Why ITESIWAJU matters to Ogun State and why the 2027 choice must be about the future
By Yinka Ogundimu
As the 2027 governorship election draws closer, the conversation in Ogun State must move beyond personalities, birth right or place, political affiliations and arguments that do little to put food on the table, create jobs, secure our communities or improve the quality of life of the ordinary citizens.
The ballot box is coming with the beginning of the collection of PVCs by every eligible VOTER. That ONE TOOL that makes or mar!
That said and known, the most important question should be: What is each candidate bringing to the table to make life better for the people of Ogun State?
Could that be why Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) has put forward ITESIWAJU for Ogun State, a nine-pillar development framework built around Infrastructure; Tourism and Creative Arts; Education and Human Capital Development; Security and Law Enforcement; Inclusive Health and Well-being; Women, Poverty Alleviation, Youth and Sports Development; Agricultural Transformation; Job Creation and Industrialisation; and Urban Renewal, Environmental Sustainability and Physical Planning.
Well thought out and very intentional. The idea is simple but profound: 9 Pillars. 1 Vision. A better Ogun for all. Wrapped around the Nine Pillars is the Orange Theme which I find very uncommon but says a lot about the person everyone is talking about and acknowledging in many ways.
THE ORANGE THEME: ENERGY, VIBRANCY AND THE PROMISE OF RENEWAL
A colour can capture attention, but performance must earn trust. The orange theme is most powerful when it is matched by a clear plan, measurable priorities, responsible use of public resources and transparent reporting on progress. That is how vibrancy becomes value — and how the promise of progress can translate into a better life for the people of Ogun State.
The symbolism is therefore both simple and demanding: orange represents the energy to act; the fruit reminds us that action must produce something people can feel in their daily lives. The real harvest should be better roads, safer communities, stronger schools and health services, productive farms, thriving businesses, decent jobs and greater opportunities for women and young people across Ogun Central, Ogun East and Ogun West.
The orange fruit adds another layer of meaning. It is associated with freshness, nourishment, vitality and the goodness that comes from a harvest.
A fruit is not valued simply because it looks bright; its value is realised when it nourishes people. In the same way, the promise of ITESIWAJU should ultimately be judged not by the brightness of its campaign, but by the practical benefits it can deliver to families and communities.
Since the campaign began, Yayi’s public engagements and presentation of the ITESIWAJU agenda have placed renewed attention on development priorities and the future of the state. The orange theme is helping make that message recognisable and consistent across: VIBRANCY, ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM—not just colour for colour’s sake, but a visual expression of energy directed towards infrastructure, jobs, education, security, health, agriculture and inclusive growth.
Colours can communicate a message before a speech is heard. In Yayi’s campaign, orange offers a vivid visual language for energy, enthusiasm, confidence and forward movement. It is a warm, highly visible colour often associated with optimism, creativity and action. These qualities provide a fitting metaphor for a campaign seeking to project momentum and a determination to move Ogun State forward.
I — INFRASTRUCTURE: CONNECTING THE PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY
Infrastructure is more than roads. It is the road that takes the farmer’s produce to market. The bridge that connects communities. The electricity that allows small businesses to operate. The water that protects public health. The school where children learn. The health centre where mothers and children receive care. The digital infrastructure that allows young people to participate in the modern economy.
Ogun Central: With Abeokuta as the state capital and major commercial and administrative activity concentrated around the axis, infrastructure investment can strengthen Central Ogun as a genuine administrative, cultural and economic hub. The communities around Ewekoro, Ifo, Obafemi Owode and Odeda also require infrastructure that supports both residential expansion and economic activities.
Ogun East: The East has enormous potential around Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ikenne, Odogbolu and emerging economic corridors. Improved roads, transport infrastructure, water, power and connectivity can make the district even more attractive for tourism, commerce, manufacturing and agriculture.
Ogun West: Infrastructure can be particularly transformative here. Better roads connecting farming communities to markets, stronger links to border communities, improved rural infrastructure and better transportation corridors can unlock an enormous agricultural and commercial economy.
Infrastructure must therefore be seen as an economic investment—not simply concrete and asphalt.
T — TOURISM and CREATIVE ARTS: TURNING OUR CULTURE INTO ECONOMIC VALUE
Ogun possesses something many places spend billions trying to manufacture: history, culture and identity.
From Olumo Rock and Abeokuta’s heritage, to the Ijebu cultural tradition and the globally recognised Ojude Oba, to Adire, festivals, music, film, fashion and indigenous arts, Ogun has the raw materials for a thriving cultural economy.
ITESIWAJU should therefore ask: How do we turn culture into jobs?
Imagine tourism corridors linking attractions with hotels, restaurants, transport operators, artisans, tour guides, performers and local businesses.
