Governance at all levels is a very serious business. Indeed, governance is a sensitive enterprise that people shouldn’t aspire to be involved in if their leadership capacity and effectiveness are suspect. It’s a one-human endeavour that requires everything from those who are aspiring to be involved: resourcefulness, hard work, probity and accountability, decisiveness, steadfastness, emotional and psychological stability, and, of course, being trusted and tested.
It becomes more difficult and very demanding if a whole nation is involved or a state, with so much at stake like Ogun state. Even though FCT Abuja is the nation’s administrative capital, Ogun remains the commercial and industrial hub and nerve centre of the country. Ogun conveniently connects the whole country with the entire globe, especially those border areas involved.
So, Egba’s ability to produce the next Ogun State Governor can be influenced by various political and economic factors, including economic growth, resourcefulness, job creation, and promotion of economic development through vocational skills and technology innovation to ensure a prosperous future for all individuals, groups of individuals, professional bodies, and others in the state. Due to the geographical location of the Ogun Central (Egbas/Abeokuta), it also requires the ability and capability of the politician involved in the game.
Investment in a quality education system to provide adequate knowledge and skills with a suitable environment for future development of our children, sustainable abilities of the Egbas for good work, and their passion for developing personalities without creating any regional disparities and imbalances within the State as a whole always makes Egbas/Abeokuta a unique and genuine geographical place in Ogun State as a whole.
Having a governor from Ogun Central (Egba), all the local, constituency, and senatorial leaders will be tasked with better representation and advocacy for their people’s needs and also allocate every available resource to address any specific local challenges within the state without any fear, favour, or sentiment.
Egba is always known as the centre of commerce and the gateway to many other states, such as Lagos and Oyo, which enhance more economic benefits, buoyancy, prosperity, and policy sustainability for the three Senatorial Districts of the State.
Politically, for the Egbas to be vying for the highest seat in Ogun was cumbersome, complex, and multifaceted, reflecting a mix of senatorial representation, identity, and economic interest. In fact, to elaborate on the issue or factor of identity, the next governor must be a succession of genuine and prominent sons or daughters of Ogun State with a strong political will and historical family background.
In addition, Egba is known for producing many best leaders, like Chief Ernest Shonekan, former interim president of Nigeria; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former military/civilian president of Nigeria; Mr. Wale Edun, present finance minister; and Hon. Jelili Kayode Amusan (JKA), former Ogun State governorship candidate and two-term House of Representatives member, known for his good governance and representation of the constituency without taking the salary for himself rather than giving it back to the people of his constituency.
All the above-mentioned Egbas are prominent sons of Ogun State with a good lineage identity and strong political assertion or economic background that brought about development to the entire state, not for the Egbas alone.
Without mincing words, Hon. Jelili Kayode Amusan happens to be an ardent politician and astute political gladiator who had positively impacted so many lives when he was in office as a member of federal representatives (MFR) and even when he was out of office some years back in Ogun state. Till date, JKA continued to be a man of the people through some meaningful contributions to his constituents he represented and the communities at large.
Indeed, to some politicians, they eat and breathe politics with no second address. But for JKA, a businessman to the core and a former House of Representatives member, he is an entrepreneur with interests in an auto dealership, construction, properties, and hotels.
Some might say he reached the peak of his political career when he was elected to the House of Representatives to represent his people of the Obafemi Owode/Odeda/Abeokuta North constituency. Indeed, it was a starting point for his political career and agenda, because ever since then, he has not relented on his oars in uplifting the people of his constituency and his senatorial district as well.
But that could be further from the truth; he believes there is time for everything, and since 2011, when he lost the ticket to return to the House again, he has not abandoned serving his people but with the focus more on his business, which nearly suffered neglect while he was in the National Assembly in Abuja.
However, in expanding his scope of investment and to help bridge the unemployment gap, JKA has ventured into Nigeria’s burgeoning multi-billion naira gaming industry. JKA, through his Kamson Holding Limited, has introduced a new unique lottery game called Lotto Plus, which took him three years to actualise.
To cap it all, it’s high time for the Egba descendants to continue the good work of moving Ogun State to the highest level by taking up the mantle of leadership after the eight years of his Excellency Governor Dapo Abiodun. It is time to allow and support the man of the people, the son of the soul and Egba Indigene, in person of JKA, popularly known as “Ogun on my mind,” as the 2027 political game is gathering momentum, especially now for Egbas to produce the next state governor.
Kazeem, Chairman JKA Concerned Volunteers, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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