Oyo Politics and the Myth of Entitlement – Ben o Ben

There comes a point when silence is no longer neutrality—it becomes resistance. My decision to stay away from politics in Oyo State is not out of indifference but out of frustration with a system that increasingly feels closed, predictable, and unjust.

Let’s be honest: what we are witnessing in Oyo State is not a healthy democracy—it is dominance dressed up as tradition.

The state is made up of multiple regions, each with its own identity, contribution, and stake in governance. Yet, political power continues to orbit almost permanently around the Ibadan axis. What should be a competitive democratic space has, over time, started to look like a reserved seat.

This is no longer just a pattern—it is becoming an unwritten doctrine.

There is a growing arrogance in the way some political actors speak, as though leadership is their birthright and the governorship is an inheritance to be passed around within a single bloc. The suggestion—sometimes subtle, sometimes brazen—that power should remain there indefinitely is not just offensive; it is dangerous.

It tells the rest of the state one thing: you don’t matter enough to lead.

That is not democracy. That is exclusion.

Democracy can not thrive where opportunity is quietly monopolized. It can not inspire participation when outcomes feel prearranged. And it certainly cannot command respect when entire regions are made to feel like spectators in their own state.

Let’s stop pretending this is about competence. Across Oyo State, there are brilliant, capable, and forward-thinking individuals who are more than qualified to lead. The idea that leadership capacity is concentrated in one axis is not only false—it is intellectually dishonest.

Yes, Ibadan has history. Yes, it has numbers. But democracy is not a monarchy of population. It is a system built on fairness, inclusion, and balance. When numbers become an excuse for permanent control, democracy begins to lose its meaning.

Other states have shown that a different path is possible. In Osun State, power has rotated across zones—not perfectly – but deliberately. That effort alone sends a powerful message: leadership is not the exclusive preserve of any one group.

Why should Oyo State be different?

The real danger here is not just political imbalance—it is the slow erosion of trust. When people begin to believe that the system is rigged in favour of a few, they disengage. When citizens disengage, democracy weakens.

This is where we are headed if nothing changes.

My position is simple and unapologetic: no region has a permanent claim to power. Leadership is not an entitlement—it is a responsibility that must be shared.

Until Oyo State confronts this uncomfortable truth and begins to open up its political space in a meaningful way, I will remain on the sidelines.

Not because I don’t care—but because I refuse to pretend that this is fair.