Orogun, is one of the sprawling neighborhoods of the University of Ibadan, this community is a mixed of the academia, civil servants, corporate world, business tycoons from all the popular markets in Ibadan and some political bigwigs. Around 1993, some American vehicles, such as Ford and Chevrolet, were seen plying the streets. These unique vehicles attracted all the aspiring boys in the community but none had the courage to approach the owner of these cars. The moment of revelation, for me, came when I went for a walk with my Dad, and he identified the man I see behind the steering wheel as his brother from the same country home, Okeho, Oyo State. Those were my early contacts with Uncle Sola Ogunbode.

This valiant Okeho man is truly an unsung democratic hero, having been part of the political struggle to liberate the country from the military junta. From his activity in the formation of NADECO, to the Egbe Omo Yoruba in the United States, he has been a force to reckon with as a young man who is leading a social cause for the advancement of his country. He is humility personified because he does not put on the toga of his sophistication as an influential person on both the African and American continents.

In the early days of democratic governance in Oyo State, Uncle Sola played a prominent role. He was on the board of the Oyo State Water Corporation during the tenure of the late Alh. Lam Adesina. However, his desire for impactful leadership was short-lived due to the crisis in the state chapter of the Alliance for Democracy. As believed, all those who were expelled from the party led to the undoing of AD in Oyo State. He moved on to become the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate for the Labour Party in 2007, the election that led to the emergence of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala as the State Governor.

A wholehearted Oyo man who sees himself as a man from Oyo State and not from a section of the state. I have a dream that very soon a man from Oke-Ogun in Oyo North will govern Oyo State and bring the state to its rightful position, as it happened in the days when Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo led the Western Region and Chief James Ajibola Ige led the Old Oyo State, comprising the present Oyo and Osun States.

Uncle Sola’s story is an encouragement to today’s timid generation that cannot stand for anything; he believed it was pointless to give in to injustice because we assume it has already become endemic in our national life. We need the candour to stand for the change we want to see in our time.

As we are halfway into the 2019 elections, I see a bright future if the people of Oyo North, typically called Oke-Ogun, the food basket of Oyo State, come together to fight for the noble cause of leading Oyo State to greater heights. We cannot remain content with being the Deputy Governor or Secretary to the State Government. Our unity will take us closer to our emancipation.

Happy Diamond Anniversary to a big Uncle, a role model, another quality product from Okeho, a frontline leader in Oyo State and Nigeria.