Ibadan, Nigeria — The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has attributed Nigeria’s lingering challenges to political failure, asserting that poor leadership and weak institutions have hindered the country’s development across all sectors.
Ogundoyin made the remarks during a public policy dialogue held in Ibadan on Tuesday, where political leaders, civil society groups, and youth representatives gathered to discuss the future of governance and accountability in Nigeria.
In a strongly worded address, the Speaker said Nigeria’s economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, and infrastructural decay are not the result of fate or lack of resources but the direct consequence of political mismanagement and leadership failure at various levels.
>The root of our national crisis is political failure — a failure to plan, to act decisively, and to prioritize the needs of the people,” Ogundoyin said.
“Nigeria is not a poor country in terms of potential. We have natural resources, human capital, and global goodwill. But for decades, we have seen a political class more interested in power than in service.”
The Speaker, one of the youngest legislative leaders in the country, emphasized the urgent need to reform Nigeria’s political culture, starting with transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness in governance.
He also called for greater youth participation in politics, noting that young people must not only protest from the sidelines but take up roles in shaping policy and delivering change.
>We can no longer afford to recycle the same patterns of leadership. If we must fix Nigeria, we must fix our politics — and that begins with the people we elect and the systems we uphold.”
Ogundoyin’s comments sparked wide reactions on social media and in political circles, with many Nigerians praising his candor. Some analysts viewed his remarks as a subtle critique of both past and present administrations at the federal level, while others saw it as a clarion call for urgent national introspection.
Civil society groups present at the event commended the Speaker for his honesty and for using his platform to push for reform, rather than aligning blindly with political norms.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with inflation, currency devaluation, and widespread insecurity, voices like that of Speaker Ogundoyin are becoming increasingly important in the national conversation.
His message was clear: unless the country confronts its political failures head-on, the cycle of hardship will continue — regardless of who holds office.
“Political failure is Nigeria’s biggest challenge — not lack of money, not lack of talent. It’s time to fix our politics if we truly want to fix our country.”
— Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly.
