OGUN WEST 2027: BEYOND SENTIMENT TO STRATEGY AND STATESMANSHIP

By: Adeyemi Juwon 

As the 2027 governorship conversation gathers momentum in Ogun State, the agitation for Ogun West to produce the next governor has moved from quiet aspiration to open political discourse. This development is neither accidental nor illegitimate. It is rooted in decades of participation in the socio-economic and political life of the state, and in a broader principle of fairness and inclusion in leadership.

However, the manner in which this conversation is unfolding should concern every serious stakeholder in Ogun State.

Within Ogun West, supporters of leading aspirants have already begun to turn their energy against one another — attacking personalities rather than interrogating ideas, records, or competence. Outside Ogun West, political actors from other Senatorial Districts are quickly presenting counter-narratives, positioning candidates, and challenging the very basis of the agitation.

If this trajectory continues unchecked, the real casualty will not be any individual aspirant, but the credibility of the Ogun West project itself.

The first reality that must be confronted is this: no zone wins power through internal warfare. In modern electoral politics, disunity is more dangerous than opposition. When camps within the same region prioritize personal loyalty over collective interest, they weaken their bargaining power within political parties and erode confidence among the wider electorate.

What should matter at this stage is not which aspirant is “stronger,” but whether Ogun West can demonstrate maturity, discipline, and cohesion in its approach to leadership. A zone that cannot manage its internal politics convincingly cannot reasonably expect to be entrusted with the leadership of an entire state.

At the same time, it is understandable that Ogun Central and Ogun East are also preparing their own candidates. That is the nature of democracy. No district should be expected to retreat from political participation. Yet, the larger question before Ogun State is not merely who wants power, but what kind of leadership Ogun State needs in 2027.

This is where the Ogun West agenda must evolve from emotion to strategy.

Rather than engaging in combative exchanges with other districts, Ogun West ought to focus on presenting a candidate whose competence, character, and vision can appeal across the entire state — not just within the West. The strongest argument for Ogun West will never be hostility toward others; it will be the quality of its leadership proposition for all of Ogun State.

Similarly, the internal conversation within Ogun West must shift from personality battles to policy debates. What are the plans for industrial growth? Youth employment? Education? Infrastructure? Security? Economic inclusion? These are the questions that will determine whether the Ogun West aspiration is taken seriously beyond zonal sentiment.

Unity, in this context, does not mean the absence of ambition or competition. It means respect among aspirants, constructive engagement among supporters, and a shared commitment that whoever eventually emerges will carry the collective confidence of the zone.

The 50-year narrative that frames the Ogun West agitation is powerful, but history alone does not confer entitlement to leadership. What confers legitimacy is preparedness — the ability to lead beyond sectional interest, to build bridges across divides, and to articulate a compelling vision for the entire state.

As the political season unfolds, it is worth remembering that Ogun State is greater than any senatorial district. Whoever becomes governor in 2027 must govern for Ogun West, Ogun Central, and Ogun East alike.

The path forward is therefore not confrontation, but coordination; not rivalry, but reason; not noise, but strategy.

If Ogun West elevates ideas over insults, competence over cliques, and consensus over chaos, its case for 2027 will become persuasive not just within the zone, but across Ogun State.

That is the standard the moment demands.

(Picture culled from Happenings in Ogun State)