ALARE Vanguards

20/02/2026

Beyond 50: The 21st-Century Leadership Ogun State Requires (TOC)
February 13, 2026

By: Transform Ogun Coalition (TOC)

As Ogun State marks its 50th year, the conversation must shift from celebrating our history to designing our survival. In a world defined by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, "potential" is no longer a currency. Results are.

The Transform Ogun Coalition (TOC) believes that the leadership Ogun needs for the next decade isn't just about "good people"—it is about Modern Systems. We don't need leaders who simply spend the budget; we need leaders who re-engineer the state. We must start to build on key pillars, some of which are:

1. Education as a Workforce Engine

Ogun has the highest number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, yet we have a massive skills-gap. Leadership must move beyond "building classrooms" to Curriculum Revolution. We need an education system tied directly to our industrial hubs in Agbara and Sagamu. We should be exporting tech talent and high-end artisans, not just graduates with certificates.

2. The Healthcare Intelligence Network
A 21st-century state doesn't just "equip hospitals"; it manages Population Health Data. We need a decentralized healthcare system where every citizen has a digital health ID, allowing for predictive care and ensuring that a child in a Yewa village gets the same quality of diagnostic care as someone in Abeokuta via telemedicine.

3. From "Road Construction" to "Economic Corridors"
20th-century leadership builds a road and expects a thank you. 21st-century leadership builds a Smart Corridor. What Ogun needs is not just asphalt, but infrastructure integrated with fiber-optic cables, planned industrial zones, and data-monitored traffic systems. We must stop building roads that wash away in two seasons and start building the skeletal system of a modern economy.

4. The Digital Governance Mandate
Why are Ogun residents still standing in physical queues for basic services? 21st-century leadership is Paperless and Frictionless. TOC’s vision for Ogun is a "State-in-a-Pocket" model—where land titles, business permits, and tax filings are done via a secure, blockchain-backed digital portal. If our governance isn't digital, it isn't transparent.

5. Leadership by Data, Not by Impulse
The days of "Kitchen Cabinet" governance are over. Ogun needs a Data-First Leadership. Every policy in our 10-Year Blueprint is backed by demographic and economic data. We believe in a government that measures its success by KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) shared publicly with the citizens every quarter.


The TOC Standard

The Transform Ogun Coalition is not just another political choice. We are a Governing Idea. We are bringing together the boardroom experts, the tech-visionaries, the grassroots organizers, and the cross-party leaders who realize that "almost" is no longer enough.

Ogun at 50 is a milestone. Ogun at 60 must be a miracle. But miracles are designed, not wished for.

Join the Coalition, lend your voice to the 10-Year Blueprint, and let's build the Ogun we deserve.

👉 Join the Transform Ogun Coalition on WhatsApp

https://chat.whatsapp.com/L1fZN4qs8JZ1M2XqOe5XkS


Signed
Central Working Committee
Transform Ogun Coalition (TOC)

20/02/2026

*IJEBUS DEMAND REPRESENTATION: 'WE WANT COMPLETE IJEBU MAN FOR SENATE AND GOVERNOR'*

We, the Ijebus of, Ijebu Ode, Odogbolu, Ogun waterside, Ijebu North,Ijebu North-East and Ijebu East Local Government Areas of Ogun State, are calling for self-representation in Ogun State politics, demanding an Ijebu candidate for Senator and Governor.

Our Ijebu Remo kiths and kins have exploited our voting population over the years yet neglecting Ijebu interests, when it matters most.

The late Awujale HRM Oba Sikiru Adetona GCON Ogbagba II holding on to the historical fact that Ijebu Remo is an integral part of Ijebuland, throughout 65 years reign allowed IJEBU REMOS, , to hold political offices, despite being minority in Ogun East. It was with same fraternal understanding that the late Awujale allowed two Ijebu Remo sons; Gbenga Daniel OGD and Dapo Abiodun MFR, to become Senator and Governor at the same time, at the detriment of six local governments.

The question remains what has Ijebu gained from past electoral concessions to Ijebu Remo?
Anti-Ijebu plot, betrayal of trust on Ijebu State agenda, disdain for the throne of the Awujale, history of Ijebuland and the Ijebu's benevolence.

"Enough is enough," we seek a "complete Ijebu man" for top roles, we reject "half-cast" candidates like DAPO ABIODUN AND OGD. We want genuine Ijebu man or woman to represent us.

Election is around the corner both of them and their Remo people are will soon be claiming we are one and should dash them our the overwhelming votes of our 6 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, e jo. We can win any political contest without Ijebu Remo but they can never become Senator or Governor without us. Oshii re ma po Oloselu re ba da Ijebu ni 2027. Ase.

