Nigeria does not lack ideas. It lacks the consistency, political courage, and institutional discipline to turn many of those ideas into lasting results. Every election cycle brings new promises, new slogans, and familiar declarations about development. Yet, beyond the political excitement, the fundamental questions remain: What are we building? Who are we building it for? And what will remain when those entrusted with power eventually leave office? Ogun State offers an opportunity to begin answering these questions differently.
I have deliberately chosen to focus on Ogun rather than speak about Nigeria in general because I believe national transformation must have practical beginnings. If one state can demonstrate that responsible leadership, competent people, strong institutions and purposeful planning can work together, its experience can provide a model for other parts of the country. Ogun has the ingredients. Its geographical position, proximity to Lagos and the Republic of Benin, industrial capacity, educational institutions, growing urban settlements and human resources give it considerable development potential. From Agbara and Ota to Sagamu, Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode, the state has opportunities across manufacturing, agriculture, commerce, education, tourism and technology.
But potential is not progress. Industrial estates do not automatically create prosperity for surrounding communities. Population growth does not automatically produce human capital, and urbanisation without planning eventually becomes a burden. Ogun must begin to think beyond the administration of its present circumstances and develop a clear picture of the state it intends to become over the next twenty or thirty years. That is the experiment I want to see. My interest in this conversation is deeply personal. Abeokuta is not simply the capital of my state; my origin and name are embedded in its history and foundation. I am crowned with both the glamour and the burdens of my origin.
The name I bear, “SODEKE”, takes me back to one of the defining chapters in Egba history. Sodeke, was an Egba leader associated with Iporo who rose to prominence during the turbulent nineteenth century. The Egba people had experienced wars, displacement and insecurity. The destruction and vulnerability of their earlier settlements made the search for a safer home increasingly necessary. Following the conflict around Oke-Ona in 1829, Sodeke became a central figure in the movement towards a new settlement. Around 1830, he led Egba communities towards the area around Olumo Rock, where some families had already found refuge. The settlement became Abeokuta, a name commonly understood as ‘under the rock’.
That history carries an important lesson for contemporary Ogun. The establishment of a society is one achievement; building institutions capable of sustaining it beyond its founders is another. A state cannot depend entirely on the influence, personality or political survival of one individual. Ogun has a history worth studying, not merely celebrating. From Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Obafemi Awolowo to M.K.O. Abiola and Wole Soyinka, the state has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s political, intellectual and cultural development. Their legacies should challenge us to produce institutions and ideas that will matter beyond our own generation.
The Western Region’s introduction of Universal Primary Education in 1955 under Awolowo remains a powerful example of what regional leadership can achieve. The Eastern Region introduced its own programme in 1957. These experiences remind us that transformative national ideas do not always have to originate from the federal government. A state can take the initiative, establish a working model and influence the wider country. Ogun should aspire to do the same.
The popular expression that power is not given but taken has become a familiar description of political ambition. Yet our society is also built around respect for elders, the preservation of experience and the responsibility of younger generations to learn from those who came before them. Both principles have a place in a healthy political culture. Elders should not be treated as obstacles simply because younger people desire political participation. Their experience, networks and institutional knowledge can be valuable. But mentorship must not become gatekeeping, and experience must not become a justification for holding political space indefinitely.
Life moves in phases. No one occupies a political position forever. Death is inevitable, and leadership should be conscious of the responsibility to prepare successors. When the desire to retain influence becomes greater than the responsibility to develop others, institutions become weak and new ideas struggle to survive. This is not a call for generational warfare. Ogun needs a partnership in which elders guide without suffocating and younger people contribute without being tokenised. The next generation must also understand that political inclusion is not simply a demand for appointments. It requires competence, preparation, integrity and the willingness to accept responsibility. Young people must be ready to offer more than criticism; they must be prepared to contribute solutions.
The Gen Z Meets YAYI engagement held at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta on 1 November 2026 was a welcome development. It created an opportunity for young people to raise questions, express concerns and engage Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola on issues affecting Ogun’s future. It is important to acknowledge such efforts. A political leader who creates room for younger people to speak is taking a positive step. But the value of engagement should not end with the event itself. The Dapo Abiodun administration also deserves fair acknowledgement for bringing some younger people into government appointments. SF Emmanuel Ojo, who served as Senior Special Assistant on New Media, and Ola Muritala, who served as an aide to the governor, are among the examples of younger people who have participated in the administration.
The next administration should build on such opportunities and go further. Young people with relevant experience should be considered for substantive responsibilities in ministries, departments, agencies, policy advisory structures and other decision-making institutions. The issue is not age alone. It is whether the people appointed possess the competence and capacity required for the responsibilities entrusted to them. However, an administration cannot claim to represent an inclusive population while consistently excluding the demographic whose future it claims to be securing. Young people must move from being the audience of political conversations, instruments during campaign to becoming participants in the decisions that shape their lives.
There is another constituency that Ogun’s next administration must understand more deeply: the new media and digital communication community. New media has changed the relationship between government, citizens and public information. Political conversations are no longer confined to traditional newsrooms, party offices, radio stations and television studios. They now take place across digital publications, social media platforms, podcasts, livestreams, online communities and independent content channels. These platforms influence public opinion, shape political narratives, expose failures, builds trust between government and it citizens, amplify public concerns and create opportunities for people who previously had limited access to public conversation.
