By Princess (Mrs.) Aderoju Ladega-Akinjobi

Tuesday, April 14, 2026.


Let it be said without caution, without diplomacy, and without any attempt to soften the truth: Ikorodu has been betrayed.

Not by outsiders.
Not by political opponents.
But by those who sit at the table and claim to speak for us.

For decades, the Ikorodu Division has given its strength, its numbers, its loyalty, and its voice to the political architecture of Lagos State. We have shown up – election after election – without bargaining, without hesitation, and often without reward. Yet, even in our consistency, we have remained sidelined when it comes to the highest seat of leadership.

Now, when the conversation finally shifts – when the possibility of producing a governor is no longer a fantasy but a real, tangible prospect – what do we witness? Sabotage. Pure and simple.

At a critical moment, when elders of Ikorodu were given the rare privilege to project the division’s interest at the highest level, they chose not to speak the truth. They chose not to reflect the will of the people. They chose not to present the strongest, most credible, and most widely accepted option before them.

Instead, they chose self-interest over collective destiny.

Let us not dress it up.
Let us not excuse it.
Let us not pretend it was anything less than what it is: A deliberate attempt to weaken Ikorodu’s chances.

Because no reasonable person can claim ignorance of the mood on the ground. No one can pretend not to know where the overwhelming support of the people lies. No one can hide behind “consultation” when the truth is visible, audible, and undeniable across every corner of the division.

So the question is no longer what happened.
The question is why it happened.

Was it fear?
Fear of being overshadowed?
Fear of losing relevance?

Was it envy?
The quiet resentment of visible performance and growing influence?

Or was it something even worse – a willingness to mortgage the future of Ikorodu for personal comfort within existing power structures?

Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: This was not a mistake. This was a choice. It is a choice that may cost Ikorodu dearly.

Let no one underestimate the damage that has been done. In politics, moments like this are everything. Opportunities do not wait. They do not linger. They come, and when mishandled, they move on – often permanently.

What should have been a united front has now been exposed as a house divided against itself. What should have been a compelling case for consideration has been diluted by internal contradiction. What should have been our moment of assertion has been reduced to a display of disarray.

And if – when – the opportunity slips away, let the truth be told: Ikorodu did not lose it. It was taken from Ikorodu by Ikorodu.

To those who played a role in this, understand this clearly:

Leadership is not about occupying space – it is about defending interest. And at a moment when defense was required, you abandoned the very people whose interest you claim to represent.

The silence of the people should not be mistaken for ignorance.
Their calm should not be mistaken for acceptance.
And their patience should never be mistaken for forgetfulness.

This will be remembered.

Not in whispers, but in conversations that will shape political futures. Not in private, but in the collective memory of the people who know when they have been shortchanged.

And to the wider Ikorodu division – across political lines, across age groups, across every ward and constituency – this must be a turning point.

We can not continue to entrust our collective aspiration to individuals who can not rise above personal considerations at defining moments. We can not continue to approach critical opportunities with divided minds and fractured loyalties.

If we do, then we must also accept the consequences of repeated disappointment.

Even now, there remains a narrow, fragile opportunity to retrace our steps – to correct the narrative, to align with the will of the people, and to present a united, credible front.

But let there be no illusion: The damage has been done.

What remains to be seen is whether it becomes irreversible – or whether those responsible will find the courage, however late, to undo what they have set in motion.

History is watching.
The people are watching.

And this time, Ikorodu will not forget.

eSigned,
Princess (Mrs.) Aderoju Ladega-Akinjobi
Kìnìún Ikòròdú