Politics

Osun Must Connect With Abuja Now: A Yoruba Moment We Cannot Waste.

Published by Akinwale Fakinlede on June 29th, 2026.

Osun Must Connect With Abuja Now: A Yoruba Moment We Cannot Waste.

Osun State stands at a defining moment. When a state and the federal government are aligned politically, the benefit is simple: access. Federal roads, PHCs that have drugs and staff, ecological funds, rail, universities, and federal appointments move faster when Abuja and Osogbo can work as partners. We have seen what isolation costs us. Accord party is not feasible in any other state but only in Osun, and even here it leaves us limited. Any Senator or House of Representatives member from Osun on the Accord platform will be in the minority, with few caucuses and no governors’ caucus to back them. _Rokiroki_ is not a strategy for national bargaining. Accord would remain an outsider in Abuja, and Osun will be the one to lose out on projects and approvals. _Bí a bá ń tẹ̀lé òkú àtijọ́, a ò ní débi òmìnira_. If we keep following what is old and weak, we will never reach freedom. The plan or secret intention to “cross-carpet after August election” is a kangaroo arrangement*. _Ọjọ́ tí a bá dé ọjà, a ó mọ ẹni tó rí owó_. The day we get to the market, we will know who has money. Itanje gba ni.

This is why we must make the case with power of conviction, not attack and not bloodshed. *No body is worth dying in the next election, please *. _Iwà lẹ̀wà ọmọlúàbí_.Enough of blood shedding. Character is the beauty of a true Yoruba child. We only need to reason with our governor and leaders, give him soft landing: APC in government at the center would be better for Osun*. Ile-Ife, the cultural headquarters of Yoruba land, deserves real federal presence. What we must ask for, now that the door is open, are:

– A *modern museum* to preserve and showcase Yoruba heritage

– A *modern market* that matches Ife’s status and boosts commerce, Ile Ife is in the category of Egypt, Jerusalem and Mecca.

– Federal government agencies sited in Ife would change the narrative.

– A *passport office* so our people no longer travel to Ibadan or Lagos for basic services

– A *new motor park to handle traffic, trade and transport, _etc_.

We must also act fast on roads. *If care is not taken, the Ibadan-Ilesa reconstruction may totally cut the city off without proper interchanges and link roads into Ife. _Ilé tí a kò bá fọ́wọ́ sí, a kì í rí i gòkè_. The house we do not help build, we will not see it stand tall. Alignment from day one gives Osun the voice to insert these projects into federal plans before designs are locked.

The timing makes the argument stronger. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going for a second term, and it is much likely that a Yoruba person may not take over from him. That means this cycle is critical for the Southwest. When the presidency is Yoruba, ministers answer calls, MDAs are more open to “home” memos, and special interventions are easier to site. A connected Osun can secure upgraded health centers, federal roads linking Osogbo-Ibadan, Osogbo-Akure and Osogbo-Ilesa, agro-processing hubs, skills centers, and creative industry funding for our youths. _Eni ti o ni eni n’ijoba, ona re a ye_. But access must be matched with capacity, planning, and accountability. Let’s think fast, let’s not make mistake. _Tí a bá ń sọ̀rọ̀ ọgbọ́n, a kì í fi ẹ̀dá pa_. When we speak wisdom, we do not use blood.

The conclusion is clear and peaceful: Osun will be better with APC in government at the center. This is not about fighting anyone. It is about choosing the path that removes roadblocks and opens doors for all of us. Ife matters as our cultural soul, but the bigger picture is the entire state. *Accord as a party cannot deliver that for Osun* — no governors’ caucus, no strong caucus in the National Assembly, no influence in Abuja. _Àjọṣepọ̀ ló ń mú ọmọdé dàgbà_. It is collaboration that makes a child grow. I was born because of Ile-Ife, and I cannot deceive my people. This is the moment for our leaders, traditional institutions, technocrats, youths and stakeholders across Osun to come together peacefully and plug into the center now that the door is open. _Ojo iwaju ni a n se_. If we key in now, the next generation of Osun and Ife will inherit hospitals that work, roads that connect us, and federal opportunities that bear our name.

Rotimi Makinde

29th June, 2026