Proposed Ogbomoso economic rebirth: When a visionary is king

A few months ago, as we sat catching up, my friends began to chronicle the new spirit they said had engulfed the town of Ogbomoso. Curious to know more, as I was all ears, listening intently, I pressed for details. The discussion about the recently installed paramount ruler of Ogbomoso land took centre stage. A wide range of stories about the efforts made by this industrious man, stolid and highly spirited, aimed at promoting lasting peace and tranquillity, preserving and promoting the town’s rich cultural heritage and his proposed giant economic strides – very inspiring and heart-warming stories – I must say, took the spotlight.

As my friends illustrated how the town is assuming an entirely different dimension with the rapid and far-reaching developments envisioned as future possibilities, the various reports which have sparked a great deal of media frenzy, of the bitter and intense agitations against his choice by a section of people, which set off some alarm bells over the course of his installation, and which was like a volcano ready to erupt, started to gush through my mind. With enough said to ruffle his shoulders and suck up his oxygen – some of the actions of his opposers are what you can call a takedown – did everything to shed him like a broken saucer in the garbage, he has shown he is a pragmatic voice and has displayed indescribable positive mien and an upbeat attitude even in the face of provocation.

As I ruminated over all we discussed and how the monarch’s adversaries have vehemently tried to nail him, but came up empty – a thread of naught, the conclusion of the matter for me was the exact same famous response in Latin of Pontius Pilate to the people who asked for the inscription on the cross to change: “Quod scripsi, scripsi”, which simply means, “What I have written, I have written”. By all accounts, this sums up the life journey and dramatic ascension to the throne of his forefathers by the newly crowned Soun of Ogbomoso; Oba Ghandi Afolabi Oladunni Olaoye – Orumogege III, a man often more percipient and relatable than he let on in public and whose journey to the throne has been nothing short of heroic – combination of daunting challenges which he has overcome with resoluteness and courage.

As I processed all the things I heard have been accomplished within a short period, I needed to evaluate the information. I put a call through to a highly respected and hugely religious nonagenarian about the “new spirit” they said has engulfed the town. When asked, ‘How is the Soun performing since his enthronement?’ This elder, known for his impeccable character, an indigene and also based in Ogbomoso, responded loudly and enthusiastically, “Haaa, Kabiyesi nse bebe o. O ti na over 200 million naira, owo ara re fun philanthropy. Opolopo awon odo ni won benefit. Awon to gba keke Marwa, awon to gba okada, irinse tailor, ati bebe lo. Oluwa lo ran Kabiyesi wa lasiko yi o” – meaning, the king is doing exceptionally well. He has spent over 200 million naira, his personal money for philanthropy. Many youths have benefited. There are those who received tricycles, motorbikes, sewing machines and several other items. The king is God-sent at this auspicious time. Another indigene of Ogbomoso I spoke to told me Oba Ghandi, whose personality and charm constantly draw people to him in record numbers, is turning out to be the missing puzzle Ogbomoso has been yearning for many years coming.

In the first few months of his installation, everyone was thrilled at the prospects of a new king being enthroned but at the same time, not sure of what to expect of this man of God – a successful one at that, and business tycoon turned traditional ruler of one of the most popular towns in Nigeria. For many folks, there’s a razor-thin hope that with his antecedents and background, the successful implementation of his objectives would be a slam dunk. Not handcuffed by history, his philosophy about the traditional setting in Nigeria have evolved over the course of two years or so that he’s been the monarch.

Now it is down to real work – those real long hours where the heart palpitates, essentially because of how to get his agenda realised – and very fast, in order to fix the several socioeconomic problems facing his people. His policies, hopefully, would kneecap that monster; poverty, that’s threatening the people of the town at an aggressive rate. Very rare to see a traditional ruler craft such a sublime economic roadmap to spur growth, let alone spearhead its implementation in such an aggressive and bullish manner. This highlights the level of preparedness of this king for the divine assignment and also goes without saying that he truly means business – get the town out of the economic rot that has crippled it for far too long, and he’s unwilling to let his words run loose.

