Omooba Segun Adewale
Politics is often a contest of ideas, records, and visions. Unfortunately, when opponents run out of convincing arguments, they sometimes resort to attacking personalities and questioning identities. Such appears to be the case with the recent claim by the Ogun State PDP that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, is a “stranger” who should not be entrusted with the governorship of Ogun State.
The statement is not only unfortunate; it is insulting to the intelligence of the people of Ogun West and, indeed, to the entire Ogun State.
One is compelled to ask: since when did it become the responsibility of political actors from other parts of Ogun State to determine who belongs to Yewa land and who does not? Can an Ijebu man tell Yewa-Awori people who their son is? Can an Egba politician become the custodian of Yewa ancestry and heritage? The answer is simple: No.
The people of Yewa-Awori know their sons and daughters. They know their families, their roots, their history, and their contributions to the development of the region. The attempt by political opponents to suddenly question Senator Adeola’s origin is not only disingenuous but also a desperate strategy designed to distract voters from the real issues before Ogun State.
The facts are clear. Senator Solomon Adeola traces his ancestry to Ogun West. His family roots are deeply established in Yewa land. Long before he became a Senator representing Ogun West, the people of the district knew him, welcomed him, and embraced him as one of their own. His emergence in Ogun politics was not imposed from outside; it was accepted and validated by the very people whose ancestry some politicians now seek to interpret for them.
*It is important to remind critics that Nigerians have never judged leaders solely by where they were born. Chief Obafemi Awolowo built his political base in the old Western Region beyond his Ikenne roots. In more recent times, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu traces his ancestry to Iragbiji, Osun State, yet he was elected Senator for Lagos West in 1992 and Governor of Lagos State in 1999 because Lagosians embraced him as their own. Today, the same man is President of Nigeria.
*Across the country, numerous Nigerians have contested and won elections outside their ancestral states. The people choose them based on capacity, service, and acceptance, not birthplace. Why should Senator Adeola be treated differently? The answer is obvious: because his rising profile has unsettled opponents.
The growing popularity of Yayi across Ogun State has unsettled political opponents. His record of public service, constituency development, educational interventions, healthcare support, empowerment programmes, and grassroots engagement has resonated strongly with ordinary citizens. Rather than challenge his achievements, critics have chosen to challenge his identity. But identity cannot be rewritten for political convenience.
The people of Ogun West have waited patiently for decades to produce a governor of Ogun State. Since the creation of the state in 1976, governorship power has rotated largely between Ogun East and Ogun Central. Today, there is an overwhelming consensus across the state that Ogun West deserves a fair opportunity to occupy the state’s highest office.
The emergence of Senator Adeola as the leading aspirant from Ogun West is therefore not merely about an individual. It represents a historic aspiration of a people who have consistently demonstrated loyalty, patience, and commitment to the progress of Ogun State.
Those who seek to deny Ogun West this opportunity by questioning the identity of one of its most prominent sons should remember that history cannot be altered through political rhetoric.
The people of Yewa-Awori know who Senator Solomon Adeola is. They know where he comes from. They know his family. They know his journey. Most importantly, they know his commitment to their welfare and development. No amount of propaganda can change those realities.
As the 2027 governorship election approaches, the debate should focus on competence, vision, character, capacity, and track record. Ogun people deserve meaningful conversations about economic development, infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, industrialisation, youth empowerment, and security.
Reducing political discourse to questions of ancestry is not only divisive but also a disservice to democracy. The people of Ogun State are wiser than that.
And the people of Yewa do not need anyone from outside their region to tell them who their son is.
History has already answered that question.
Omooba Segun Adewale frpa is a brand strategist, communications expert & Group Managing Director of 24-7 Communications Ltd. Lagos.
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