Yet, in many political settings, new media is still treated largely as an instrument of publicity, mobilisation and image management. That understanding is too narrow for a state aspiring to become a development model. Ogun must recognise new media as an important part of its governance and economic ecosystem. The experience of SF Emmanuel Ojo’s appointment as Senior Special Assistant on New Media under the Abiodun administration demonstrates that the importance of digital communication has already found recognition within government. The next administration should take that recognition further by building a professional and coordinated digital communication strategy across ministries and agencies.
This should not mean creating more channels for government propaganda. It should mean making public information accessible, communicating policies accurately, responding to citizens’ concerns and using digital platforms to improve public accountability. Government should be able to explain what it is doing, why it is doing it, how public resources are being used and what results citizens should expect. It should also be willing to listen when those results fall short. There is an equally important economic dimension. Digital publishers, journalists, social media strategists, content creators, videographers, photographers, graphic designers, data analysts, livestream professionals and other creative workers are part of a growing economy. Their work should not be dismissed as casual online activity. With the right support, training, infrastructure and access to opportunities, Ogun can develop a stronger creative and digital economy.
The state should encourage professional development, digital entrepreneurship and partnerships between educational institutions, media organisations and technology companies. It should also promote media literacy, fact-checking and responsible digital communication, particularly as artificial intelligence makes fabricated images, audio, videos and information increasingly convincing. A government that understands new media should not be afraid of scrutiny. It should understand that independent journalism and responsible digital criticism are not enemies of development. They are necessary parts of a functioning society.
The objective should be to build an environment where government communicates effectively, citizens participate meaningfully and independent media can hold public institutions accountable. The conversation about new media naturally leads to a wider question about technology and the future of work. Artificial intelligence, automation and increasingly advanced systems are changing manufacturing, education, healthcare, agriculture, finance and public administration. Deepfakes, cybersecurity threats, data privacy and digital misinformation are also becoming serious governance concerns.
Ogun cannot afford to prepare its people for an economy that is already changing. Its educational institutions must equip students with relevant digital, technical and analytical skills. Industries should be encouraged to collaborate with universities and other training institutions. Government should support research, innovation and technology-based businesses that can solve local problems. The state must also think about how automation will affect employment. Industrial growth should not simply be measured by the number of factories established, but by the quality of jobs created, the skills transferred, the opportunities available to local businesses and the extent to which communities’ benefit.
Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates offer useful experiences in long-term planning, digital transformation, urban development and economic diversification. Ogun should study their successes and limitations, identifying ideas that can be adapted to its own realities rather than attempting to copy their systems wholesale. The ambition should be to prepare Ogun for the future, not to react to it after the opportunities have passed.
Ogun also has an important resource beyond its geographical boundaries: its people living and working in other parts of the world. Many indigenes have acquired expertise, professional networks, investment capacity and international experience. The state should develop a structured diaspora engagement programme that makes it easier for these individuals to contribute to development. A welcome-home initiative could connect returning professionals and entrepreneurs with investment opportunities, research institutions, industries and government agencies. But participation should not depend on permanent relocation. People abroad can contribute through mentorship, technical advice, research partnerships, professional exchanges and investment.
The government should make it possible for people who have acquired knowledge elsewhere to apply that knowledge at home. This is not simply about attracting money. It is about reconnecting talent with opportunity. Ogun needs a more deliberate relationship between government and the citizens whose taxes, work and knowledge sustain the state. A structured citizen policy and research platform could provide an avenue for academics, professionals, traditional rulers, elder statesmen, young people and other interested citizens to submit proposals on education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, security, technology and economic development. Such a platform should not become another website that collects suggestions without action. Submissions should be assessed through credible processes, relevant proposals should reach the appropriate institutions, and government should communicate what is accepted, what is being considered and what cannot be implemented.
The state could also develop advisory networks that bring together experienced professionals and emerging talents to support policy design and evaluation. This is how patriotism becomes practical. Citizens should not have to belong to a political party or possess personal access to a public office holder before their ideas can receive serious consideration.
Whoever eventually assumes the responsibility of governing Ogun, whether male or female, deserves the goodwill of the people. Beyond party affiliations and political differences, the development of the state must remain a collective concern. But the next administration must understand that it is inheriting more than political authority. It is inheriting a history, an economically strategic location, a growing population and an opportunity to establish institutions that can outlive its tenure.
The real test will not be the number of political engagements held, the volume of publicity generated or the strength of online campaigns. It will be the quality of decisions, the competence of appointments, the opportunities created, the transparency of public institutions and the improvement citizens can actually experience. I believe Ogun can become a reference point for Nigeria. But that will require a different political mindset: one that values competence over sycophancy, policy over slogans, institutional strength over personal influence and measurable progress over political celebration.
I write about Ogun because charity begins at home. I cannot continually speak about the Nigeria I want while ignoring the state whose history, identity and future are part of my own story. The Gateway State must become more than a geographical description. It must become a gateway to a different standard of governance, a more productive political culture and a future in which its people are not merely spectators to development but active participants in creating it. If Ogun gets this right, Nigeria will have something worth studying.
That is the Ogun experiment I believe in.
