian governors, the balance of political power consistently tilted away from Ogun West.
The state witnessed the leadership of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo from Ogun East during the Second Republic. In the Fourth Republic came Chief Olusegun Osoba from Ogun Central, followed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel from Ogun East, Senator Ibikunle Amosun from Ogun Central, and Prince Dapo Abiodun from Ogun East. This pattern, whether by political design or entrenched influence, left Ogun West perpetually waiting.
For decades, the people of Yewa-Awori land watched patiently, contributed loyally, voted faithfully, and supported every administration. Yet when the highest office in the state was to be decided, Ogun West was repeatedly asked to wait for another day.
That “another day” has taken fifty years. But history does not change on its own. It changes because some people refuse to be silent.
My personal involvement in the struggle for Ogun West governorship began in 2007. At a time when many believed the cause was impossible, I committed myself fully to the campaign for fairness and political inclusion. I joined voices with patriots, community leaders, youths, professionals, and traditional stakeholders who believed Ogun West deserved not charity, but justice.
By 2011, we intensified the movement to actualise the Ogun West agenda. We traversed communities, held meetings, built alliances, and argued our case in every political space available. Yet the resistance was fierce. The old political order was determined to maintain the status quo. Still, we did not surrender.
In 2015, I personally stepped forward to contest for the governorship under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against all odds. It was not an ambition driven by self-interest; it was a symbolic and practical declaration that Ogun West could no longer be ignored. The path was difficult. There were internal intrigues, systemic barriers, and deliberate efforts to frustrate the aspiration of our zone. But we stood firm.
That candidacy helped to further awaken consciousness across the state that Ogun West was ready, capable, and deserving.
In 2019, the agitation continued. Again in 2023, many forces emerged to suppress or divide the momentum. Yet every setback only strengthened our resolve. The movement was bigger than any one election cycle. It had become a generational mission.
Personally, the sacrifices have been immense, time, resources, relationships, comfort, and political opportunities were all placed on the altar of justice for Ogun West. Many times, the road was lonely. Many times, the dream looked distant. But every struggle for fairness demands endurance. Today, that endurance has borne fruit.
The emergence of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi as the consensus candidate of the APC is a defining moment in Ogun State politics. It is a recognition of competence, political capacity, wide acceptability, and above all, the moral necessity of allowing Ogun West take its rightful place in the leadership of our state.
To many of us who have fought this battle for years, this moment is fait accompli: a struggle well fought, a victory long deserved.
But the task is not yet complete. Consensus within a party is only the first step. The final mandate rests with the people. Therefore, I call on all sons and daughters of Yewa-Awori land, and indeed all fair-minded citizens across Ogun State, to rise in unity and purpose. Let us mobilise massively, register, vote, and defend every vote. Let us prove that patience, loyalty, and sacrifice are not in vain.
Let us ensure that come 2027, one of our own, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi, takes his rightful seat in Oke-Mosan Government House, Abeokuta. This is more than politics. This is history calling. And Ogun West must answer.
Omooba Segun Adewale frpa(OSA) is a Politician and Communications Expert
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