Sen.Adeola Yayi ‘s governorship bid sparks statewide town hall meetings – Ogun Visionaries

In a bid to further deepen the propagation of Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola’s aspiration for the Ogun governorship seat in 2027, the leading socio‑political group Ogun Visionaries on Thursday organized a Town Hall Meeting for the people of Ogun West.

The Ogun West edition, with the theme Yayi 2027: Making a Case for Ogun State Unity and Prosperity,”was held at Sango‑Ota in Ado‑Odo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Speaking at the well‑attended event, the chairman of the day, Dr. Isiaq Kunle Salako, described the gathering as not just another political event, but a statement of solidarity and a reaffirmation of the people’s collective resolve and demonstration of their commitment to the unity and progress of Ogun State.

The Minister of State for Health, represented by Hon. Sheriff Abiodun said “We have come together as one big political family from every local government and ward with the common goal of delivering our state into the hands of a visionary and tested leader, Sen. Solomon Adeola, fondly called Yayi.

“The journey to the 2027 governorship race begins now, and the foundation of this must be built on unity. No party, no vision, no movement can thrive in division. This meeting is crucial to strengthen the bond that holds us together, reconcile differences where they exist, and remind ourselves that our collective future is stronger than our personal ambition. Our candidate, Sen. Solomon Adeola Yayi, has proven capability, competence and compassion—qualities our state desperately needs to drive qualitative leadership, empowerment and inclusiveness. We are convinced that he represents the best future we all yearn for.”

Hon. Abiodun, Majority Leader in the Ogun House of Assembly, Ado‑Odo/Ota Constituency 1, noted that the best candidate cannot win without unity, but we should also know that the best and most committed candidate cannot win without the unity and commitment of his people. He charged the electorate of the senatorial district to work hard and intensify efforts to make the vision a reality.

“Victory in 2027 will not come by chance but by hard work, coordination, discipline and collective sacrifice. Therefore we must all work hand‑in‑hand across communities, wards and local governments to get this ambition realized. We must all stand firm against decisive crises and work together to secure an overwhelming victory for Sen. Adeola in 2027.”

In his address, the guest speaker Senator Lekan Mustapha, represented by Ajiroba Dayo Oke, described Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi as someone held in high esteem by many because of his outstanding performances as a distinguished law‑maker whose political legacy remains clearly indelible across all the legislative houses provided in our constitution. Not only that, his records of achievements in infrastructure development and human‑capital‑resource building are highly unprecedented throughout the nooks and crannies of our dear state, with immeasurable contributions to nation‑building.

Delving into the theme of the discussion, he emphasized the role of unity in strengthening community and nation‑building.

“As a democrat, I strongly believe that unity plays a powerful role in advancing shared goals, whether communities, states, nations, or global movements.

“Unity in political actions is one of the most powerful forces for change, especially in diverse societies like Ogun West, Ogun State, Nigeria and across Africa.”

He noted that though diversity is a great challenge to people from Ogun West, he implored them to turn it into their greatest asset, as they now have a vibrant, distinguished and eminent son who can break the jinx for the region in the next election. He urged the people of Ogun West to rise above tribal divisions and sentiments, speak with one voice, purpose and embrace collaboration, and support Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola so as to build a future where every child, in every corner of the state, has an opportunity to thrive. He also pointed out that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Yayi is not just a name on the political landscape of Ogun, but a symbol of what is possible when competence meets compassion and vision backed by verifiable results. He called on all and sundry to organize, mobilize, and come 2027 make history together, so that Ogun State can continue in the legacies of economic vibrancy and prosperity of the current administration under Gov. Dapo Abiodun.

Earlier, the Director‑General of Ogun Visionaries, Hon. Odunleye Odunjo, stated that the socio‑political group is set to hold interactive sessions with Ogun‑state indigenes via statewide town‑hall meetings.

“We will listen to people across the state—asking them what kind of government they would like to have in 2027 and how their next leader should govern their affairs. We will x‑ray individuals and support the best among us to emerge as our elected public servants. With the resources extractable from our state, we must be conscious of those aspiring to lead us.” He noted that town‑hall meetings are not new to the state’s political space, emphasizing that the meetings are to pinpoint and scrutinize the existing challenges, opportunities and ways to fix them all for the benefit of the people of Ogun State.

