As a boy during the political processes that led to the advent of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, my father, a progressive local businessman and politician, would take me to political meetings and gatherings. He understood the importance of grassroots involvement in politics and governance and wanted his only son to be fully and duly involved, even if it meant nibbling away on Okin or Pako biscuits at that age.
So, when Alliance for Democracy(AD) took over the six Southwest States in Nigeria in 1999, my father was the happiest man on earth. Years later before his glorious demise, he told me the most painful event in his political journey was the forceful takeover of Yorubaland four years later by the PDP and his inability to deliver Pa Olu Falae as Nigeria’s president. “‘Egbon mi, translated as ‘my brother’, would have put the country on the right path.” He was confident in his brother. He was sure he had the right plans to move Nigeria forward. He also wondered how Tinubu survived the 2003 tsunami.
Driving past the NEPA area late yesterday, I saw a branded vehicle with pictures of President ‘Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his Minister of Interior, Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and something about Akure Youth and BTO. I smiled. This is what I have looked forward to. Young people taking their fates and futures into their own hands. I honked at the driver, moved closer to him and winked at him. He got the message; an approval from another young Akure man, who will be fully supporting them, especially in prayers.
You see, I believe that in the evolving dynamics of Nigeria’s political landscape, only few ideas and political push capture the strained relationship of youth mobilization, governance, performance and even strategic political alignment as clear as the growing synergy between Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the young people of Akure and the broader, bigger nationwide project tied to Bola Ahmed Tinubu. What we’re witnessing is not merely a political movement; it is a carefully constructed strategic plan, one that blends grassroots energy with demonstrable governance credentials and visible achievements.
Yet, at the heart of this new movement lies a central, concerning question: can performance-driven leadership, amplified by youth engagement, redefine political loyalty and electoral outcomes ahead of future contests, especially as we approach 2027? For Tunji-Ojo and the Akure youth bloc, the answer appears to be a confident yes.
I have followed the young man’s political trajectory. It’s too inspiring to be ignored. Before his emergence as a key figure in Nigeria’s executive arm, Tunji-Ojo built a reputation as a vibrant and assertive legislator representing Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. His legislative years were marked by unusual boldness, particularly in oversight and institutional accountability. As Chairman of the House Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), he led one of the most consequential probes in the agency’s history—investigating alleged financial irregularities. This intervention did more than expose systemic inefficiencies; it positioned him as a legislator willing to confront entrenched interests in pursuit of transparency. That’s the boldest move a young man, new to national politicking, even from a local place, could take!
I also read about his other bold political moves to mobilize first-time lawmakers to support the emergence of the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. ‘Femi Gbajabiamila, a move that I’m sure will continue to wow the current Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, which I believe cements their relationship till today. I saw a picture of them days ago holding hands.
His legislative footprint also extended into many committees; national security, gas resources, local content, and development commissions, reflecting a broad engagement with Nigeria’s governance architecture. These roles helped shape his policy depth, governance framework and even his national outlook and acceptance.
However, what endeared him more to the people were his grassroots interventions. I have heard and read from his constituents how Tunji-Ojo prioritizes community development and youth inclusion,which earned him recognition such as “Legislator of the Year” and other national commendations.
Tunji-Ojo’s transition from the National Assembly to the executive arm in 2023 marked a new phase; one that would test not just his political relevance but his administrative capacity. Appointed Minister of Interior under President Tinubu,he assumed responsibility for one of Nigeria’s most sensitive governance sectors: internal security and affairs. In less than three years, his tenure has been defined by aggressive reforms and a clear embrace of technology as a governance tool.
One of his most notable achievements has been the modernization of Nigeria’s passport system. He has centralized passport processing and introduced more efficient and effective systems, significantly reducing the long-standing bottlenecks that plagued Nigerians seeking travel documents. This reform alone has had a direct impact on citizens, improving government service delivery and restoring public confidence. My younger sister got her renewed passport under a week, a great departure from the usual waiting months.
