Governor Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, is still far from the midpoint of his second term gotten in 2023 election, yet the contest for control of the state’s political soul is fervently underway. The current early birds political landscape evokes memories of the Berlin Conference of 1886, where Africa’s fate was decided without its consent via the scramble and partition by the western world.
Already, names are surfacing especially within the ruling party, as we hear of “Odidi” the gravitation towards “Aabo” is sweeping across the state. This environment exposes two unsettling truths- first, poverty has been weaponized by the political elite, reducing citizens to mere pawns and willing captives readily manipulated by those with financial clout. Second, there exists the looming threat of a tyranny of the majority.
Today, one might be forgiven for believing that the principal qualification for governorship in Oyo State is being a native of Ibadan, the state capital. Given that Ibadan commands over 50 percent of the state’s voting power, it begs the question- who will champion Oke-Ogun’s aspirations to produce the next governor? What triggered this poser will be addressed in the subsequent paragraphs.
In a truly democratic society, the birthplace of a leader should hold little significance, as the implicit social contract between the governed and their leaders promises fair dealing, such that every interest can be protected. Regrettably, Nigeria’s brand of democracy, which elevates and exalts powerful personalities while creating weak institutions has made the origin of its leaders a critical determinant in the allocation of resources.
Oke-Ogun, the larger part of Oyo North senatorial district, comprises ten sprawling local government areas. This zone not only suffers from geographic isolation but also from the scant attention it receives in terms of federal and state development initiatives. For many residents of this marginalized region, their shared dream or collective aspiration is to witness the day when one of their own ascends the governorship position of Oyo State.
Alas, the odds are formidable. Beyond the entrenched ‘winner- takes all’ mindset that permeates Nigeria’s political fabric, both at national and sub- national levels, Oke-Ogun’s internal political fissures serve as a further bottleneck.
The zone’s most significant political achievement occurred in 1999, when it secured the positions of deputy governor and secretary to the state government. Since then, however, Oke-Ogun’s influence in Oyo State’s political sphere has diminished and dwindled, even attempts by its few ambitious politicians to challenge the established order have been brazenly and wickedly quashed.
The question thus arises, what future awaits this neglected zone, particularly when faced with ‘powerful’ individuals who are unwilling to extend the full benefits of democracy to the region, except for the crumbs designed to perpetuate a master-slave relationship between the ruling elite and the people? For example, during the last round of ministerial appointments, it was rumored that Oyo’s chances to produce a second ministerial slot was bungled allegedly beacuse the power that be insisted designate must come from outside the state capital.
As though these challenges were not enough, Oke-Ogun remains trapped in the bitter and toxic political culture of the Second Republic. While other regions in Oyo State and beyond have largely transcended the divisiveness and toxic of that era, many local politicians in this zone continue to be fixated in animosity and old rivalries.
Even now, more than a year after the 2023 general elections, political animosity, lingering resentments, and deep-seated grievances over lost and won political battles in the last elections persist among local politicians in that zone. It remains doubtful whether the broken relationships and fractured family ties resulting from those elections have been mended, even when the struggle for political power ahead of 2027 has reached advanced stage. How, then, can such a politically toxic region hope to break free from the dominance of the majority and produce its own governor?
I was at a training during the week, where many local politicians from the zone were participants, in some of our engagements while the training lasted, I pitied my kinsmen with entrenched stone age political ideology. One old man, who by his appearance should be a ward chairman of a political party said he would rather divorce his wife than allowing her to support different political party, all attempt to disabuse his mind that politics is merely a game of number made no sense to the man in his advanced age.
When the slogan “Oke-Ogun Lokan” surfaced during the last election to promote the senatorial ambition of Hon. Shina Peller, it occured to the discerning minds that it’s doomed to fail, Why? Because politics in Oke-Ogun appears to be bi-polar exercise, allegiances are almost immutable, despite the increasingly indistinct ideological differences between the parties.
It is profoundly disheartening to observe that in many parts of the region, political loyalty supersedes even family ties. As many glorified local politicians are eager to severe family relationship on the alter of politics, the instance given earlier suffices.
In view of the above, me think leaders of thoughts in Oke-Ogun have a lot of role to play with aggressive sensitization and awareness that self preservation is the first law, hence, hardline in the name of political affiliation should be softened, such that if any of the two dominant political parties ceded its ticket to the zone, all should form a common bound.
Until these archaic and counterproductive political attitudes are confronted and eradicated, the prospect of an Oke-Ogun person occupying Agodi Government House as governor may remain a distant dream for years to come.
Dayo Ogunsola, an Oke-Ogun man, writes from Abuja. He can be reached via ogunsola.dayo@yahoo.com