In their summations, discussants at the meeting—Barr Aina Akinpelu, Alhaja Fatimah Oluwakemi, Princess Florence Egbeyemi, Olootu Bolaji Adeniji, and Olori Olabisi Olaotan lauded the impactful, people‑oriented projects and empowerments being implemented by Senator Olamilekan Adeola Yayi, especially in Ogun West and the other two senatorial districts of Ogun State, adding that Ogun West has gotten a formidable aspirant in Yayi and must rally massive support for him to make the dream of Ogun West occupying the governorship seat of the state a reality since its creation 49 years ago, in the name of equity, justice, unity and prosperity of Ogun State.

Primate Ayodele Donates N2 Million To Students With Disabilities In YABATECH

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has donated the sum of N2 Million to disabled students in the prestigious Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).

The man of God made the announcement during an event tagged “Voices of Resilience”, which Primate Ayodele was the chairman, to celebrate students with disabilities in the institution.

While making his speech, Primate Ayodele expressed his love for the disabled students, while encouraging Nigerian politicians to emulate characters that make society better. He frowned at the treatment the government has given people in the condition, while noting that politicians prefer to be at events that showcase their authority.

“This is one of the wonderful programmes I have ever seen, for the students to organize this, it’s a challenge to the government, especially in Lagos state, where I believe there should be a representation. If its not a social engagement like a wedding, they won’t be there.

“Our students are currently showing good examples, and this means they will grow to become great leaders. It’s quite unfortunate that we don’t see our political leaders at events like this. I am not here to criticize but to congratulate the organisers for this great event.”

He also expressed his displeasure at clerics in the nation, especially some of the popular ones, who don’t engage in humanitarian activities that showcase what Jesus Christ preached about loving one another. He mentioned that everything doesn’t have to be healing, but there are times when life-changing support for the downtrodden means a lot.

“We should have men of God in this gathering, and when you go to the bible, these are friends of Jesus Christ. This is another church entirely. We are not talking about miracles here; we are talking about life-changing events here. From my end here, to support this programme, I will give the sum of N2 Million.”

He subsequently announced the donation of N2 Million to support the disabled students.

In a reaction, the dean of student affairs, Mr Olalekan Shakirudeen, appreciated the man of God for his support. He noted that he has been hearing about Primate Ayodele but meeting him for the first time at the programme.

Likewise, the Student Union Government (SUG) president, Comrade Omogunle Monday, acknowledged Primate Ayodele’s benevolence, explaining that he surprised them even by attending the event and still making such a donation.

He also revealed that earlier on at his church, Primate Ayodele supported students from the institution with a sum of N50,000 each, which amounted to over N2 million during a Sunday programme.

“Primate Ayodele has been very wonderful. Before this, we were invited to a symposium at his church, where about 45 of our students were given N45,000 each, amounting to over N2 million. Doing this now is part of his generous engagement, and we are happy he is focusing on the students’ society to leverage his humanitarian services.”

The Trump–Nigeria Saga: Loud Rhetoric, Fragile Facts and Dangerous Consequences.

George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com

“When Politics, Propaganda and Power Collide Against the Fragile Walls of Sovereignty.”

When the leader of the world’s most powerful military declares, in tones usually reserved for movie trailers and campaign rallies, that he has “ORDERED THE PENTAGON TO PREPARE” to go into another sovereign state “GUNS A-BLAZING,” the world ought to sit up and do more than retweet the drama. What we are witnessing in the public sparring between U.S. President Donald Trump and Nigeria is not merely a clash of headlines; it is a TEST of FACTS, of SOVERENITY and of the INTERNATIONAL NORMS that protect states from CAPRICE CLOAKED as MORAL OUTRAGE.

On November 1–2, 2025, President Trump publicly said he had instructed U.S. defence planners to lay the groundwork for possible military action in Nigeria, claiming the Nigerian state has failed to stop what he described as a mass slaughter of Christians by “RADICAL ISLAMISTS.” He also announced the immediate suspension of U.S. aid and said he had re-listed Nigeria as a “COUNTRY of PARTICULAR CONCERN” on RELIGIOUS FREEDOM grounds. These declarations were made on social platforms and to reporters, then amplified by U.S. and international media.

Those are headline facts; the interpretation of them is where the danger begins. Trump’s rhetoric rests on two claims that need careful unpacking: first, that Christians in Nigeria are being targeted in a systematic, state-sanctioned campaign; and second, that unilateral U.S. military action (or threats of it) is an appropriate remedy when Nigerian authorities allegedly fail. Both claims are contested by evidence, by Nigerian officials and by analysts who map violence in Nigeria not as a simple religious pogrom but as a complex overlay of insurgency, communal conflict, criminality and state weakness.

