Osun Needs Technical Expertise, Strong Federal Partnership for Greater Development — Barrister Adesola Ajiboye-Omotowo
Screenshot_20260811_184713_FacebookOsun Needs Technical Expertise, Strong Federal Partnership for Greater Development — Barrister Adesola Ajiboye-Omotowo
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Barrister Princess Adesola Ajiboye-Omotowo has called for a new approach to governance in Osun State, declaring that the state requires technical expertise, strategic leadership, economic innovation and a stronger working relationship with the Federal Government to unlock its enormous developmental potential.
Ajiboye-Omotowo, a lawyer, lecturer, administrator, farmer, businesswoman and philanthropist, is a princess from Oba-Ile in Osogbo. She is married to Professor Babatunde Omotowo, and their marriage is blessed with three children.
Her involvement in politics also has deep family roots. Her father, Chief Goke Ajiboye, was the first Chairman of Osogbo Local Government and later served as Commissioner for Works and Housing in the old Oyo State, giving the family a longstanding history of public service and political participation.
Described as a thoroughly bred politician with experience spanning law, education, administration, agriculture, business and philanthropy, Ajiboye-Omotowo believes the next phase of Osun’s development must go beyond physical infrastructure to embrace sustainable economic growth, stronger internally generated revenue, investment attraction, employment creation and improved living standards.
According to her, while the present administration deserves recognition for its contributions to the development of Osun State, the state must continue to aspire to greater economic prosperity by adopting policies capable of generating sustainable income and reducing excessive dependence on federal allocations.
“Osun needs something better and greater. Development should not be measured by bridges and roads alone. We must examine our IGR, economic capacity, industrial development, employment opportunities, agriculture, infrastructure and the overall welfare of our people. Every major government project must have clear economic and social justification,” she said.
Ajiboye-Omotowo maintained that infrastructure remains essential to development but argued that major capital projects should form part of a broader economic strategy that takes into consideration the state’s revenue capacity and other competing demands for public resources.
She further stressed the importance of building a productive relationship between Osun State and the Federal Government, noting that stronger cooperation with the government at the centre could open additional opportunities for infrastructure development, investment, security, agriculture, healthcare, education and other strategic interventions.
According to her, political cooperation between the state and Federal Government could provide additional opportunities to attract projects and interventions to Osun, particularly where both levels of government share common developmental objectives.
She, however, emphasised that political affiliation alone cannot guarantee development, insisting that Osun requires competent leadership backed by technical knowledge, administrative experience and the capacity to design practical solutions to the state’s economic challenges.
“Osun needs expertise, not jamboree leadership. We need leadership with strong technical input, vision and capacity — leadership that understands how to grow revenue, attract investors, prudently manage resources and negotiate effectively with the Federal Government, private sector and development partners. Governance is serious business,” she stated.
Against this background, Ajiboye-Omotowo described the APC governorship candidate as possessing the competence, experience and technical capacity required to take Osun to the next level.
She said his combination of administrative understanding, economic vision and the opportunity for stronger collaboration with the APC-led Federal Government places him in a strong position to attract investments, expand the state’s revenue base, create jobs and accelerate development.
According to her, Osun needs practical, results-driven leadership, and the APC candidate represents the kind of leadership capable of translating the state’s enormous human and natural resources into sustainable prosperity.
Ajiboye-Omotowo identified agriculture, tourism, solid minerals, commerce and small-scale industries as areas where Osun possesses significant untapped potential, arguing that strategic investments in these sectors could create jobs, broaden the state’s revenue base and stimulate economic activities across local communities.
As a farmer and businesswoman, she believes greater attention should be paid to developing value chains that connect agriculture with processing, manufacturing and markets, thereby creating opportunities beyond primary production.
She also advocated an aggressive but business-friendly strategy for expanding Osun’s internally generated revenue without imposing unnecessary hardship on residents.
According to her, creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises and major investors would ultimately provide a more sustainable route to increasing government revenue than excessive taxation.
The legal practitioner and lecturer further called for stronger collaboration with the private sector, Federal Government and development institutions, maintaining that Osun cannot continue to depend predominantly on monthly allocations while its population, infrastructure requirements and social responsibilities continue to increase.
While acknowledging the efforts of the current administration, Ajiboye-Omotowo maintained that discussions about the future of Osun should focus primarily on competence, ideas and measurable development rather than personalities and political sentiments.
“The present government has made its contributions, and those efforts should be acknowledged. But development is a continuous process. Osun must aspire to something greater. We need leadership capable of building on existing achievements, correcting weaknesses and moving our state to a much higher level,” she said.
She therefore urged Osun residents to critically examine the competence, experience, economic programmes, administrative capacity and developmental agenda of those seeking to govern the state, stressing that the overriding consideration should be their ability to deliver sustainable development and better living conditions.
Ajiboye-Omotowo maintained that the future of Osun should be anchored on competent and technically sound leadership, stronger IGR, responsible infrastructure development, agricultural transformation, job creation, investment attraction, private-sector participation and effective collaboration with the Federal Government.
“Osun has enormous human and natural resources. What we need is the right leadership, technical expertise and economic strategy to transform those opportunities into prosperity. This should not be about sentiment or personal ambition; it should be about building a stronger Osun for today’s generation and those coming after us,” she concluded.
