A staunch supporter of Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola has provided a glimpse into his new strategy to become the Governor of Ogun State.

Adeola, more famously known as Yayi, is a leading contender in the race to determine the next Governor of Ogun State.

Although he insists that the decision over who becomes the gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election remains in the hands of party leaders, his purposeful facilitation of development in his senatorial zone and empowerment efforts across the state continue to fuel speculation about his ambitions.

Senator Yayi represents the best chance in years for the people of Yewa—a low-vote area—to produce a governor for the first time since the state was created in February 1976.

A new revelation by Kayode Odunaro, the Senator’s media adviser, provides insight into the added dimension of Yayi’s gubernatorial ambition.

“Vacation over. Got back to Nigeria this morning. Visited Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, FCA’s mother’s newly constructed family house at Kemta, Abeokuta. As they say in Nigerian parlance, ‘E get why.’ The combo of West and Central in Ogun 2027 is being critically analyzed with projections and permutations ongoing. One more box ticked off… The train will soon start moving… many are boarding as we speak. If you know, you know… if not, forget about it ooo,” Odunaro posted on Sunday, September 1, 2024, along with some pictures – including the featured.

It was gathered that this development allows Senator Yayi to position himself as an aspirant from Ogun Central—a larger vote area. 

This move counters attempts by political adversaries to sponsor an aspirant from Ogun Central to disrupt his gubernatorial ambition.

Based on an informal zoning arrangement, Ogun Central and Ogun West are eligible to produce the next Governor because the outgoing Governor, Dapo Abiodun, is from Ogun East.

Ogun East and Ogun Central have alternated in producing the state Governor since 1976, based on a unique understanding. This arrangement has been maintained by political leaders who leverage the continuous disputes within Ogun West, which have prevented political players in the region from presenting a united front.

Senator Adeola Yayi has not been immune to these disputes. Despite his strong following in the senatorial district—particularly among youths due to his unprecedented initiatives—he is still viewed as an outsider who does not fully represent the region by some. This perception is partly due to his extensive association with the politics of Lagos State.

Before being elected the Senator representing Ogun West in 2023, Yayi was the Senator representing Lagos West—a position preceded by his tenure as a member of the Federal House of Representatives from Lagos and as a Lagos State House of Assembly member.

Recent reports indicate that the testimonials from his 55th birthday celebration, highlighting the development he has attracted to Ogun West since becoming Senator, suggest that Yayi is gradually overcoming opposition to his ambition in Ogun West. 

His efforts reflect his experience as a legislator and his deep connections within the political landscape, established during his years of active politicking in Lagos State. However, enhanced progress appeared to be desired, prompting him to also establish a foothold in Ogun Central.

It is to my surprise that report from the purported stakeholders meeting held by Mr. Governor yesterday was all a one-way report.

In a statement released on the official page of Mr. Governor,  Prince Dapo Abiodun was quoted saying “In light of the current situation, we have decided to provide our citizens with essential food items such as rice, garri, and beans. I have arranged for nearly 100 trailers of rice to be delivered, with offloading beginning tomorrow.

To ensure fair distribution, we have decided that the elderly and vulnerable will receive the rice free of charge, while others will be able to purchase it at the original price before the increase in the value of the dollar. This will allow us to sustain the initiative until the dollar issue is resolved” the statement reads.

Surprisingly, the Governor and his policy team seem like playing hide-and-seek games with us in the state. Have they forgotten that Ogun State has the highest number of tertiary institutions in the country, which translates to a high level of intellectual exposure?

How on earth will the Governor now publicly say “nearly 100 trailers of rice”? Are there no figures of bags?!, the word “nearly” means no specification in quantity to be supplied.

We are in this situation as a nation because our past leaders trusted some people with the affairs of our economy, I am sure Mr Governor is also trusting some misguided people with this kind of sensitive policy.

“Rice will be distributed, Rice will be sold”, where is the room for accountability, when we don’t even have a figure for the total rice sourced? How much was a bag of rice sold before the increase in dollars?!, all of this information was not made available which amounts to the whole intervention being very shady; lacking merit and transparency which is further borne down by the fact that Mr. Governor is practically playing with us. A Policy of the Government such as this, shouldn’t be done on assumptions without clarity.

