OGUN 2027: Yayi, Yewa/Awori And The Politics Of Ancestral History – By Dare Odufowokan
As the political conversation ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election gathers momentum, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has once again found himself at the centre of a debate over history, ancestry and political identity.
In recent times, critics of the senator have continued to question his connection to Ilaro, Yewa and Ogun West, particularly by drawing attention to the ancestral roots of his family in Isaga-Orile. Their argument is that because Yayi’s ancestors reportedly originated from Isaga-Orile before later settling in Ago-Isaga/Pahayi in Ilaro, he should not be regarded as an indigene of Ilaro, Yewa or Ogun West.
However, available historical accounts suggest that the issue may be more complex than the simplified interpretation being promoted in some political circles.
The historical significance of Isaga-Orile in the story of the Isaga people is not in dispute. Public accounts have identified Yayi’s great-grandfather, Olege, as one of those who migrated from Isaga-Orile to Ago-Isaga/Pahayi in Ilaro following the period of displacement associated with the Dahomey invasion.
Those same accounts reportedly described Senator Adeola as a bona fide son of Yewa and documented the dispersal of Isaga descendants across different parts of present-day Yewa, Abeokuta, Lagos and the Republic of Benin.
Rather than contradicting Yayi’s connection to Ilaro, the argument goes, this history explains how that connection developed.
Migration, after all, does not automatically erase settlement or community identity. A family that leaves an ancestral homeland, establishes a new home, raises generations there, participates in community life and becomes recognised as part of that society does not necessarily remain a stranger forever because its earlier ancestral location can be traced elsewhere.
If ancestry alone were used as the sole measure of belonging, the implications would be far-reaching. Across Yorubaland and Nigeria, countless families have histories shaped by migration, resettlement, wars, intermarriage and the establishment of new communities.
Political identity and personal history are equally layered. A person may have an ancestral homeland, a paternal lineage, a family settlement, a birthplace, a place of upbringing and a political constituency, all at the same time.
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These identities are not necessarily contradictory.
Yayi’s biography has long established his connection to Lagos, where he was born and built much of his political career. He represented Alimosho in the House of Representatives and later represented Lagos West in the Senate before moving into the political space of Ogun West.
However, being born or politically raised in Lagos does not automatically erase the history of a paternal family whose generations have maintained recognised roots and settlement in another community.
That distinction appears central to the debate surrounding Yayi’s connection to Ogun West.
The available historical accounts cited by supporters of the senator point to Ago-Isaga/Pahayi in Ilaro as the settlement where his paternal family became established after leaving Isaga-Orile. These accounts were reportedly in the public domain long before the current political contest for the 2027 governorship election began.
For many observers, therefore, the larger political conversation should move beyond arguments over nineteenth-century migration routes and focus on the broader question of representation and political equity in Ogun State.
One of the strongest arguments surrounding Ogun’s 2027 governorship race remains the agitation for Ogun West to produce an elected governor.
Since the creation of Ogun State in 1976, Ogun East and Ogun Central have produced governors, while Ogun West has yet to occupy the state’s highest elective office. This reality has continued to fuel conversations about power rotation and political inclusion within the state.
Supporters of Yayi argue that this is the more important context for the 2027 contest.
They maintain that those who oppose his governorship ambition are entitled to support another candidate, challenge his political record or argue against zoning and power rotation. However, they insist that political opposition should be based on policy, competence, leadership capacity and competing visions for Ogun State—not on what they consider an attempt to selectively interpret family history.
The debate also raises constitutional questions.
Nigeria’s Constitution outlines the requirements for anyone seeking election as governor, including citizenship by birth, the prescribed age, membership and sponsorship by a political party, and the required educational qualification.
It does not require a governorship candidate to trace his family tree to the exact geographical location where a great-grandparent once lived.
While questions of indigeneity and community identity remain socially and politically significant in Nigeria, they are different from the constitutional qualifications required to contest for public office.
This is why critics and supporters of Yayi may need to separate historical identity from political rhetoric.
The history of a family can contain several legitimate chapters. Isaga-Orile may represent part of Yayi’s deeper ancestral history. Ago-Isaga/Pahayi in Ilaro may represent the settlement and recognised paternal family connection that developed over generations. Lagos represents his place of birth and political upbringing, while Ogun West is the senatorial district he currently represents.
There is no inherent contradiction in these multiple identities.
As Ogun approaches 2027, the contest should ultimately be about leadership and the future of the state.
If Senator Adeola is considered unqualified to govern Ogun State, his opponents have every right to challenge his record, competence, policies, leadership style and vision for the future. They are equally free to present alternative candidates whom they believe can better serve the people.
But the electorate will have to decide whether arguments built around historical migration patterns should carry more weight than questions of performance, capacity and political representation.
The central question, therefore, may not be whether Yayi’s ancestors once left Isaga-Orile. Historical accounts suggest that migration occurred. The more relevant question is whether such migration permanently prevents generations of descendants from belonging to the communities where their families subsequently settled, built relationships and became recognised.
For supporters of Yayi, the answer is clear: migration does not cancel settlement, and ancestry does not erase community identity.
As the 2027 governorship race draws closer, history will undoubtedly continue to be part of Ogun’s political conversation. However, history should serve as a tool for understanding—not a weapon for political distortion.
In the end, the people of Ogun State, not self-appointed “emergency historians,” will determine who earns their trust and mandate.
Odufowokan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State.
