By Gabriel Atumeyi
Politics in Nigeria is often portrayed as a game dominated by powerful men, backroom negotiations, and entrenched interests. Yet across the Southwest, a different story is unfolding, one that rarely makes the loudest headlines but is steadily reshaping the face of leadership. As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, two major political developments have sent a clear signal. In Ogun State, the APC unveiled Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun as the running mate to Senator Solomon “Yayi” Adeola. Days later in Lagos, Princess Damilola Sonayon-James emerged as the deputy governorship candidate alongside Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
Neither announcement was accidental. Together, they reveal a growing reality: in the Southwest, women are no longer being invited into governance as symbolic figures. They are increasingly being placed at the center of political power. What is happening today is not a sudden embrace of inclusion. It is the continuation of a journey that began decades ago.
If any state deserves credit for setting the pace, it is Lagos. Back in 1990, Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu made history as one of Nigeria’s first female deputy governors. At a time when women in executive office were rare, her appointment broke barriers and challenged assumptions about who could occupy positions of authority. Since then, Lagos has repeatedly returned to the idea that women belong in leadership.
Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan served as deputy governor between 2007 and 2011. She was succeeded by Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who later moved to the national stage as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals. Then came Professor Idiat Oluranti Adebule, whose academic and public service background brought a different dimension to the office.
Now, Damilola Sonayon-James appears poised to continue that legacy. At 41, she represents a new generation of leaders—one grounded in public policy, governance consulting, grassroots organizing, and community engagement. What stands out in Lagos is that these women were never chosen simply because they were women. They arrived with credentials, experience, and proven records of service. Gender representation was important, but competence remained the foundation.
Few states have demonstrated the value of female leadership as consistently as Ekiti. When Funmilayo Olayinka became deputy governor alongside Kayode Fayemi in 2010, she brought more than two decades of banking experience into government. She played key roles in economic management, local government administration, and the state’s broader reform agenda. Her impact was so significant that, years later, she remains one of the most respected figures to have occupied the office. After her passing in 2013, the state did not retreat from its commitment to female participation. Instead, the baton passed from one administration to another—through Modupe Adelabu, Kolapo Olushola, Bisi Egbeyemi, and now Monisade Afuye. Afuye’s rise from APC Women’s Leader to deputy governor reflects a pattern that has become familiar in Ekiti: women are trusted not merely as campaign mobilizers but as administrators, negotiators, and key decision-makers.
While the current conversation around gender balance may feel new, some Southwest states embraced it years ago. In Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele became deputy governor in 2019 and retained the position after securing a second term in 2023. Her continued presence in office suggests that performance, rather than novelty, has become the standard by which female leaders are judged.
Osun made a similar statement years earlier. Olusola Obada served as deputy governor from 2003 to 2010 under Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Rather than ending there, her political journey continued at the national level when she became Minister of State for Defence. Her trajectory highlights an important reality: in the Southwest, the deputy governorship is increasingly serving as a springboard for greater responsibilities rather than a political dead end.
Why the 2027 Choices Matter
The emergence of Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun in Ogun and Damilola Sonayon-James in Lagos reflects more than party calculations.
Political leaders understand that the electorate is changing. Younger voters, urban communities, and increasingly educated populations are demanding broader representation and more inclusive governance. Governor Dapo Abiodun openly cited gender balance and religious tolerance as factors in Ogun’s selection process. In Lagos, party leaders described the Hamzat–Sonayon-James ticket as a combination of experience, innovation, grassroots connection, and forward-looking leadership. These decisions are not simply about optics. They are responses to evolving political realities.
The Southwest also benefits from a long history of female participation in education, commerce, and public life. It is the region that produced Nigeria’s first female cabinet minister, Ebun Oyagbola, in 1979. The seeds planted decades ago are now bearing fruit in executive leadership. Critics may argue that political parties are merely adapting to public expectations. There is likely some truth in that. Politics rarely moves without calculation. Yet calculations alone cannot explain why female deputy governors have become such a consistent feature of Southwest politics. Over the years, many have demonstrated their value in areas ranging from economic management and education to grassroots mobilization and conflict resolution.
They often bring extensive networks that connect market associations, women’s groups, faith communities, professional organizations, and youth movements—constituencies that frequently determine electoral outcomes. Of course, challenges remain. Some women in public office continue to face resistance, marginalization, and attempts to reduce their influence. Representation does not automatically guarantee empowerment. Still, the broader trend is unmistakable. From Lateefat Okunnu’s pioneering role in 1990 to Funmilayo Olayinka’s legacy in Ekiti, from Noimot Salako-Oyedele’s tenure in Ogun to the emergence of Damilola Sonayon-James and Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun ahead of 2027, the Southwest has been steadily building a pipeline of female leadership.
What began as isolated breakthroughs is becoming institutional culture. Gender balance in governance is no longer being treated as a political favor or a symbolic gesture. It is increasingly viewed as a practical approach to leadership—one that broadens participation, strengthens institutions, and reflects the realities of modern society. And if recent developments are any indication, the Southwest has moved beyond debating whether women belong at the table. The conversation now is how much further they can go.
Gabriel Atumeyi is a political analyst and commentator, writes from Abuja.