This policy is practically spelt out as a way of intentional extortion and embezzlement of our hard-earned taxpayers’ money and the Governor must write a query to those behind this ill-planned policy.

Also, who are the Elders and Vulnerables to benefit from the free rice?! How was the list of Elders and Vulnerable people sourced for and compiled?! When will this policy end?! How much is budgeted for this intervention?! Where will the funding come from?! Who are those saddled with the responsibility to oversee this intervention?! Is the “nearly 100 trailers of rice” locally produced rice or foreign rice?! These are questions begging for answers.

Interestingly, Ogun State rice farm in Eggua is still laying with no input to revival and I don’t remember if Ogun State has rice farms anymore. And if these “nearly 100 trailers of rice” are being sourced outside our shore, then this is an intervention aimed at killing our economy and sabotaging our naira further.

Mr. Governor should as a matter of urgency cancel this ill-planned policy, we should be thinking of production rather than adding more problems to the market, this is not the solution for the good people of Ogun State, as only a few in government will benefit from this at the expense of the larger populace.

Majorly, instead of thinking of this reckless intervention; Ogun State has vast, fertile and arable land for agricultural purposes. We can take advantage of this to produce what we eat; as this would provide food security in the state instead of injecting artificial relieves to the state targeted at stealing our money.

If you’re truly concerned about us as a state, then Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) seedlings can give us positive results for short-term solutions while we face the real long-term solutions on the contrary. You can achieve this by declaring a state of emergency in the agricultural sector in the state while each Local Government Areas initiate a cage operation in their respective areas for bountiful and heavy agricultural inputs while you fully optimize our farmers with the needed supplies.

Mr. Governor, I truly want to see you do better! At this crucial time, your decision to pay pensioners their arrears and civil servants owned deductions is a good initiative but a good amount should be committed to this payments which means an increase in the total package compared to what you have done prior to increment in the federal allocations and other bailout funds; as this would also serve as an avenue for them to have enough funds to go back to their farms and assist the government rescue the food insecurity in the state and the country as it would also bring relief and succor to people’s suffering at this trying time. It’s no longer news that there’s an increase in monthly FAAC allocations to all states courtesy of subsidy removal and also Mr. President’s intervention measures to arrest the ailing economy and food insecurity. In the past few days, another 30 billion naira was said to have been released to all state Governors, if this is true, then these are the funds that should be put to proper use in the state and not just to squander for an ineffective short-term solution.

In Ipokia Local Government, there are need to open our rural roads by making them motorable to aid rural-urban movement and unstressed movement of food items from our villages to various markets. The deplorable condition of our roads has also contributed to the food crises when farmers can’t move their goods without getting spoilt and their vehicles getting stuck. Graders are needed to open our rural roads for easy movement of foodstuffs to the centre.

Sadly, all the said funds from the central purse that should have been put to practical use to boost our agricultural sector as a state to arrest food crises are now being targeted by some disgruntled government officials who don’t care about the masses. Mr. Governor, I don’t know why you have chosen to milk the masses to feed your fat-belly cronies but as for me, I want to see you succeed and I want to see my state get out of this food insecurity in no distance time.

*Mawutin Imoleayo Deji, a revolutionist and a youth stakeholder, writes from Ipokia Local Government

Polytechnics are post-secondary institutions that offer advanced technical education. The polytechnic model is hands-on and industry-responsive. They are fertile grounds to nurture graduates with technical and technological skills that are beneficial to societal development.

Taking cognizance of this fact, when in 1976, Ogun State was created out of the old Western State, those saddled with the responsibility of setting up the new state thought of a post-secondary education to supply needed manpower for the young State.

The then Military Administrator, Lt Col. Seidu Balogun with his team agreed on the creation of an Educational Institution to produce the needed middle-level manpower for the development of the state. Premised on this, the executive council considered the establishment of a college of technology which later was named Polytechnic, in the State. This lofty idea could not take off before the pioneer Military Administrator was given a matching order handing over to Brigadier Harris O. Eghagha to complete the process.

