Ilaro Is Becoming “Small London”
—Sen. Adeola Yayi
—targets 60,000 votes from Ilaro
Thousands of supporters from Ilaro Division in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State have pledged to deliver 100 per cent of their votes to Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The pledge was announced on Saturday at a political rally organised by Ilaro Parapo, a grassroots movement comprising the five wards and three major towns in Ilaro Division, in support of Adeola, the APC governorship candidate in Ogun State.
The rally, held at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion, Empire Field, Ilaro, also provided a platform for the senator to outline the infrastructure projects he said he had facilitated in the town and reaffirm his commitment to further development if elected governor.
Speaking at the event, organised under the theme, “Unity, Development and Political Future of Ilaro District,” Adeola said Ilaro was gradually becoming a “small London”, describing the development as the fulfilment of a promise he made at the beginning of his senatorial representation.
He attributed the changing outlook of the town to projects he had facilitated in roads, healthcare, education, electricity and security, among other areas.
“I made a promise to turn Ilaro and its environs into a ‘small London’, and I have worked seriously towards achieving this through the infrastructure development I facilitated for the town,” he said.
Adeola also cited the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, as part of his efforts to expand educational opportunities and strengthen the town’s status as an academic centre.
He said the proposed university status would create further opportunities for residents, stimulate economic activities and attract more investment to the area.
The senator urged residents to support him and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections, arguing that their votes would determine the direction of development in Ilaro, Ogun West and the state as a whole.
He said he expected Ilaro District in Yewa South Local Government Area to deliver more than 60,000 votes in the 2027 elections.
Adeola, who holds the traditional titles of Aare Gbobaniyi of Ilaro and Aremo of Yewaland, was celebrated by supporters at the rally as the “People’s Senator extraordinaire”.
*Ilaro residents promise massive support*
In his welcome address, Omoba Segun Adewale, popularly known as OSA, described Adeola as a son of Ilaro and expressed confidence that residents would mobilise support for his governorship ambition.
Adewale said the division had approximately 80,000 registered voters who had collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), adding that the organisers were determined to mobilise them to vote for Adeola and other APC candidates.
He said the decision to support the senator was based on what he described as his record of facilitating development projects, as well as the longstanding agitation for Ogun West to produce a governor.
According to him, the district’s quest for the governorship is linked to what he described as about 50 years of political exclusion, arguing that Adeola’s candidacy presents an opportunity to address the situation.
Adewale, however, stressed that the senator’s governorship ambition should not be viewed solely through the lens of projects in Ilaro or Ogun West.
“Voting for Senator Adeola-Yayi is not only about projects and development in Ilaro and Ogun West, but also about development across Ogun State, as he has started work in other senatorial districts of the state,” he said.
The organisers described the rally as a grassroots initiative reflecting the aspirations of residents and their desire to participate in determining the political future of the district.
They said the gathering would mark the beginning of sustained mobilisation across the division’s five wards and three major towns ahead of the 2027 elections.
*Academics call for unity, development*
The event also featured presentations by three academics from Ilaro: Professor Tope Popoola, Professor Taiwo Edun and Dr Mukhail Akinde.
The scholars spoke on the theme of the gathering, emphasising unity, development and the political future of Ilaro District.
They called on residents to work together in pursuit of the area’s development aspirations and participate actively in the electoral process.
The presentations provided an intellectual dimension to the gathering, which combined political mobilisation with discussions about infrastructure, education, representation and the future of the district.
Participants also expressed support for Adeola’s ambition, citing his representation at the national level and the development projects attributed to him.
*Dignitaries attend rally*
Among the dignitaries at the event were the Minister of State for Health and Social Services, Dr Kunle Salako; a former Ogun State legislator in the Third Republic, Hon. Muftau Ajibola; and the Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Latefat Ajayi.
Others included Engr. Tommy Akintomide, Chief Mrs Iyabo Apampa and the APC senatorial candidate for Ogun West, Hon. Jimoh Ojugbele.
The rally featured speeches and cultural displays, with participants reaffirming their commitment to mobilising support for the APC ahead of the next general elections.
For Ilaro Parapo, the gathering was both a declaration of political support and an opportunity to articulate the community’s expectations of future leadership, particularly in infrastructure, education, healthcare, electricity and economic development.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the group said it would continue engaging residents across the division to consolidate its mobilisation efforts.