While open to negotiating Governorship with other regions, we insist on Ijebu's Senate slot. The message is clear: Ijebu wants control over our political destiny.

"E le ju se run wen o. E lo ma je Remo state..." -
We have had enough of your exploitation and betrayal of trust, despite being on our land.

Orisa Ijebu a gbe wa o, Eni gbe odale o.

*COPIED FROM IJEBU MURE PLATFORM*

13/02/2026

Awujale Succession Faces Historic Legal Battle - Could Ijebu Repeat the Orimolusi Crisis?”

As the drums of the Ojude Oba festival echo across Ijebuland, a shadow looms over the anticipated coronation of a new Awujale. The succession process anchored in centuries-old traditions, from the conferment of the Jaginrin and Apebi titles to the crowning rites at the palace is now under siege by more than twenty impending litigations, threatening to stall or even derail the process entirely. Observers warn that the crisis could mirror the protracted Orimolusi dispute of Ijebu-Igbo, a legal and cultural impasse that haunted the region for decades.

At the heart of the controversy are alleged disenfranchised princes and marginalized contestants, many claiming exclusion from the 103-person pool of aspirants. Sources within the palace indicate that at least sixteen lawsuits are being prepared to challenge the installation of any candidate perceived as “imposed” upon the Ijebu people.

“Heritage and culture must be preserved. Kingmakers must act decisively to prevent endless litigation,” said Professor Sola Opeodu, a U.S.-based historian specializing in Yoruba chieftaincy institutions. “While the Ogun State Chieftaincy Act encourages gender inclusivity, Supreme Court precedent in the Orimolusi case continues to uphold traditional lineage as the ultimate determinant.”

Legal luminary Barrister Habeeb Iluyomade, of Eleyinoye Chambers, echoed the sentiment. “Monetary influence cannot override centuries of judicial interpretation and custom. Local statutes may not supersede Supreme Court rulings on ancient stools. Any deviation could trigger decades-long litigation.”

The dispute rests on three intertwined pillars, cultural preservation, legal conflict, and judicial precedent. Advocates insist that ancestral royal protocols be strictly followed to safeguard Ijebu heritage. At the same time, the Ogun State Chieftaincy Act’s emphasis on gender equality risks clashing with traditional male-line succession preferences. Supreme Court rulings, notably on the Orimolusi stool, remain the benchmark against which any deviation from tradition is measured.

Insiders warn that an Awujale installation drawn from maternal lineage such as the Kazeem family of Ijebu-Igbo could ignite a legal standoff reminiscent of the Saliu Idumota era, when palace violence threatened lives and stalled governance. “We pray we do not revisit those dark days,” said Pa Akibulahi Onaolapo, an octogenarian and eyewitness to the 1930s succession crisis. “Ijebu-Ode has endured enough turmoil, this moment demands prudence and respect for tradition.”

The tension has now extended beyond Ijebuland. The Ijebus in Diaspora Association (Europe & America), under the leadership of Omoba Remi Mosuro in Atlanta, Georgia, has formally rejected several high-profile potential candidates for the Awujale throne. In an unprecedented statement released after emergency consultations across Europe, North and South America, and the Caribbean, the association declared its opposition to the candidacies of Bimbo Onabanjo, Hon. Ademorin Kuye, Otunba Biodun Onanuga (Nugacon), Mr. Arowolo, and Dr. Hassan.

“The nomination of these individuals, many of whom have long-standing political or financial entanglements, would dishonor the stool,” the diaspora statement read. Concerns raised include alleged involvement in EFCC-related money laundering investigations for Bimbo Onabanjo, and rumored financial backing from Lagos monarchs purportedly aimed at undermining the Awujale’s traditional ground tax.

For Hassan, Biodun Onanuga, and Arowolo, objections focus on age, fitness, and decades-long ties with palace structures that could hinder governance. Ademorin Kuye’s political background, combined with maternal-line lineage outside the Fusegbuwa family, was deemed “unpalatable” by diaspora members.

Prince Alade Faud White, a North Carolina-based medical doctor and diaspora representative, warned:

“Any attempt to impose these candidates on the Ijebu people will meet resistance. The diaspora will not hesitate to withdraw financial support for the Ojude Oba festival if these warnings are ignored.”

As legal challenges mount and diaspora opposition consolidates, Ijebuland stands at a critical crossroads. The palace, custodians of centuries-old traditions, faces the unenviable task of reconciling legal precedent, cultural continuity, and modern democratic pressures. Failure to do so risks plunging the kingdom into a protacted legal impasse, eroding trust in both traditional institutions and contemporary governance frameworks.

