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From Ismail Omipidan, Abuja
The fourth stanza of the South-West anthem, roughly translated as “Yoruba race, rise up, take your rightful place, you’re the light of the black race,” aptly captures the essence of the stakeholders’ engagement held last week in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The event, themed “Strengthening Democracy Through Dialogue: Assessing Progress, Charting the Future,” brought together intellectuals, members of the academia, media professionals, political figures, and traditional leaders from across the region. A common sentiment echoed throughout the gathering was that the South-West has not done enough to assert its leadership role in Nigeria. Participants emphasised that as the intellectual powerhouse of the nation, the region must consistently set the pace for others to follow.
This particular view was reinforced by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, when he declared that the region was “once the land of several forces.” He called for a unified regional agenda to promote inclusive growth and strengthen democracy, noting that South-West had always led the nation in governance, education and innovation, and should continue to serve as a model for other regions.
He added that the region was “the first in education, the first in broadcasting, the first in urban planning, the first in governance, and the first in culture and tradition.”
Sanwo-Olu thereafter said “the question before us here today now is very simple. Can we once again light the path for the rebirth of this great nation? And my answer is yes we can,” adding that “ I say so because the spirit of innovation is in us. The spirit of unity. The unity that is difficult in other parts is with us. This is what defines who we are. This is what has defined our past.
“Let us waste no time because the extraordinary opportunity is on us now. Let us therefore move from Osogbo to Ogbomoso. Let us move from Ijebu-Jesha to Ijebu-Ode. Let our people move from Owo to Owu. Let there be a movement from Ikorodu to Ibarapa. Let our people move from Ikole-Ekiti to Ikirun.
“Let our movement be a movement of unity. Let it be a movement of shared vision and purpose. Let it be a movement that will unite this region to show that real leadership is what is in our DNA.”
Like others who spoke before him, the Lagos State Governor also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms for stabilising the naira, attracting investments and enhancing revenue generation.
“Today is the time for us to reclaim our heritage of innovation, education and good governance. The South-West can and will lead Nigeria’s rebirth,” he said.
The gathering also provided a platform for what could pass for a landmark assessment of President Tinubu’s administration, with a verdict that he has so far done well and should be supported for another term in 2027.
The stakeholders lauded the president’s developmental strides, with the former interim national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, submitting that the country’s economy is being re-engineered through tax reform systems, harmonisations of revenue collections, expenditure rationalisations and the creation of a structure that rewards productivity rather than dependency.
For the host governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, he disclosed that the state had decided to support the re-election of Tinubu because he has so far impacted the state and her people positively.
He commended President Tinubu’s administration for its economic reforms, which he said had stabilised the economy, improved allocations to states and restored fiscal discipline.
The governor listed several ongoing federal projects in and around Ondo State and parts of the South-West, including the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway (with a 71km stretch in Ondo State), the proposed Ilaje Deep Sea Port, the NDDC/Ode-Erinje Transmission Line and Substation, the Akure–Ado-Ekiti Dual Carriageway, and the Ore–Ondo–Akure and Benin–Ofosu–Ore highways.
Aiyedatiwa also mentioned the planned 1,000 Federal Housing Authority units, the take-off of the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, and the proposed aviation school in Ondo State as part of federal–state collaboration to drive development in Ondo.
He noted that “These collaborations demonstrate the maturing of our democracy. The bond between citizens and government is being strengthened. Our people are beginning to feel a sense of ownership in governance.”
On his part, the leader of Afenifere, a socio-cultural group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, represented by Senator Femi Okunrounmu, a hitherto rabid critic of Tinubu, noted that the Yorubas could not afford to remain divided, just as he appealed to ministers from the region to advocate equitable distribution of federal resources and ensure that the region benefits fairly from national projects.
“As an elder who has earned the right to speak the truth. Party politics must never again divide or weaken Yoruba solidarity. I have watched with deep concern as the cancer of partisan politics has eaten into the fabric of our unity.
“For the first time, we are creating a systematic platform where citizens can directly engage with the government, where evidence must be presented, where commitments must be made, and where follow-through will be expected. This is democracy at its finest, a democracy of continuous engagement, mutual accountability, and collaborative problem-solving. I ask that we sustain it in the interest of our region within the larger Nigerian context.
