One of the enduring beauties of a relay race is the precision of the baton exchange. From the first leg to the final stretch, victory is not solely determined by individual speed but by how seamlessly each runner transfers momentum to the next. In many ways, governance mirrors this dynamic. Our progress and development as a nation compound when leaders understand that power lent is not owned and wisdom lies in knowing when and how to return it.
For years, the political landscape of Ogun State was defined by attrition: fractious primaries, backroom battles, betrayals, and, at times, outright political brinkmanship. As Michelle Obama aptly puts it;“...society’s current problems [exist] because no one wants to move on from leadership; people hold on for too long, beyond their usefulness and practicality.”
This observation resonated strongly in our politics. However, Prince Dapo Abiodun is bent on changing the narrative for the better. In a rare and commendable act, he has, for the first time as governor, seamlessly championed a party succession process marked by consensus rather than conflict. One that has now resulted in Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 elections.
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Remarkably, this transition has unfolded without the turbulence, public discord, factional divisions, and drawn-out internal disputes of the past. It is a quiet but powerful recalibration of how political succession can, and should be.
Real Leadership Recognises Real Leadership
Our people have a popular saying: “lion no dey born goat.” When loosely translated, it says that authenticity reproduces authenticity; strength recognises and nurtures strength.
Over the past seven years, Dapo Abiodun’s administration has steered Ogun State along a trajectory of measurable progress, anchored on his five developmental pillars- codenamed I.S.E.Y.A: Infrastructure, Social Well-being and Welfare, Education, Youth Empowerment and Job Creation, and Agriculture.
The outcomes of this governance philosophy are not merely rhetorical; they are empirical. The state’s economy has expanded significantly, with GDP growing from N3.5 trillion to N18.9 trillion. Internally generated revenue surging by approximately 270%, from N50.9 billion to N194.93 billion, unemployment declining from 16.4% to 8.8%, and infrastructure development has seen the delivery of over 1,200 kilometres of roads. In housing, more than 10,000 medium-to-high-income units have been developed across the three senatorial districts.
These figures, taken together, point to a governance model focused on both scale and sustainability. Yet, beyond the metrics lies something more consequential: the deliberate effort to institutionalise continuity. By aligning his successor with the existing developmental blueprint, Prince Dapo Abiodun is not merely gearing up to hand over power; he is planning a transfer of a framework for sustained progress.
Now, as he prepares to pass the baton, the choice of Sen Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (a.k.a YAYI) is an investment in continuity, ensuring that the good work Dapo Abiodun does won’t end up truncated. While others may think of themselves. Dapo Abiodun is interested in fostering a legacy for the Ogun state people. One that consolidates on the gains of the present while working towards the future.
As the curtains of Dapo Abiodun’s governorship tenure draw to a close, we need to remember that it is not how well you start but how well you end. In a system often accustomed to chaos, Prince Dapo Abiodun has run his race well and is set to pass the baton with joy.
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