Observers note that while tradition dictates succession, the growing influence of diaspora voices and judicial oversight introduces a new dimension to chieftaincy politics in Nigeria. The Awujale of Ijebuland throne, revered for centuries, is now as much a test of legal acumen as it is of cultural stewardship.

In the coming months, all eyes, local, national, and international will watch whether the custodians of Ijebuland’s heritage can navigate this intricate web of tradition, law, and diaspora activism without repeating the mistakes of the Orimolusi crisis.

©️ Adebamiwa Olugbenga Michael is a Lagos-based political economy and policy intelligence analyst and publisher of The Insight Lens Project, providing data-driven insights across Nigeria and West Africa using open-source data.

12/02/2026

If only the majority of Nigerians understood that the kind of senators and representatives they elect is more important than the president, we would stop paying more attention to the color of roofing sheets on a house with rotten foundations. The representatives are the rotten foundations.

Even if we succeed in making Jesus our President, if we have Judas Iscariots in their dozens in the National Assembly, Jesus would still not be able to lead us into the heaven we are praying for.

Stop electing thieves and tired, old, greedy men into the National Assembly and expecting to have a responsible President.

The National Assembly is designed to force the President to truly represent the people and be responsible.

If you elect a thief to catch a thief, they will both sell you.

-KAA

10/02/2026

*DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST ROGUE PROPERTY AGENTS IN IJEBULAND: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH 🌟

Michael Abiodun 08032317659

A disturbing trend has emerged in Ijebuland, where unscrupulous individuals posing as property agents are engaging in egregious acts of exploitation, causing undue hardship to citizens.

These impostors are targeting unsuspecting landlords and tenants, inflating rents, and creating artificial scarcity of accommodation.

Their modus operandi includes:
- Approaching landlords and convincing them to evict existing tenants, under the guise of securing higher rents
- Arbitrarily inflating rent prices, often doubling or tripling the original amount
- Imposing hidden fees and charges, further exacerbating the planguing citizens

Oracle of Peace 🕊️ is sounding a clarion call to all genuine, registered property agents to report these impostors to the relevant law enforcement agencies, lest they suffer the consequences of being associated with these nefarious activities.

Furthermore, Oracle of Peace 🕊️ will take it upon itself to expose these rogue agents, shedding light on their dastardly acts, and bringing them to justice.

It is imperative that the citizens of Ijebuland unite against these predators, and join forces to restore sanity and fairness to the property market.

If you have been a victim or witness to such exploitation, we urge you to come forward and report these incidents to the authorities.

Together, we can create a safer, more equitable environment for all residents of Ijebuland.

~Oracle of Peace 🕊️

10/02/2026

Equity Must Be Earned: Why Performance Should Shape Political Appointments

For too long, political appointments in our democracy have been treated as entitlements rather than responsibilities. Representation has been confused with reward, and participation has been separated from consequence. This imbalance has weakened accountability, discouraged voter engagement, and undermined public trust in governance.

It is time to correct that mistake.

Representation is a constitutional obligation. Every state and every local government must have a place at the table. That principle is not up for debate. But representation does not automatically translate into control of the most strategic ministries or influence over critical national decisions. In a democracy, effort must matter.

When states or local governments disengage from the electoral process when they fail to mobilize voters, invest in political organization, or take ownership of the democratic moment yet later receive the most powerful positions in government, the message is clear and damaging: participation is optional, but reward is guaranteed. That message must end.

Governance should reflect performance. Those who deliver electoral results, who do the hard work of mobilization, persuasion, and turnout, should have a stronger voice in shaping the administration that follows. This is not punishment; it is accountability. It is how serious systems function.

A performance-based approach to appointments will restore discipline to our politics. Jurisdictions that deliver the strongest electoral outcomes should enjoy priority consideration in the allocation of strategic ministries provided their nominees meet clearly defined standards of competence and integrity. Merit must remain non-negotiable. Numbers alone do not appoint leaders; qualified people do.

Critics may argue that this approach risks exclusion. The opposite is true. It strengthens inclusion by tying it to responsibility. Every state and local government retains representation, but influence is earned through engagement. This model encourages voter participation, strengthens party structures at the grassroots, and aligns political rewards with democratic effort.

Equally important is rejecting the dangerous myth that some parts of the country lack capable human resources. Talent exists everywhere. What has been lacking is the political will to recognize, develop, and deploy it fairly. We must stop using “capacity” as an excuse for imbalance and inefficiency.

Democracy thrives when citizens believe their participation matters. A system that rewards effort, discipline, and results sends a powerful message: your vote counts not only on election day, but in how the country is governed afterward.

The era of automatic rewards is over. Equity must be earned, merit must be enforced, and performance must matter. That is how we rebuild trust and that is how democracy works.

Otunba Segun Showunmi
The Alternative.

