By Omooba Adetunbi Lawal-Anisuloogun
Opin Ward, Ekiti LGA, Kwara South
As the political clock ticks towards 2027, two fundamental questions will define the Kwara South Senatorial contest. First, where should power shift to in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice? Second, who among the aspirants has the capacity, vision and loyalty to deliver the quality representation we desperately need?
On both counts, the answer is clear and compelling: Equity favours Igbomina, and Capacity favours Prince Lekan Adewoye.
THE ROTATION QUESTION: A CASE FOR JUSTICE
Kwara South Senatorial District is made up of seven Local Government Areas, grouped into three major blocs. For decades we have lived as brothers, sharing political power and responsibility. But a cursory look at the history of our representation in the Senate since 1999 reveals a glaring imbalance that must be corrected in 2027.
Let us get the facts straight.
The Ekiti Bloc comprises Ekiti and Oke-Ero Local Government Areas. This bloc has enjoyed 12 unbroken years in the Senate. From 2003 to 2015, Distinguished Senator Simeon Sule Ajibola from Ekiti Local Government represented Kwara South for three consecutive terms. We supported them and stood by them.
The Ibolo Bloc comprises Offa and Oyun Local Government Areas. This bloc will be completing its own 12 years by 2027. From 2015 to 2019, Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim served for four years, and from 2019 to 2027, Senator Lola Ashiru will have served for eight years. That is 12 years for Ibolo. We have equally supported them.
But the Igbomina Bloc, comprising Irepodun, Ifelodun and Isin Local Government Areas, has only had four years since the return of democracy in 1999. Only four years out of 28 years. That was the tenure of Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi from 1999 to 2003. For 24 unbroken years, Igbomina has watched from the sidelines.
Is that equity? Is that fairness? Is that justice? The answer is a capital NO.
If Ekiti has taken 12 years and Ibolo will be completing 12 years by 2027, then naturally, morally and politically, it is the turn of the Igbomina bloc to produce the next Senator for Kwara South.
For standing firmly on the side of truth, all lovers of justice must commend His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON, for his bold and principled stand for equity, fairness and justice. Governor AbdulRazaq has demonstrated uncommon statesmanship by respecting the agitations for power rotation and by insisting that every part of Kwara must feel a true sense of belonging. By respecting equity, he has calmed frayed nerves, strengthened the unity of our great party, the APC, and given hope to the people of Igbomina that their long wait for justice is finally over.
THE CAPACITY QUESTION: WHY PRINCE LEKAN ADEWOYE STANDS TALL
If equity says Igbomina, then capacity, character and track record say Prince Lekan Adewoye.
Prince Lekan Adewoye is not a man who needs politics to survive; politics needs a man like him to thrive and regain credibility. He is a proven captain of industry, a massive job creator, a community builder and a silent philanthropist whose impact has been felt across Kwara South long before he ever contemplated vying for public office.
As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sunsteel Industries Limited, he has built from scratch one of Nigeria’s most formidable manufacturing empires. In an economy where many factories have shut down, he has kept his gates open for over 25 years, creating direct and indirect jobs for thousands of Nigerians, many of them Kwarans. Today, as Chairman of the Basic Metal, Iron and Steel Sector of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), he is not just a businessman; he is a national policy shaper.
If a man can manage thousands of workers, manage billions of Naira in investment and compete globally, then legislating for the prosperity of Kwara South will be second nature to him. He understands the economy not from textbooks, but from the factory floor.
His philanthropy is institutional. Through the Lekan Adewoye Foundation (LAF), he has paid JAMB fees for over 3,000 indigent students, placed over 100 on full university scholarships, funded small businesses, and provided free medical outreach to over 1,000 Kwarans.
Born into royalty in Arandun, Irepodun LGA, his pedigree is royal but his touch is grassroots. He is a product of Government Secondary School, Ilorin, where he emerged Best Commercial Student in 1990, with a Diploma from LASU, a Degree from Royal Roads University, Canada, an MBA from University of Cumbria, UK, and executive training from Lagos Business School and IESE Business School, Barcelona. Globally exposed, yet locally rooted.
A BRIDGE OF UNITY: AN IGBOMINA SON WITH IBOLO BLOOD
What makes Prince Lekan Adewoye even more unique is that he is a bridge that unites Kwara South. He is paternally Igbomina from the royal household in Arandun, Irepodun LGA, and maternally Ibolo, as his beloved mother hails from the renowned Ile Dundun Compound in Offa.
He is therefore not just an Igbomina man; he is an Igbomina/Ibolo son. In him, the two largest blocs of Kwara South are united by blood. He understands the pains of Igbomina and the aspirations of Ibolo. He cannot be accused of sectionalism. He is a true son of Kwara South who can unite all seven LGAs without suspicion. This is the kind of unifying figure we need in the Senate.
WHAT HE WILL DO: HIS COVENANT OF SERVICE
As Senator, his duties will be anchored on quality lawmaking, rigorous oversight, and strategic facilitation. He will sponsor bills that promote local manufacturing, protect local industries, create jobs, and give constitutional recognition to community policing and traditional institutions.
On security, he will champion community policing legislation, push for increased federal security presence in border communities, and facilitate gadgets and patrol vehicles for vigilantes. Without holding office, he has already committed over Ten Million Naira of his personal funds to security operations across Kwara South.
On traditional institution, he will institutionalize a Quarterly Royal Fathers Engagement Forum and advocate for constitutional roles and improved welfare for our Obas and Chiefs.
On youth empowerment and inclusiveness, he aligns perfectly with the youth inclusiveness agenda of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON, who has shown unprecedented faith in Kwara youth by giving them opportunities to partake in governance. Prince Adewoye will expand this legacy, move empowerment from handouts to industry, facilitate an Industrial Hub and Skill Acquisition Centre, and connect graduates to Sunsteel and other MAN industries for jobs and internships.
On poverty eradication, he will attract SMEs, support market women and farmers with soft loans and mechanized tools, and ensure constituency projects touch real lives. On digital economy, he will facilitate Digital Literacy Centres across the seven LGAs and push for broadband expansion so our youths can earn in dollars while living at home.
On synergy and loyalty, he will work hand-in-hand with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and remain totally loyal to party supremacy.
A PERSONAL NOTE: WHY I SUPPORT HIM
I write as a son of the Ekiti bloc, a bloc that has already enjoyed 12 years in the Senate. If we truly believe in equity, we must have the courage to say it is the turn of our Igbomina brothers.
More importantly, I write as a fellow old boy of Government Secondary School, GSS Ilorin, where Prince Lekan Adewoye graduated. Our great school taught us a timeless motto: “No Struggle, No Success.” That motto has remained the engine that motivates old boys of GSS Ilorin to struggle hard, to build, to persevere and to succeed against all odds. Prince Adewoye is a living embodiment of that motto. For 25 years, he struggled to build an industry where others failed. That same spirit of struggle and success is what he will bring to the Senate for Kwara South.
2027 is about who can attract industry, not just allowance. That man is Prince Lekan Adewoye.
Kwara South, the future is here. Let us secure it with Prince Lekan Adewoye.
Kwara South Ìwájú la ń lọ pẹ́lu Lekan Adewoye