Historically, Ogbomoso, a charming western settlement founded in the mid-17th century and located between Ilorin and Oyo, is a very serene and peaceful town, typical of a silent, non-violent city. One distinguishing factor of the indigenes was their tribal marks, which stood them out back then, not fashionable anymore. You can easily fish out an Ogbomoso man or woman from the pack – the style and pattern of their tribal marks are different from those of other towns in southwest Nigeria. Extremely enterprising people. There’s a joke that when you get to a town in Nigeria, especially in northern Nigeria and do not find clusters of Ogbomoso people, run! Historically, northern Nigeria is home to them. The sons and daughters of Ogbomoso are at the threshold of living in history – a deep connection to their founding fathers, where the echoes of the past are palpable, which, through unparalleled patriotism, built the town on commerce. There’s a sudden realisation that the economic transformation of the town is just a few steps away from becoming a possibility – a manufacturing renaissance which will create new opportunities.

For many years, the town has been hit by severe economic upheaval, which changed the course of events dramatically. It is now characterised by an economic silence which has been a mumbo jumbo for the generality of the people, now a shadow of itself, painfully. Not the same Ogbomoso of the 4-5 decades ago, known for its unparalleled commercial and trading activities. The economy of the town is crying out in despair as economic activities have waned exponentially, affecting every single household. The good news, nonetheless, is that confidence is now being restored in the system by the Soun of Ogbomoso. The people of the town view him as someone they can trust because he means well for them. Interestingly, the recent economic vibrations that are a result of his initiatives have formed major talking points around the town and in the country at large. His innovative policies, capable of transforming the town into an industrial, agricultural, and commercial hub, are gradually taking shape and chopping off the pervasive economic silence.

The many actions of Oba Ghandi – a man, growing so famous and riding high on a crest of popular approval with a firm grip on the reins of his kingdom, are all parts of his strategy to industrialise the town. He is sanguine about his vision for his town and has continued to pitch to the political class and the private sector, and cast Ogbomoso as a reliable, stable and viable destination for investment and trade. His economic proposal has put steel in the spine of many and a barometer of his vision as it offers hints of what to expect throughout his reign. It is equally going to be a watershed moment in the annals of the socioeconomic landscape of the town. Happily, it appears to have made a showy entrance in the hearts of all the indigenes and residents alike, as it is gaining tremendous traction.

In a country where many have assumed the status of a dog-eat-dog and everyone looking for what to grab by any means possible – the uncertainty in the country stinks to the high heaven as no one knows what the next day would bring, there comes a leader showing grace, compassion and benevolence to his people, and making a bold statement which suggests, ‘I’m not going to be cozying up with abject poverty and allow it continue to ravage my people’. This economic agenda and a slew of other plans waiting in the wings would certainly have remarkable impacts on the town. I may be wrong, but I haven’t read or seen where a monarch in Nigeria painstakingly churned out an economic blueprint with achievable milestones for the sole purpose of changing the socio-economic narrative of his town. It is often the preserve of the national and subnational entities. The Soun of Ogbomoso is doing what the government has long been clamouring for: The traditional institution to get more involved to drive socioeconomic growth in the country. Other monarchs should take a cue from Oba Ghandi as this can only come from someone who truly loves his people and is extremely passionate about his domain.

To my mind, this economic plan, described by Oba Ghandi as a, “25-year digital economic growth plan” appears to be the first of a string of well-woven and novel steps designed to drain the ancient town of its swamp and restore its economic dignity. At the Ogbomoso Digital Economy Summit held at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, with a theme “Financing and Deployment Resources for Digital Transformation”, the monarch was quoted by the Nigerian Tribune of January 29, 2025, to have remarked. “There is a need to integrate technology into various sectors of the economy, including sports, to enhance Ogbomosoland’s economic growth. To achieve this, he announced a structured 25-year development plan focused on empowering industries, generating employment, improving residents’ quality of life, and unlocking the city’s potential in agriculture, education, infrastructure, health, tourism, and commerce”.