Imagine young people earning income from photography, filmmaking, fashion, digital content, music and event production. Imagine Ogun becoming a destination rather than simply a state people pass through.
Central Ogun can deepen the economic value of Olumo Rock, Abeokuta’s history, Adire and Egba heritage.
Ogun East can build on Ojude Oba, Ijebu cultural heritage, festivals, natural attractions and other tourism assets, like the Bilikisu Sungbo Grove.
Ogun West can develop its rich cultural history, border location, indigenous communities and natural resources into tourism and creative-economy opportunities.
Tourism should not merely mean visitors taking photographs. It should mean citizens earning.
E — EDUCATION and HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: INVESTING IN PEOPLE
No state can develop beyond the quality of its people.
Ogun’s greatest resource is not limestone, land or industrial estates. It is its people.
ITESIWAJU’s education pillar should therefore go beyond building classrooms. The real question is: What skills will Ogun’s children and young people need to compete in the economy of tomorrow?
Technical and vocational education, digital skills, entrepreneurship, STEM, teacher development and stronger links between schools and industry can help close the gap between education and employability.
A child in Ogun West should be able to acquire skills relevant to agriculture and agro-processing. A young person in Ogun Central should be able to access technology, creative and entrepreneurial opportunities. A graduate in Ogun East should not have to leave the state simply because there are insufficient opportunities to deploy his or her skills.
Human capital development must ultimately answer one question: what can our people do with the education they receive?
S — SECURITY and LAW ENFORCEMENT: DEVELOPMENT CANNOT THRIVE WITHOUT SAFETY
No investor wants to invest where people feel unsafe. No farmer wants to cultivate land where insecurity threatens his livelihood. No parent wants to send a child to school worried about safety. And no community can prosper when criminality is allowed to take root.
Ogun’s geographical position makes security particularly important. The state borders Lagos and other states and has international-border communities in the west.
ITESIWAJU’s security pillar therefore has implications for every district: Central needs safer urban communities and stronger protection of commercial areas; East needs security along industrial, commercial, rural and coastal corridors; and West requires stronger border and rural security, protecting farmers, traders and communities.
But security should also mean community partnerships, intelligence gathering, modern technology, emergency response and better support for law-enforcement personnel.
Security is not merely about fighting crime. It is about creating an environment where citizens can live, work and invest without fear.
I — INCLUSIVE HEALTH and WELL-BEING: GOVERNMENT MUST REACH THE VULNERABLE
A government cannot claim success if development is visible in major cities while mothers in rural communities struggle to access basic healthcare.
Inclusive healthcare means bringing quality healthcare closer to the people. Primary healthcare facilities need to function. Maternal and child health must receive attention. The elderly, persons living with disabilities and vulnerable families must not be forgotten.
Preventive healthcare should receive as much attention as treatment. Central needs healthcare that responds to rapidly expanding urban populations. East needs to serve both urban and rural communities across its nine LGAs. West requires particular attention to rural and dispersed communities where distance can become a barrier to healthcare.
The ultimate objective should be simple: Postcode should not determine the quality of healthcare one receives.
W — WOMEN, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, YOUTH and SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
This is perhaps one of the most important pillars because it speaks directly to the people who constitute the largest reservoir of Ogun’s future: women, young people and the poor.
Women need access to finance, markets, skills, technology and opportunities—not merely occasional empowerment items.
Young people need pathways from school to skills, enterprise and employment. Sports must be treated not merely as recreation but as an industry capable of producing athletes, coaches, administrators, entrepreneurs and international opportunities.
For women across Ogun’s communities, the question should be: Can the government create an ecosystem in which a woman can start small, grow her business and employ others? For young people: Will Ogun State continue to create opportunities here so that leaving the state becomes a choice rather than a necessity?
That is the difference between token empowerment and sustainable empowerment.
A — AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION: FROM FARMING TO AGRIBUSINESS
Agriculture remains one of the clearest opportunities for inclusive economic development.
But Ogun must move from simply encouraging people to farm to creating a complete agricultural value chain:
Land → production → storage → processing → transportation → markets → exports.
Ogun West has particularly significant potential across Yewa communities. Better rural roads, irrigation, storage, mechanisation and agro-processing can turn agricultural production into a stronger source of wealth.
Ogun Central can benefit from stronger links between farmers, markets, processors and the large urban population around Abeokuta and adjoining areas.
Ogun East can develop agriculture, aquaculture, oil palm and other value chains alongside its industrial and commercial economy, including opportunities around Ogun Waterside.The farmer should not remain at the bottom of the value chain. The objective should be to create farmers who become producers, processors, employers and exporters.
J — JOB CREATION and INDUSTRIALISATION: MAKING OGUN’S INDUSTRIAL ADVANTAGE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE
This may ultimately be one of the most consequential pillars.Ogun already possesses a huge industrial advantage, with major industrial clusters, economic development corridors and significant manufacturing activity. But the real test is: How much of this economic activity translates into prosperity for ordinary Ogun citizens?
