Adetunji Akeem ADEDEJI, YEWA LAWA
The political developments that unfolded yesterday should serve as a serious warning signal to Senator Adeola Olamilekan YAYI and his supporters. The resignation of Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo from the APC and the public endorsement of Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu (LADO) by respected elder statesman, Chief Joju Fadairo, are not isolated events. They are early indicators of a political tide that is gradually gathering strength ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
One fundamental mistake being made by YAYI’s camp is the assumption that what works in Ogun West will automatically work across Ogun State. Ogun West is not Ogun State. While it may be possible to gain influence within a particular senatorial district through the deployment of enormous financial resources and by appealing to sentiments surrounding the historical marginalisation of Ogun West, governing Ogun State requires far more than money and propaganda.
The reality is that Ogun people are politically sophisticated, highly enlightened, and deeply conscious of their identity. They understand the difference between genuine commitment and political investment. They know when a politician is pursuing development as a service to the people and when such projects are merely an investment aimed at securing future political returns.
Many Ogun residents have already begun asking a simple question: Where was this level of developmental activism when Senator YAYI held political offices in Lagos State? The records are available for public scrutiny. The sudden concentration of projects in Ogun West is being viewed by many as a strategic political calculation rather than an emotional attachment to Ogun State.
More importantly, leadership in Ogun State has always gone beyond roads, empowerment programmes, and financial inducements. It is about understanding the culture, history, aspirations, and political temperament of the people. It is about belonging to the soil and sharing a genuine connection with the land and its people.
This is where YAYI faces his greatest challenge.
The people of Ogun State know their own. They understand who grew with them, who shares their heritage, and who understands their struggles. No amount of money can manufacture roots where none exist. No political packaging can replace genuine identity and connection.
The growing realignments within the state’s political landscape are therefore not surprising. The decision of Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo to part ways with the APC and the endorsement of LADO by Chief Joju Fadairo may only be the beginning of a much larger movement that will unfold before 2027. More respected voices, community leaders, political stakeholders, and ordinary citizens are likely to make their positions known as the election approaches.
If these signals are interpreted correctly, they point to one clear message: Ogun State is not for sale.
The belief that bags of money can purchase the collective conscience of Ogun people is a dangerous miscalculation. The people of Ogun State are not commodities in a marketplace. They are proud, intelligent, and politically aware citizens who understand the implications of their choices.
As 2027 approaches, Senator YAYI may discover that political wealth can buy crowds, generate headlines, and create temporary excitement, but it cannot buy acceptance where genuine connection is absent.
In the end, Ogun people will decide whether to entrust their future to one of their own who understands the state, its heritage, and its aspirations, or to embrace what many perceive as an external political project.
The signs emerging today suggest that the answer may already be taking shape.
Adetunji Akeem ADEDEJI,
Founder YEWA LAWA, Journalist, Political Commentator, Mobilizer.