Really, it has vast potential to drive sustainable economic development, pour investments into Ogbomoso from all over the globe and accelerate modernisation at an unprecedented pace. This developmental vision, which the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume during the official visit of the monarch to his office, expressed strong interest in and promised constructive collaboration between the Federal Government and Ogbomoso – financing of social infrastructural development, summarises a broad strategy to boost infrastructure in key sectors.

Moreover, the plan would provide a platform to facilitate active collaboration between the Soun of Ogbomoso and all the five local government Areas (LGAs) under his domain in Ogbomoso – Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Oriire, Ogo-Oluwa, and Surulere, each with its own headquarters in Kinira-Ogbomoso, Arowomole, Ikoyi, Ajaawa, and Iresaadu respectively, improve the capabilities of each LGA significantly, ensure critical supply chains, and identify key sectors per LGA to deploy reasonable resources and expertise to rapidly stimulate economic growth.

However, one key area I strongly believe the monarch and his team should focus adequately is the area of security. The reported cases of security blight in the town, which often leads to vulnerabilities, and one which is severely threatening farmers, must be addressed – and pretty fast. This must form a cardinal part of the economic blueprint being advanced by Soun. Whatever achievements would be made will be unsustainable in the long run if the issue of security isn’t given the attention it deserves.

One key sector that can be further developed and expanded is the agricultural sector. Today, the town is home to one of the best mango species in the country, called the “Ogbomoso cherry mango”. It has a distinctive taste, smell, and texture. You cannot miss it or mistake it for other types of mango. Its smell will sell it out – real fast. Several scientists, locally and internationally, have worked and researched on this species for decades. Equally, the town is a major hub for cashew nuts in Nigeria. It is a significant contributor to Nigeria of this agricultural product. Off-takers all over the world, especially from Asia, flood the town to have a share of the thousands of metric tons of exportable cashew nuts produced annually.

I must emphasise that the overall goal of this economic plan is to drive value-adding, productive and manufacturing activities, especially in agricultural products, rather than the current scenario where off-takers export these products in their raw state without any form of value addition. The whole idea is for the town to leverage the preponderance of these products to strike uncommon deals and attract investors to set up processing plants in the town. This will juice up job creation in the town and enhance the living conditions of the people. Moreover, creating a more conducive platform and environment for cashew propagation will enable Ogbomosoto play a pivotal role in helping the country get the cashew industry to contribute $3.7 billion to the Nigerian economy as projected by the National President of The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Dr. Ojo Ajanaku. These crops and several others would flourish on a mega scale through massive financial investments.

Oba Ghandi’s proposal is a set of initiatives aimed at launching the economic rebirth of this ancient town by addressing the underlying challenges the town’s struggling economy has had to endure over several decades. For lack of better ideas, and perhaps because their understanding of the vision of the paramount ruler is very limited, many, in one shape or form, have seized the chance to launch unwarranted and unsubstantiated criticisms of him, coming up with an economic plan they dubbed “Too daring and unachievable”. With the actualisation of this plan, the people who have been groping in poverty and hopelessness would experience a new life for a change, decked in charm and be gotten safely through the poverty and joblessness lines over the next few years. And his ardent traducers, who are just a handful whispering slanderers all over the town and whose chase has been wild, will be down the isolated stretch of road, turn tail, and run.

This whole plan – a sweeping set of strategies, being relentlessly pursued by the monarch, has sparked and ignited optimism amongst the people, resulting in the spirit in the town never this high and the mood set on a spectacular and high level. Nevertheless, the question on the minds of many – indigenes and non-indigenes – who dot on him day after day and are hopeful that something good is in the offing: Can Ogbomoso ever truly be transformed into an industrial and manufacturing hub, not only in Nigeria but in sub-Saharan Africa in the foreseeable future? While it may sound like a pipe dream and fanciful optimism, there are clear signs that with profound administration and full implementation, Oba Ghandi would nail his plan, and the transformational and developmental changes he visualises for the town could also become a reality in no distant future.

Ande, a financial and political economy analyst, writes from Lagos and can be reached via [email protected]