Kwara South: Getting it right in 2027 and beyond

By Titilope Anifowoshe

Returning home to Kwara State to assume the role of the spokesperson of the Kwara South APC Campaign Council is a rare privilege for me, this Igbonla girl. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

First, I must express my profound gratitude to Prince Lekan Adewoye for the confidence reposed in me. By appointing me as the spokesperson of a campaign council of this strategic importance, he has made a deliberate statement about the place of women, young people, and emerging voices in political leadership. I am particularly proud to be the first woman to occupy this position in the history of the Kwara South APC Campaign Council. It is a significant milestone, and I appreciate Prince Lekan for trusting a young woman with such an important responsibility.

This appointment came just weeks after my appointment into the Research, Planning and Strategy Directorate of the Lagos APC Campaign Council for the Lagos APC governorship candidate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat. What a remarkable season of service and responsibility.

Coming home after what was arguably the most beautiful, rigorous, and transformative year of my life at the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) was particularly fulfilling. I returned with my head held high, my heart full of gratitude and an immense sense of pride. I had given my best, represented my community and state with distinction, and earned the Best Representation and Standout Performance Award at the LJLA graduation. I dare say I gave Igbonla and Kwara something to be proud of.

But beyond the homecoming and the new responsibility, I also returned to see things for myself. I wanted to confirm or dispel some of the narratives surrounding the candidacy of our own, Salihu Yakubu Danladi (SYD). You see, if your understanding of Kwara politics is largely shaped by X (formerly Twitter) and social media commentaries, you would probably conclude that the APC in Kwara is sinking and that the PDP is already a stone›s throw from the Ahmadu Bello House, perhaps as close as Tanke Junction. That is the picture some online commentaries would have you believe. But then, I have learnt not to mistake social media noise for political reality. Political strength is not measured by trending hashtags, coordinated attacks, or the loudest voices in the digital space. It is measured by grassroots structures, the strength of relationships, the loyalty of the people and the ability to mobilise beyond the internet.

And my observations since returning home have been quite revealing. I came home to reconnect with friends, engage with our people — and, importantly, see my brother and the most distinguished Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi.

Let me say this without equivocation: SYD›s candidacy is stronger than the iroko tree. The grassroots mobilisation, the depth of his loyal support base, and the growing acceptance of his candidacy across communities are quite remarkable. From different corners of Kwara State, more people are embracing the Iwaju L›An Lo dream, and the conversations are increasingly translating into political commitments.

One thing is becoming clearer: the Kwara of yesterday is not the Kwara we are building today, and never again should we allow our state to slide into the years of political jahiliyyah.\ Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has set Kwara on a different trajectory. There is work to be done, progress to consolidate and a future to protect. We must therefore give our all to ensure that Kwara only gets better. Across the board, we must work for all APC candidates. Our collective electoral success must matter more than individual ambitions. There is a bigger picture, and we must remain focused on it. While our friends in the opposition may continue to invest heavily in content creation and online theatrics, the APC must remain focused on engaging the people, strengthening our grassroots structures, communicating our achievements, and consolidating the gains we have made.

I have returned home, and I like what I see. From Lagos to Kwara, from leadership development to political responsibility, this journey continues to remind me that preparation eventually meets opportunity. And when opportunity comes, we must be ready to serve. The work continues. Theconversations continue. The mobilisation continues.

Iwaju L›An Lo! Kwara must move forward. And we must all play our part.

·Titilope Anifowoshe writes from Igbonla, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State