By Ademola Ade
The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, in Ogun State, Prince Rotimi Babajide, has pledged to declare a state of emergency in the education sector if elected governor in the 2027 general election.
Babajide, a town planner, said the proposed intervention would be targeted at reversing what he described as the decline in educational standards and restoring Ogun State’s reputation as a centre of academic excellence.
He spoke at the weekend in Abeokuta, the state capital, where he also unveiled plans to re-plan the state, manage population growth and expand infrastructure to meet the needs of present and future generations.
Babajide explained that his proposed state of emergency in education would have nothing to do with firearms, curfews or restrictions on movement, but would involve urgent and focused government action to address challenges in the sector.
He said Ogun had a rich educational heritage, citing the contributions of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Tai Solarin, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, members of the Ransome-Kuti family and other prominent scholars.
He said: “If elected, by the grace of God, come May 29, 2027, I am going to declare a state of emergency in education because the education that our forefathers brought to us, the likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Tai Solarin, Professor Wole Soyinka, Ransome-Kuti and so many others, is witnessing a serious decline and retrogression.
“I am going to declare a state of emergency. It is not by firearms; it is not by curfew; it is not by barricading the roads. It is a matter of urgency that requires urgent intervention because this is a shame on us as indigenes of Ogun State. Ogun State indigenes are scholars.”
Recalling the role of missionaries in establishing schools across the state, the APM candidate said their efforts contributed to the emergence of generations of scholars and helped establish Ogun’s reputation for academic excellence.
“We know that missionaries came and established schools, and before we knew it, our children were doing well in the education sector,” he said.
Babajide added: “We cannot open our eyes and begin to see what is playing out in our education today. It is going to stop. We are going to declare a state of emergency.”
He said restoring educational standards would be a major priority of his administration if given the mandate by voters.
Beyond education, Babajide said Ogun State needed to deploy professional town planning expertise to manage its population growth and harness its geographical and economic advantages.
He said his professional background had equipped him to plan for present and future generations through deliberate development of housing, transportation, infrastructure and other public amenities.
Describing his governorship ambition as a divine mandate, the APM candidate said his campaign would focus on building what he described as a people-centred and inclusive Ogun State.
He said his administration would seek to “reset” and re-plan the state through a comprehensive master plan to guide its physical and economic expansion.
“As a planner by profession, what we do is look into master plans, look into posterity and see what we want to work on and deliver to our people,” he said.
Babajide said he would build on the achievements of previous administrations rather than seek to discredit them.
“I acknowledge the efforts of past and present administrations, including those of Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Otunba Gbenga Daniel. My intention is not to run down previous governments but to build on what has been achieved and introduce planning expertise into Ogun State’s development process,” he said.
He noted that Ogun shares boundaries with Lagos, Oyo, Osun and Ondo states as well as the Republic of Benin, arguing that its strategic location and landmass positioned it to accommodate part of the population and economic pressure from Lagos.
According to him, the state must prepare for increased migration by providing adequate residential areas, commercial centres, transportation networks and other infrastructure.
He also proposed a rural-urban development model that would take economic activities closer to rural communities through market hubs where farmers could sell their produce.
Babajide said such an arrangement would reduce the pressure associated with transporting agricultural produce to urban centres while strengthening rural economies.
“We are going to bring about development even into the rural areas,” he said, stressing the need for improved rural roads and transportation infrastructure.
The APM candidate also identified agriculture and food security as key components of his proposed development agenda.
Using cassava production as an example, he said Ogun could expand its agricultural value chain by giving greater attention to food production, processing and other downstream activities.
He said the approach would create employment opportunities, strengthen rural economies and contribute to food security if implemented by his proposed administration
