The drums of 2027 are already beating, and as expected in a state as politically sophisticated as Oyo, the arena is filled with gladiators. But as the elders wisely counsel, “Gbogbo aláǹgbá tó ńfàlọ̀ lójú ọ̀nà, kì í ṣe pé wọ́n lọ́wọ́; ọ̀rọ̀ àtijọ́ ló ńwò.” (Not every lizard lying prostrate on the road is hungry; some are merely contemplating ancient matters). In this unfolding political season, the noise of ambition is loud, but the silent weight of preparation is what truly shifts the ground.
The administration of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde did not just build roads and bridges; it built a System. It introduced a governance philosophy “OMITUNTUN” that redefined the contract between the people and their government. As we pivot towards OMITUNTUN 3.0, the existential question is not “Who is the loudest?” It is “Who understands the architecture of this new dawn well enough to expand it without breaking the pillars?”
That search for a Steward, an Architect, and a Technocrat ends squarely at the door of Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF FINISHING WELL
There is a reason why continuity is a sacred concept in Yoruba statecraft. “Ọmọ tí yóò j’ẹ́kà adìẹ, á kọ́kọ́ mọ ibi tí ìyá rẹ̀ ti ńtọ́jú rẹ̀.” (The chick that will inherit the chicken coop must first know where the hen hides the feed). Hon. Adekanmbi is not coming to 2027 with a blank slate or a mere wishlist. He is coming with the PLAYBOOK.
He was in the room. He was at the table. He understands that the exponential rise in Oyo State’s IGR under Omituntun 1.0 and 2.0 was not a miracle; it was the result of a deliberate, disciplined, and sometimes difficult fiscal restructuring that he helped navigate. You cannot ask a novice to read the map of a journey they never embarked upon. For the next phase which will require deeper international partnerships and more complex financial engineering—Oyo State needs an Accountant-General in spirit and a Governor in practice.
FROM THE ENGINE ROOM TO THE CAPTAIN’S CHAIR
The metaphor of the “engine room” is apt, but perhaps it is time to elevate it. In the current Omituntun trajectory, Hon. Adekanmbi has been the Navigator. As Former Deputy Chief of Staff in the state, he saw the friction points of policy implementation before they became public gridlocks. As Former Finance Commissioner, he knew which fiscal levers to pull to ensure that the Governor’s vision did not falter on the dry ground of insolvency.
OMITUNTUN 3.0 will be the most delicate phase yet. Omituntun 1.0 was about Stabilization (clearing the backlog of salaries and debts). Omituntun 2.0 is about Infrastructure (the arteries of the economy). But Omituntun 3.0 is about Consolidation and Institutionalization. This phase demands a leader who does not need a six-month crash course in “How Oyo Works.” Adekanmbi is the man who already has the institutional memory encrypted in his professional DNA.
A YORUBA MAN FOR A YORUBA DAWN
Beyond the suits and the spreadsheets, there is a cultural alignment that makes Hon. Adekanmbi the perfect avatar for Omituntun 3.0. He embodies the Omoluabi ethos—”Ìwà lẹwà.” (Character is beauty). He is a listener. He is not the man who shouts across the counter; he is the man who sits beside you to resolve the equation.
In a political era where many confuse arrogance with strength, his humility is his superpower. He understands that the real work of Omituntun 3.0 lies not in the Government House alone, but in the marketplaces of Ibadan, the farmlands of Oke-Ogun, and the barrios of Ogbomoso. He speaks the language of the Boardroom and the Baba Onile Mogaji with equal fluency.
THE VERDICT OF PREPARATION
The Yoruba say, “Kò sí ọmọ tó ńkọ́ bàtà tí kò mọ ibi tó ń ta ni.” (There is no cobbler who does not know where the shoe pinches). Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi knows exactly where the shoe pinches in Oyo State’s governance. More importantly, he knows how to mend it, polish it, and make it fit for a glorious march into the future.
2027 is not a time for experiments. It is a time for the Most Prepared Hand. It is the time for the man who has been forged in the fire of the engine room to take the helm of Omituntun 3.0. For Oyo State to finish strong, we must entrust the baton to the man who has been running the relay all along.
Hon Bimbo ADEKANMBI is okay.