ITESIWAJU should seek to build the bridge between investment and local prosperity.
That means skills development for young people, local supplier development, support for MSMEs, industrial training, access to finance, better infrastructure around industrial clusters and policies that encourage companies to employ and train people from Ogun.
The state should not simply be where factories are located. It should be where people build careers, businesses and wealth.
U — URBAN RENEWAL, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY and PHYSICAL PLANNING
Ogun is growing rapidly, thanks to the incumbent, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who has pursued urban regeneration, housing development, road improvements and initiatives aimed at modernising its towns.
These efforts deserve recognition as part of Ogun’s continuing journey. But the work of building a modern state is never completed during any administration’s eight-year cycle.
With a successful and peaceful handover coming in 2027, Ogun citizens may just be in for a jolly ride. As the state continues to attract more residents, industries and investors, urban expansion must be matched by adequate drainage, effective waste management, affordable housing, properly planned communities and more.
Growth without planning eventually creates congestion, flooding, environmental degradation and poorly organised settlements. Urban renewal therefore has to be about more than beautification. It must encompass proper physical planning, drainage, waste management, transportation, housing, green spaces, environmental protection and orderly development.
This is particularly important along fast-growing corridors connecting Ogun to Lagos. But it matters equally in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ota, Ilaro and other growing urban centres. A modern Ogun must be one where development is planned rather than merely allowed to happen.
BUT WHY YAYI?
This is where the conversation about ITESIWAJU becomes inseparable from the experience of the man proposing it.A development blueprint is only as credible as the capacity of the person expected to implement it.
Senator Adeola’s political trajectory has taken him through several layers of legislative responsibility. He served in the Lagos State House of Assembly, later became a member of the House of Representatives and chaired the Public Accounts Committee.
He subsequently served as Senator for Lagos West and chaired the Senate Committee on Finance before becoming Senator representing Ogun West in 2023 and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
That trajectory matters.
Because governing a state is not simply about having ideas. It is about understanding budgets, institutions, public finance, oversight, legislation, revenue, implementation and accountability.
A governor must understand where the money comes from, where it should go, how to prioritise competing needs, how to attract investment, how to monitor projects, how to demand accountability and how to make government expenditure produce measurable outcomes.
That is where Yayi’s experience in public accounts, finance and appropriations becomes potentially significant. The challenge before him, therefore, is to translate legislative and fiscal experience into executive delivery. That is the real test.
FROM THREE DISTRICTS TO ONE OGUN
Perhaps the most compelling feature of ITESIWAJU is that it provides an opportunity to stop thinking about Ogun as competing senatorial territories. Ogun Central has its strengths. Ogun East has its strengths. Ogun West has its strengths.
The objective should be to connect those strengths.
The Central can strengthen governance, education, culture, services and the creative economy.
The East can deepen its industrial, commercial, agricultural, tourism and coastal potential.
The West can unlock its agricultural, border, commercial and human-capital potential.
And all three can benefit from better infrastructure, security, healthcare, education, jobs and urban planning.
This is how a state develops: not by making one district prosperous at the expense of another, but by allowing every district to contribute its comparative advantage to a common prosperity.
THE REAL MEANING OF ITESIWAJU
At its heart, ITESIWAJU is not simply nine words beginning with nine letters. It is an argument about continuity, inclusion and purposeful development. Yayi has argued that viable projects should not be abandoned merely because they were initiated by a previous administration, but should be assessed according to their value to the people and continued where appropriate. That principle deserves consideration.
Government should not be about constantly starting afresh. Government should be about building. One administration lays a foundation. Another improves it. Another expands it. And ultimately, the people own the result.
THE BALLOT BOX IS COMING
In the months ahead, Ogun people will hear many promises. There will be slogans. There will be posters. There will be rallies. There will be political arguments. But beyond all of these, citizens should demand something more fundamental:
Show us how our taxes and public resources will be responsibly deployed.That is where ITESIWAJU deserves to enter the conversation. Because ultimately, the 2027 election should not merely be about who wants to occupy Oke-Mosan.
It should be about: Who has a credible vision for Ogun? Who has the experience to manage the resources required to deliver that vision? Who understands that Ogun is bigger than one senatorial district? And most importantly: Who can turn Ogun’s enormous potential into a better quality of life for the ordinary citizen?
9 PILLARS! ONE VISION!! ONE MAN!!! ONE OGUN!!!
A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL.
ITESIWAJU — The Progress of Ogun State.
LET’S GO PAINT THE TOWN ORANGE!
Yinka Ogundimu, a journalist and member of the Ogun APC Campaign Media Committee, is also the Chairman, Media Committee for Ijebu Federal Constituency Campaign
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