By David Babalola
Photos L-R: Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, Hon Dimeji Bankole, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, Hon Jelili Kayode Amusan and Pastor Tunde Lemo
Ogun State’s political landscape is highly competitive, driven by a politically active citizenry and significant influence from some major Yoruba sub-groups, such as Egba, Ijebu, Remo, Yewa and Awori, among many others.
As the race for the 2027 governorship seat hots up, these political dynamics are once again coming into the fore in shaping public perception and politics.
In the Ogun Central Senatorial District, which has the Egba as the main indigenous stock, the current cry is what they term their marginalization in executive positions under the incumbent administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun, in which they are neither governor nor deputy governor.
They fear the next eight years, from 2027, may be a repeat of the previous eight. That will be 16 unbroken years of being in the political wilderness in a state in which they have a significant population, they say.
By definition, political marginalization is the systematic exclusion of specific groups from political processes, decision-making, and power structures, pushing them to the periphery of influence.
In their cry of marginalization and the quest for 2027 gubernatorial slot, the people of Ogun Central Senatorial District also say no Egba son or daughter is currently occupying any of the five topmost Executive positions in Ogun State, namely the Governorship, Deputy Governorship, Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff to the Governor and the State Head of Service.
In the current dispensation, the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun is from Iperu-Remo in the Ogun East Senatorial District.
His deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele is an Awori, from Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area in Ogun West Senatorial District.
The Secretary to the Ogun State Government is Mr Tokunbo Joseph Talabi. He is from Ijebu-Oru, Ogun East Senatorial District.
The Chief of Staff to the Ogun State Governor is Dr Emmanuel Oluwatoyin Taiwo from Ifonyintedo in the Ipokia Local Government, Ogun West Senatorial District.
The Ogun State Head of Service is Mr. Kehinde Olufemi Onasanya. He hails from the Ijebu North East Local Government Area, which is in the Ogun East Senatorial District.
Ogun Central people equally argue that Commissioners of ‘key ministries’ are drawn from Ogun East and West, leaving officials from their zone to occupy only those of lesser significance.
OGUN STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
OGUN EAST
- Prince Dapo Abiodun CON
Executive Governor - Mr. Olatokunbo Joseph Talabi
Secretary to the State Government - Mr. Kehinde Olufemi Onasanya
Head of Service - TPL. Olatunji O. Odunlami FNITP
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development - Mr. Dapo Okubadejo
Commissioner for Finance & Chief Economic Adviser - Mr. Ola Oresanya
Commissioner for Environment - Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu
Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology - Engr. Adebowale Olayinka Akinsanya
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure - Mr. Bolu Owotomo
Commissioner for Agriculture - Mr. Ademola Balogun
Commissioner for Community Development & Cooperatives - Mrs. Funmi Efuwape
Commissioner for Special Duties & Inter-Governmental Affairs - Engr. Gbenga Dairo
Commissioner for Transportation
OGUN WEST
- Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele FNSE Deputy Governor
- Dr. Emmanuel Oluwatoyin Taiwo
Chief of Staff - Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan
Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning - Hon. Fagbayi Sesan
Commissioner for Culture and Tourism - Jagunmolu Jamiu Akande Omoniyi
Commissioner for Housing - Hon. Wasiu Adeniran Isiaka
Commissioner for Sports Development
OGUN CENTRAL
- Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN
Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice - Hon. Engr. Taiwo Oludotun
Commissioner for Forestry - Dr. Tomi Coker
Commissioner for Health - Hon. Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development - Mr. Adebola Emmanuel Sofela
Commissioner for Commerce & Industry - Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat
Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs - Mrs. Olufemi Ilori-Oduntan
Commissioner for Rural Development
On the complaint of marginalization by Ogun West, critics retort that they have been calling the shots with Ogun East to the exclusion of Ogun Central since the inception of the Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration. They equally argue that the senatorial district has produced two deputy governors, each serving two terms
and holding fort in office for a total of 16 years by 2027. The deputy governors are Alhaja Salmot Makanjuola Badru, from Ipokia and Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, from Ado-Odo Ota.
Another snag in Ogun West governorship bid, is the vociferous YEWA LOKAN campaign, which critics say, shows disregard for other sub ethnic groups in the Senatorial District, such as Awori, Ohori, Anago, Ketu Egun and Egba.
As things stand today, the people of Ogun Central are saying another eight years out of the mainstream of Ogun State executive decision making organ is unacceptable to them.
They also point to the quality of individuals from the zone that have signified their intention to contest for the governorship position on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Top among these, being Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR, a grassroots politician with a long history of public service. Isola has been local government chairman, Secretary to the State Government, a Minister and member of the Federal Executive Council and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK.
Also in the race is Right Honourable Dimeji Bankole, former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
There is also Senator (Professor)
Iyabo Obasanjo, a former Commissioner for Health in Ogun State and also a former Senator Representing Ogun Central.
Honourable Jelili Kayode Amusan, a former two-term House of Representatives has also indicated interest from Ogun Central.
The latest entrant into the race from the district is Pastor Tunde Lemo OFR, a forner deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Significantly, Ogun West’s campaign has been inextricably interwoven with that of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, whose indigenship of Ogun State has been dogged by controversy.
Senator Adeola began his political career as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly (2003–2011), representing Alimosho State Constituency 2. He was also a member of the House of Representatives (2011–2015) during which he represented Alimosho Federal Constituency, Lagos. Afterwards, he represented Lagos West in the Senate for two terms (2015–2023) before switching over to Ogun State in 2023 to represent Ogun West in the Senate.
*David Babalola wrote from Sango Ota.
