Power, Prestige & the Poetry of Destiny.
Life, every now & then, places a man at a crossroads so rare that either direction leads to greatness. Prince Dapo Abiodun (PDA) is approaching one of such moments.
In about 12 months’ time, come 2027, the sitting Governor of Ogun State would bow out, 65 years old, turning 66 this year, fit, relevant, influential, & very much in demand. And waiting patiently ahead are 2 doors. Each opens into service. Each carries weight. Each whispers legacy.
The only real question is: which calling speaks louder?
The Senate: Power With a Wider Wingspan
1st, the Red Chamber.
The Ogun East Senatorial District is no small constituency. It stretches across 9 LGA: Ijebu East, Ijebu North, Ijebu North East, Ijebu Ode, Ikenne, Odogbolu, Ogun Waterside, Remo North, & Sagamu. That is geography. That is population. That is scale.
To sit in the Senate is to command federal leverage, bigger resources, & a louder megaphone. It is influence with reach. Impact with spread. A platform where 1 voice can move policies that touch millions.
In simple terms:
1 Senator equals nine LGAs, multiple budgets, & national relevance.
From a strictly pragmatic angle, the Senate is power with altitude.
The Crown: Authority That Never Expires
Then comes the throne.
Since the passing of the 21st Alaperu of Iperu, His Late Royal Highness Oba Adeleke Idowu-Basibo, Odoru V, in February 2025, after a peaceful & exemplary 22-year reign, the revered stool of Iperu-Akèsanland has remained vacant.
I knew the late monarch personally. A man of peace. A father to many. One who welcomed all with open arms. His departure was not just a loss, it was a silence.
And standing eligible by blood, tradition, & history is Prince (Omoba) Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun, MFR, CON, a true blue-blood son of Iperu-Akèsanland.
Let’s be clear:
this would not be novelty.
Nigeria is well acquainted with leaders who exchanged political authority for royal destiny, the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Kano, Alake of Egbaland, Oba of Lagos, Oniru of Iruland, Amanyanabo of Brass Kingdom, among others.
Political power ends.
Kingship does not submit a resignation letter.
A Town That Needs No Introduction
And no, Iperu-Akèsanland is not some forgotten dot on the map.
The famed Eyo masquerade, today a cultural symbol of Lagos, originated from Iperu-Akèsanland. So did Ayàmàsẹ̀ stew, that glorious green delicacy that crowns Ofada rice. Culture travels far when its roots are strong.
This is a town that has produced giants, among them Sir Kensington Adebukunola Adebutu (Baba Ijebu), one of Nigeria’s wealthiest & most enduring business titans, now 90.
So this is not about relevance.
It is about choice.
1 Community or 9 LGAs?
A King or a Legislator?
Here lies the delicious irony.
One path offers more money, more microphones, & more federal muscle.
The other offers immortality, heritage, & ancestral authority.
One governs laws.
The other governs identity.
One is for a short number of years at a time.
The other is for life.
So, What Will It Be?
Will it be:
Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
shaping policy across 9 local governments & beyond?
Or
His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun of Iperu-Akèsanland,
custodian of culture, tradition, & a people’s soul?
Power or permanence?
The ballot or the beaded crown?
Either way, history is watching.
And destiny, as always, has a sense of humour.
Let the Prince decide. Thing though is, both are not cast in stone. The impediment to the Senate sit is Senator OCD, to the throne would be if it’s not actually the turn of his own ruling house, but that’s more easier to deal with though.
