In the political landscape of Oyo State and beyond, few personalities embody the quiet strength of unmistakable grassroots leadership quite like Hon. Akinola Kazeem, the retired Captain and Olode-Adetoun-born politician and businessman. As the most beloved federal representative aspirant for the Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, he stands out not merely as a contender, but as a deep-rooted, honest, and deeply genuine servant of the people. A character whose passion and commitment to improving the standard of living in his constituency remain impressively consistent, regardless of the political season.
What makes Hon. Akinola particularly noteworthy is that he is, in many ways, still underappreciated in some quarters even from the very soil that produced him. While his nomination as a member of the Presidential Campaign Council (Hearty Congratulations on that Feat) has rightly showcased his connections, depth of understanding of government machinery, and political sophistication in Abuja, the real measure of the man is found much closer to home, right in the communities of Ona-Ara Local Government.
Ona-Ara is our local government. As the Yoruba maxim wisely reminds us, “Oun ani lan gbe laruge” – it is our own that we must lift up and celebrate. Stakeholders in Ona-Ara LG, and indeed across the broader constituency, must do more to appreciate their own. Meaningful development does not arrive solely through the efforts of outsiders; it is sustained when a community deliberately recognises, supports, and elevates those among its sons and daughters who continue to do it proud.
Hon. Akinola’s record offers a compelling case for such recognition. Even while not holding any elective office, he has contributed immensely to the development of Ona-Ara and Egbeda LGA, often more tangibly than many who have occupied various government or public positions. Through the Akinjide Kazeem Akinola Foundation (AKA Foundation), he has consistently demonstrated that doing good transcends the attainment of public office.
His most recent interventions speak volumes. He embarked on the distribution and installation of 350 solar-powered streetlights to about 60 communities in Ona-Ara LG, an intervention that has brought light, safety, and a sense of progress to places that had long waited for it.
In parallel, he is constructing his personal Constituency/Foundation Office in Ona-Ara, a project that is due for commissioning soon. These are not the actions of a man waiting for an elected office; they are the deliberate investments of someone who understands the need of his people and that community service is a continuous obligation.
His earlier efforts through the AKA Foundation further reinforce this pattern: educational support programmes that have eased the burden on families, borehole and water projects that have improved access to clean water, youth empowerment initiatives that have given young people tools for self-reliance, community development activities, and other grassroots support programmes. Together, these interventions paint a picture of a leader who measures success not by the office he occupies, but by the tangible improvement in the lives of ordinary people.
Importantly, Hon. Akinola has already designed clear templates for the development of the Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency. He has done so without waiting to see the outcome of any primary election, an approach that reveals both seriousness of purpose and a long-term commitment that goes beyond electoral cycles.
In a political culture that often rewards noise over substance and proximity to power over proximity to the people, Hon. Akinjide Kazeem Akinola represents something rarer, a politician who remains honest, genuine, and rooted. His philanthropic contributions and humanitarian support across Ona-Ara have earned him the right to be recognised even more, not as a favour, but as a simple act of justice by his own community.
Ona-Ara Local Government, and the wider Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, should take deliberate steps to celebrate and support their own. When we lift those who lift us, we create the conditions for more meaningful and sustained development. Hon. Akinjide Kazeem Akinola has already shown what consistent, people-centred leadership looks like. It is time for Ona-Ara to show that it knows how to appreciate a proud son who continues to do it proud.
To Be Continued…