Nigerian officials were swift and unanimous in their rejection of the premise that the state is complicit in persecuting Christians. Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar insisted that state-sponsored religious persecution is “impossible” under Nigeria’s constitution and framed Trump’s remarks as misinformed and diplomatically injurious. The presidency and government spokespeople have said Nigeria would welcome assistance in tackling insurgency, but only if it respects Nigeria’s sovereignty.

Independent reporting, humanitarian data and country experts offer a more granular picture. Violent attacks in Nigeria have been measured in the thousands for more than a decade – Boko Haram and its affiliates in the northeast, armed pastoralist–farmer clashes in the Middle Belt and criminal banditry in the northwest have taken a horrific human toll. Yet those casualties are not neatly partitioned by religion; victims include Muslims and Christians, civilians and combatants and the drivers of violence are frequently local competition over land, state absence, and criminal economies, not an explicitly coordinated national policy to exterminate one faith. To call it “GENOCIDE” or to propose immediate military invasion without clear evidence of state complicity collapses nuance into spectacle.

This is not to downplay the suffering of communities targeted by extremist violence. Many Nigerians (particularly in the north and Middle Belt) have endured appalling horrors, displacement and loss. Respected voices inside and outside Nigeria, including clergy and civil-society leaders, have urged stronger action to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account. Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for example, told SaharaweeklyNG.com that Trump’s threats create “FEAR for the GOVERNMENT and HOPE for the CHRISTIANS,” but cautioned that the issues “are not simply black and white.” Kukah’s ambivalence reflects the tension between moral urgency and the perils of foreign interference.

Why the alarm? Part of the answer lies in transatlantic domestic politics. Conservative American Christian activists and some U.S. lawmakers have spent years framing the violence in Nigeria as targeted persecution of Christians which is a narrative that found sympathetic ears in certain Washington quarters. Analysts such as Alex Thurston have argued that this storyline, while rooted in genuine incidents of horrific violence, has been amplified selectively to fit a political and religious agenda abroad. The result is an environment where emotive phrases like “CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE” travel rapidly from advocacy networks into presidential pronouncements.

There are immediate, measurable repercussions. Markets and diplomacy reacted: Nigeria launched a $2.25 billion Eurobond in early November and moved to reassure investors even as the diplomatic spat exposed vulnerabilities; the bond issuance and market movements demonstrate that foreign rhetoric can have direct fiscal consequences for a country already balancing debt, development and insecurity.

There are also LONG-TERM, more insidious harms. First: the mosques and churches that should be spaces of solace risk becoming recruiting grounds for violence as suspicion between communities hardens. Second: redesignating Nigeria as a “COUNTRY of PARTICULAR CONCERN” can complicate inter-faith peacebuilding, undermining local dialogue initiatives that depend on trust and quiet diplomacy. Bishop Kukah and other faith leaders warned that blunt external labels could damage the fragile work of reconciliation.

Third: the doctrine of sovereignty matters. No foreign capital should make a habit of threatening kinetic action against a country when the evidence is disputed and when multilateral channels (development aid conditionality, targeted sanctions, transparency demands, UN mechanisms and coordinated intelligence and capacity building) remain available and more appropriate. Nigerian leaders have said they would accept help if it respects territorial integrity; that is the right framing for international assistance.

What, then, should responsible actors do? For the U.S.: channel outrage into evidence-based diplomacy. Use the State Department’s mechanisms for assessing religious freedom; support impartial inquiries; offer intelligence sharing and training to help Nigeria dismantle extremist networks; and, crucially, consult with regional African partners and multilateral institutions before escalating to coercive measures. For Nigerian authorities: accelerate transparency, publish data on attacks, prosecutions and displaced populations; invite independent monitors and strengthen protection of at-risk communities while refusing to instrumentalize security policy for political ends. For Nigerian civil society and faith leaders: insist that advocacy not be weaponised into geopolitical leverage that worsens the lot of the vulnerable.

There is one final truth to enunciate plainly: moral indignation without method is dangerous. To save lives, rhetoric must be matched by rigorous evidence, by calibrated multilateral action and by a recognition that the victims of violent extremism are primarily Nigerian, not props in an external struggle for votes or influence. If the United States truly cares about religious freedom in Nigeria, its actions should bolster, not bulldoze, Nigerian institutions and communities struggling to survive.

Trump’s bluster has forced a global conversation about VIOLENCE in NIGERIA, that conversation was needed. Though, the remedy must not be unilateral threats and performative tweets. If this episode teaches anything, it is that the world must choose competence over spectacle, partnership over patrimony and truth over theater. The lives at stake deserve no less.