“I urge all citizens to show bitter politics, rumour-mongering, and deliberate misinformation. Instead, we must embrace constructive dialogue with the government through a platform like this. As I approach my centenary, I am acutely aware that my time on this earth grows short.
“But I am not afraid because I see in this gathering the seeds of the unity and progress I have fought for all my life. I, therefore, use this opportunity to invite you to my centenary anniversary next year, where we will celebrate the growing list of the impressive dividends of democracy of the present federal administration, ably led by our own son, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. My final charge to all Yoruba sons and daughters is simple: Place our people’s interest above party interest. Place development above partisan politics. Place the welfarist mandate above political competition.”
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Chief Akande, while explaining the rationale behind the reforms being pursued by President Tinubu, said “Yes, these reforms are demanding. They test our patience and stretch our resilience. But I have seen firsthand the conviction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — a leader who believes that Nigeria must finally break free from cycles of dependency and dysfunction.
“He is not asking for blind loyalty — only for shared sacrifice and belief in our collective destiny. So I call on the sons and daughters of Odùduwà: Let us stand behind this administration — not just because the President is one of us, but because he is one of the few with the courage to confront what must be changed.”
Also contributing to the discourse, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said democracy thrives where dialogue exists.
He called for continued collaboration among stakeholders in the region to strengthen inclusion and accountability and reaffirmed Ogun State’s support for the Tinubu administration beyond 2027.
Abiodun said the meeting had reinforced the need for states to work together to deliver democratic dividends and promote trust between government and citizens.
Traditional rulers present, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, emphasises the need for continued dialogue and collaboration among leaders.
The Alaafin urged stakeholders to confront corruption and governance challenges through open conversation and participation, while the Olowo commended the South-West governors for their efforts in promoting regional unity.
He said federal projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway would improve the region’s economy and expressed traditional institutions’ support for President Tinubu’s administration and its continuity in 2027.
The event also had in attendance the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola; the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu and Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Adekunle Salako, who all rendered the account of their stewardship in the last two years under the Tinubu’s administration.
By the next day, the stakeholders pushed strongly for the need to support the on-going diversification drive of the Tinubu-led administration.
As part of efforts to diversify the economy, they reiterated their commitments to accelerating reforms in mining, pension, infrastructure, and health, so as to ensure sustainable growth and development across the six states of the region.
This is even as the minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, revealed that the mining sector reforms introduced by the current administration has so far generated ₦30 billion in revenue between January and September 2025, adding that South-West alone contributed over ₦7.2 billion.
Specifically, Dr. Alake explained that the establishment of the Mining Marshals, a first in Nigeria’s history, had led to the arrest of 300 illegal miners, the prosecution of over 150 suspects, and that they have secured 20 convictions.
He also announced that ₦2.5 billion had been allocated to the Mine Satellite Monitoring Project to track mineral licences, coordinates, and truck movements nationwide in order to curb illegal operations, adding that the reforms had attracted over $1.3 billion in foreign investment, including Africa’s largest lithium processing plant set to begin operations soonest.
While highlighting the success of the Segilola Gold Mining Project in Osun State, which had generated $193 million in 2024 and currently employs over 2,000 workers, Dr. Alake urged the leaders not to relent in their efforts at developing the region.
On his part, the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mr Opeyemi Agbaje, said Nigeria’s pension fund had grown to ₦26 trillion, noting that part of the fund would be channelled into agriculture, infrastructure, and private equity to drive national development.
He stated that President Tinubu’s commitment to pension reform had been unparalleled since the return of democracy, adding that pension funds would now be directed towards long-term national projects to stimulate growth and job creation.
Agbaje also announced that a new compliance monitoring system would soon be introduced across the six South-West states to ensure transparency, and urged governors to align with pension guidelines to benefit from future investments in infrastructure and agriculture, saying that “the expansion of the contributory pension scheme into the informal sector is designed to provide financial protection for millions of Nigerians who were previously excluded from retirement plans.”
Among the attendees were: the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olayide Adelami; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Osun State Governor, Senator Jackson Ademola Adeleke, represented by his deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi; and Ekiti State Governor, Mr Abiodun Oyebanji, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Omolara Adubiaro.
Others were the Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; members of the State Executive Council; former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; traditional rulers from and outside Ondo State; heads of security agencies; political appointees; APC chieftains; and union leaders.
In all, the gathering was the South-West own way of showing their solidarity and endorsement of the Tinubu-led administration.