09/02/2026

9/02/2026
Electronic Voting in Nigeria: Prospects, Challenges and Implications for Electoral Integrity

A Case Study of the 2023 Presidential Election

By Comrade Araba Olajide Babatunde

Introduction:-

The conduct of credible elections remains a cornerstone of democratic governance. In recent years, Nigeria has adopted elements of electronic technology in its electoral process as part of efforts to address persistent challenges such as electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, and lack of public confidence.

This paper examines the concept of electronic voting, its advantages and disadvantages, and its implications for election credibility in Nigeria, using the 2023 presidential election as a case study.

Concept of Electronic Voting
Electronic voting refers to the application of digital technology in various stages of the electoral process, including voter accreditation, vote recording, result collation, and transmission.

In Nigeria, electronic voting does not involve the complete replacement of paper ballots; rather, technology is used to support the process through devices such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic result transmission platforms.

Advantages of Electronic Voting
Electronic voting offers several benefits to democratic systems:
Enhanced Electoral Integrity
The use of biometric verification significantly reduces incidents of impersonation, multiple voting, and ballot stuffing.

Speed and Efficiency
Electronic transmission of results minimizes delays associated with manual collation and declaration.
Transparency and Accountability
Public access to electronically uploaded results enhances transparency and allows independent verification by stakeholders.
Improved Accuracy
Digital systems reduce human errors commonly associated with manual counting and recording of votes.

Strengthening Public Confidence
When properly implemented, electronic systems can increase voter trust in the electoral process.

Disadvantages of Electronic Voting
Despite its benefits, electronic voting presents notable challenges:
Technical and Operational Failures
Device malfunction, power supply issues, and poor network connectivity can disrupt the electoral process.
Cybersecurity Concerns
Electronic systems may be vulnerable to hacking or unauthorized access if not adequately protected.

Digital Literacy Limitations
Insufficient technical knowledge among electoral officials and voters can affect effective deployment.
High Financial Cost
Acquisition, maintenance, and security of electronic systems require substantial financial investment.

Infrastructure Deficit
Inadequate internet and power infrastructure, especially in rural areas, pose serious limitations.
Electronic Voting and the Risk of Election Rigging in Nigeria
The introduction of electronic voting does not inherently promote election rigging. On the contrary, when properly managed, it serves as a deterrent to electoral malpractice. However, the effectiveness of electronic voting depends largely on institutional integrity, strict adherence to electoral laws, transparency in deployment, and accountability of electoral officials. Human interference, rather than technology, remains the primary risk factor in electoral manipulation.

Case Study: The 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria
The 2023 presidential election represented a significant milestone in Nigeria’s electoral reforms. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deployed the BVAS for voter accreditation and introduced the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for electronic transmission of polling unit results.
Observed Achievements
Reduction in incidents of multiple voting
Improved transparency at polling units
Increased citizen participation in result verification
Identified Challenges
Delays in uploading results to the IReV portal
Network and technical failures in some locations
Public dissatisfaction and legal disputes arising from perceived non-compliance with guidelines
These challenges generated widespread debate and underscored the need for institutional and technological improvements.
Conclusion
Electronic voting remains a critical instrument for enhancing electoral credibility in Nigeria. The experience of the 2023 presidential election demonstrates both the potential and the limitations of technology-driven elections. Strengthening electoral institutions, improving technical capacity, ensuring strict compliance with electoral laws, and enhancing transparency are essential to maximizing the benefits of electronic voting.
Ultimately, technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections; it must be supported by strong institutions, political will, and public accountability.

SIGNED BY:
HON.COM. ARABA OLAJIDE BABATUNDE
CEO SHONIK EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

The HON Company designs and manufactures inspiring office furniture including office chairs, desks, tables, filing cabinets, workstations and workplace tools.

03/02/2026

PRINCE TEMITOPE OYEKUNLE OYENUGA, MOGOSU-ELECT TAKES STEP TOWARDS CROWNING AS OBA OF IBIDO-OGBO

Prince Temitope Oyekunle Oyenuga, the Mogoosu-elect of Ibido-Ogbo in Odogbolu Local Government Area, on Tuesday, 3rd February 2026, commenced the performance of the traditional Ilete and Ipodo rites.

The sacred rites, deeply rooted in the customs of Akile Ijebu, are a mandatory ancestral process undertaken in preparation for the eventual crowning of the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

His selection came into effect on 5th November, 2025 in the event performed under the Ogun State Chiefs and Chieftaincy Laws Cap 20 by Odogbolu Local Government Secretary Hon. Deacon Stanley Davies Secretary.

Long live Kabiyesi-elect!
Long live Ibido-Ogbo!!
Long live Ijebu Tradition Culture!!!