The Political Drums Begin to Beat
As the 2027 elections draw closer, Oyo State’s political landscape is once again stirring with ambition. From the heart of Ibadan, the state’s traditional seat of power, familiar gladiators are already sharpening their political swords. Meetings in smoky backrooms, subtle consultations across party lines, and whispers of zoning dominate the air. Yet amid all the noise, a moral question demands an answer: When will Oke Ogun be given a fair chance to lead?
For decades, the Oke Ogun region — the state’s agricultural backbone and cultural treasure — has remained steadfast in loyalty and support for successive governments. It feeds the state, fuels its commerce, and supplies massive electoral numbers. Yet, it has never been allowed to produce a governor. Oyo’s political compass has swung repeatedly between Ibadan and Ogbomosho, leaving Oke Ogun in the cold.
That imbalance can no longer be justified.
Beyond Numbers: The Case for Fairness
Politics is often described as a game of numbers and interests, but no game endures forever if it ignores fairness and equity. True statesmanship begins when power is used to balance the scales, not tip them further. Ibadan has had its turns, Ogbomosho too. But Oke Ogun — from Iseyin to Saki, from Otu to Igboho — has watched patiently from the sidelines.
If Oyo truly believes in inclusive governance, then 2027 must not be business as usual.
Ogbomosho, in particular, should remember the unwavering support it received from Oke Ogun when one of its own, the late Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, rose to prominence. It is time to return that solidarity. Justice in politics is not about pity; it is about principle.
Lessons from the Nation’s History
Nigeria’s national story offers a telling parallel. When President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of Katsina State died in office, the political establishment could have easily found excuses to block Goodluck Ebele Jonathan — a man from Bayelsa, a small oil-rich state in the Niger Delta — from taking over. But fairness prevailed. The principle of balance and unity overrode raw politics. That single decision strengthened the nation’s fragile peace and gave the South-South region a sense of belonging.
What Nigeria did for Bayelsa, Oyo State must now do for Oke Ogun. Not out of sentiment, but for the sake of equity and stability.
The Spirit of “Not Too Young to Rule”
Oke Ogun is not short of competence. It is brimming with administrators, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and public servants with integrity. The “Not Too Young To Rule” generation is alive and active there — bold, creative, and eager to lead with purpose. These are men and women who understand that leadership today is not just about wielding power, but about transforming lives and building inclusive prosperity.
The time has come for Oyo to look beyond the old cycle of political recycling. Let fresh vision rise from the fields and hills of Oke Ogun, where loyalty meets labor, and tradition meets innovation.
The Ibadan Factor: Statesmanship or Domination?
Ibadan remains the political powerhouse of Oyo State, no doubt. But leadership comes with moral responsibility. The true test of Ibadan’s political maturity is not in how much power it can retain, but in how justly it can share it. Supporting an Oke Ogun candidate will not diminish Ibadan’s influence; it will immortalize its reputation as a city of fairness and foresight.
Power hoarded breeds resentment; power shared builds legacy.
The Verdict of History
When the story of Oyo 2027 is finally written, history will not celebrate who spent the most money or who shouted the loudest. It will celebrate who stood for fairness. It will remember whether Ibadan and Ogbomosho chose to act as partners in justice or as custodians of imbalance.
Oke Ogun is not asking for favor — it is asking for its rightful place at the table. The zone has been patient long enough. It has given much, and now it asks only for what democracy promises: equity.
If Oyo State must truly embody unity in diversity, then its leadership must reflect every region’s hope. The next chapter must be written in the ink of justice — and that ink flows from Oke Ogun.
The time is now. Oke Ogun must lead.
Akinwale Atepe writes from Abeokuta.