On the 31st of January, 1979, Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta was formally established with the turning of the sod by Brigadier Harris O. Eghagha. On this day, the first set of students numbering 220 were admitted to actualize the vision which was to produce middle-level manpower for the state and the nation. The House of Assembly thereafter passed the law.l establishing the Polytechnic.

The 220 students were admitted into 5 departments namely: Civil Engineering, Electrical Electronics Engineering, Business and Management Studies, Architecture and Town Planning and Preliminary Studies.

The Institution was by the Edict of the House of Assembly allocated 960 hectares of undeveloped land at Ojere in the outskirts of Abeokuta.

The initial takeoff was at Onikolobo Bishop’s Court for four departments and Administrative activities while Oke Egunya played host to preliminary studies which were mainly science-based. The Polytechnic moved to its permanent site at Ojere in 1985.

n the last forty-five years, the Polytechnic has its name changed in 1999 after the death of its greatest benefactor, Chief M.K.O Abiola thereby becoming Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Abeokuta The school has grown from 220 students at inception to about 30,000 students and today about 15,000, with five departments back then to 45 programmes spread across 25 departments and 5 schools.

A question that someone asked was: has MAPOLY achieved the objective of its Establishment? And I answered YES.

This Institution has not only become a household name and in hot demand by higher education seekers because of its quality products, employers also demand our products because of their quality. Today MAPOLY is one of the Institutions that parade over 100 Ph.D. holders among its Teaching and non-teaching staff in different fields which has added value to the products in the market.

The Institution also give priority to skill development having started the Centre for Entrepreneurship as far back as 2008 to ensure that its graduates should be employers of labour instead of being in the labour market seeking jobs that do not exist.

Our Mass Communication graduates are executives in major media houses keeping the flag fly while upholding the tenets of the profession.
At least 2 to 4 of our Accountancy students qualify as Chartered Accountants at every diet and this has been on from the inception of the Polytechnic. MAPOLY has produced students who have made Nigeria great and are still contributing, among them is Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, the current Accountant General of the Federation.

With the help of Chief M.K.O Abiola, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic has one of the best Libraries in this nation.

I must also say that MAPOLY has one of the best Sports facilities, Health centre, Workshops and Laboratories having gone around and seen the facilities on the ground in 2020, when the NBTE visited the Polytechnic, the leader of the team said, “the board could not close its eyes and allow this Institution which is a 2nd generation Polytechnic and one of our pride to go into extinction. ”

The Institution has been blessed with great manpower from the Rector, to the least person in the employment.

With nine rectors since inception, namely, Dr Tunji Sonola who was seconded on request by the state government from the University of Lagos followed by HRM Dr Adebisi Adebayo now a Royal Father, also from the University of Lagos, followed Dr Kehinde Jibodu from Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri, Arc. Tokunbo Fowode, ( both from the system) Prof. Oludele Itiola from the University of Ibadan, Dr Ayodeji Tella from the industry, Dr Adeola Odedina, from Federal College of Agriculture, Akure and Dr Adeoye Odedeji incumbent bent. All have contributed to the development of the Polytechnic.

Mapoly has the best set of Administrative officers that have impacted its development from Mrs Kunbi Oyejide who laid the foundation for the first substantive Registrar Amb. Mrs Aderonke Folarin to Mr Wole Abiodun followed by Major Abdul-Azeez Badmos Rtd.,( Late) Mr Oluyemi Olumide, Mr Emmanuel Adeleye and Mrs Olubunmi Elewodalu, the incumbent.

Mapoly played key roles in supporting the establishment of five Polytechnics by the Otunba Gbenga Daniel administration by supplying both administrative and bursary staff to assist in setting the standard.

The part-time programme has assisted in boosting the quality of manpower for the Ogun State government and neighbouring states.

Our students are doing well at home and abroad in their areas of endeavour and this has been the pride of the Polytechnic and the forefathers who planted the seed of Ogun State Polytechnic now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic.

Yemi Ajibola
Head, Public Relations& Protocol.
MAPOLY, Abeokuta.