An Ogun State-based interest group, the Egba Lokan Agenda 2027, has distanced itself from the purported adoption of Senator Adeola Olamilekan, popularly known as Yayi, who is currently representing Ogun West at the Upper Legislative Chamber, as one of the Egba hopefuls for the 2027 governorship election.
In a statement on Tuesday, signed by the Chairman of the group, Chief Mustapha Abdulhakeem, the group said the misleading information originated early last week when a report attributed to it, purportedly issued by Professor Yemi Oke, one of the founding members of the Egba Lokan Agenda 2027, surfaced online.
“Recognising his intention to detribalise our movement, we strategically chose not to dignify some of the claims with a response, thereby denying it the traction it sought.
“However, our attention has now been drawn to a news article referencing Prof. Yemi Oke’s report as a basis to curry cheap political advantage for the legitimation-seeking ambition of Senator Yayi to rule Ogun State in 2027. Therefore, the Egba Lokan Agenda 2027 is compelled to write a rejoinder to set the record straight, especially for the unsuspecting public who may be misled by these desperate politicians and actors,” he said.
Abdulhakeem noted that, save for mere propaganda and mischief-making, the attributed source of the article—Hon. Kayode Oladele, titled “Ogun Guber: Oladele Lauds Egba Position on Yayi”—is much aware that Prof Oke neither has the capacity to dictate the political future of Egba land nor carries the authority of the Egba people to define its political template, let alone in the unilateral tone he has spoken.
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“We must also emphasise that the Egba Lokan Agenda 2027 is clear in its definition, vision, and objective, and the district hopper, always searching for new colonies to explore and exploit, does not fit into the least condition.
“Therefore, we consider Prof. Yemi Oke’s interest as purely personal as far as Senator Yayi’s ambition is concerned—at best, his personal opinion, which he has a right to. Although, given his boisterous status as a professor and senior advocate of Nigeria, that may be expected.
“It is even laughable that anyone will certify anybody as Egba indigenes under whose authority? We are also aware that the Olu of Ilaro had stated that the senator representing Ogun West is their son, but we are yet to hear the same pronouncement from the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland or any other Oba in Egbaland, hence the disclaimer.”
Abdulhakeem hinted that it is more important to remind Oladele and his co-traveller that Egba land has never, and will never, be in shortage of credible individuals of known pedigree, uncontroversial descent, and unwavering patriotism to provide leadership at any level of government—state, national, or international.
“In fact, we find it an aberration in Egba land, a contradiction to our civilisation, and demeaning of our status that we would have to hire a political machinery to provide leadership at the intra-national level when we have consistently produced and provided impeccable leadership for the nation and represented the nation at the global level,” he stated.