Equally significant is his intervention in Nigeria’s correctional system, the one we popularly call prisons. There was a time he brought up an idea to decongest the prisons. Hundreds of Nigerians who were made to waste away their youthful years behind prison gates because they couldn’t afford court fines as small as ten thousand Nigerian Naira, were told to go home. Their fines, which amounted up to ₦500m, were donated by ordinary Nigerians who believe in his prison decongestion initiative.This approach reflects a broader philosophy: shifting from punitive justice to rehabilitation and real corrections.
Within the paramilitary services under his supervision, Tunji-Ojo has prioritized welfare and institutional morale. Over 32,000 personnel have benefited from promotions while reforms such as pension restructuring and improved remuneration have been introduced. There’s news in circulation that the retired paramilitary chiefs have been praising President Tinubu and thanking Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo for the new pension plans for them. They’re now entitled to lifetime salaries. These actions address longstanding grievances, strengthen operational effectiveness and also assure men and officers in active service that their retirement won’t be a burden on them and their immediate families. In the Federal Fire Service, improvements in response time and the deployment of new equipment signal a commitment to modernization, while the installation of e-gates at airports and development of data infrastructure point to a forward-looking border management strategy. Taken together, these reforms paint a picture of an administrator focused on efficiency, accountability and modernization qualities that resonate strongly with Nigeria’s youthful population.
If governance performance provides credibility, youth engagement provides momentum. Tunji-Ojo appears to understand this balance.
Across Akure and beyond, his initiatives targeting young people, through employment opportunities, skills development and empowerment programs, have helped cultivate a loyal and energized support base. While youth unemployment remains a national challenge, localized interventions by political actors often shape perceptions of leadership responsiveness.
In Akure, this has translated into a growing movement, examples are in platforms like AkureYouthForBTO, the one I saw yesterday, where young people see themselves not just as beneficiaries, but as stakeholders in a broader political vision.
This strategy is not accidental. It reflects an understanding that Nigeria’s demographic reality, where a significant portion of our population is under 35, makes youth engagement a decisive factor in electoral politics.
I strongly believe the alignment between Tunji-Ojo’s grassroots mobilization and the broader agenda of President Tinubu is central to these emerging political moves and decisions. Since assuming office, Tinubu’s administration has introduced policies aimed at economic restructuring, student financing and youth inclusion. Notably, the student loan initiative seeks to expand access to higher education, while broader economic reforms aim to create a more competitive environment for job creation.
For young Nigerians, these policies represent both opportunity and uncertainty. Economic reforms often come with short-term challenges, but their long-term promise lies in stability and growth.
What Tunji-Ojo’s movement in Akure does is to bridge this gap, translating national policies into local political messaging. By framing Tinubu’s agenda within the lived experiences of young people, it creates a narrative of shared progress and collective aspiration. Looking ahead, the administration’s plans, particularly around digital economy expansion, infrastructure development and security reform, are likely to be central to its appeal to younger voters.
The significance of Akure in this equation cannot be overstated. As a politically active urban center in Ondo State, we represent a microcosm of Nigeria’s broader electoral dynamics; youthful, engaged and increasingly issue-driven.
Tunji-Ojo’s influence within this space positions him as both a mobilizer and a bridge between local realities and national ambitions. His ability to translate governance achievements into political capital may well determine the strength of support for Tinubu in my town.
I have read between the lines. The emerging alliance between Tunji-Ojo, Akure youth, and the Tinubu project is not merely about political loyalty. It is about putting one’s energy into productive business, a lucrative one at that, especially for our people in Akure who need the support of others to achieve our political dreams, in whatever form.
On one hand, there is a record of legislative prowess and executive reform. On the other, there is a deliberate effort to engage and empower young people as individuals, family men and women and also active participants in governance. If sustained, this combination could prove formidable. For in modern politics, especially in a country as dynamic as Nigeria, the path to power is no longer paved solely by party structures; it is driven by performance, perception and the power of youth. And in Akure, that equation is already taking shape.
Stephen Ogunsuyi writes from Alagbaka Extension, Akure.
