The 27th Oba-Oke Day celebration in Osun State emerged as a powerful convergence of traditional authority, political leadership, and community stakeholders united around a shared vision of peace, investment, and sustainable development.
The event reflected the growing grassroots alignment with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emphasizing infrastructure renewal, economic diversification, youth empowerment, and community-driven growth.
At the heart of the celebration was a clear message from the Oloba of Oba-Oke, Oba Adam Bamidele Iyiola Yusuf Esutola II, who underscored peace as the foundation of development. His call for harmonious relations with neighbouring communities and his firm warning against youth involvement in social vices echo the Tinubu administration’s national emphasis on security, social stability, and human capital development as prerequisites for economic progress. The monarch’s encouragement of education and vocational skills aligns with federal priorities aimed at building a productive, self-reliant youth population capable of driving local and national growth.
The Chairman of the Oba-Oke Development Union, TPL Yakubu Oladipupo Abdul-Ganiyu, highlighted the town’s vast agricultural and fishing potential, with strong production of cocoa, kolanut, rice, maize, cassava, yam, and plantain. Despite these strengths, infrastructural gaps continue to constrain Oba-Oke’s full economic contribution.
This reality reinforces the Tinubu administration’s policy direction, which prioritises infrastructure as a catalyst for private-sector-led growth, rural prosperity, and food security. The appeal to private investors and diaspora indigenes reflects confidence in the administration’s reforms aimed at improving the investment climate nationwide.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun election, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), brought a forward-looking development lens to the discussions. His concern over poor access roads, schools, and public facilities in Oba-Oke reflects a broader progressive acknowledgement that development must reach every community.
Particularly significant was his focus on the Owala Dam, described as a largely untapped asset capable of driving agriculture, tourism, job creation, and commercial activities. His commitment to fully develop the dam if elected draws credibility from his experience as former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), reinforcing confidence in technocratic and results-oriented leadership, an ethos strongly associated with President Tinubu’s governance philosophy.
The Chief Launcher, Rt. Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke, emphasised effective collaboration between local and state governments to ensure prudent use of public funds. This call mirrors the Tinubu administration’s push for institutional efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and cooperative governance across all tiers of government.
The Chief Host, Ambassador Issah Adedotun Niniola, reinforced the importance of unity and community-led initiatives, while acknowledging the vital role of donors and partners. His remarks highlighted a core principle of the Renewed Hope Agenda: development succeeds best when government action is complemented by active citizen participation.
The Oba-Oke Day celebration was more than a cultural event, it was a strategic development dialogue rooted in peace, productivity, and progressive leadership. The collective calls for investment, infrastructure, and unity strongly resonate with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national vision of inclusive growth and economic renewal.
As Oba-Oke positions itself for transformation, the alignment between traditional institutions, political leadership, community stakeholders, and the broader APC-led development agenda offers a compelling model for grassroots-driven progress under the Renewed Hope era.