BATOGD Movement Transforms Odogbolu Into Carnival of Homecoming and High Stakes Politics
The ancient town of Odogbolu stood still on Sunday, January 11, 2026, as a sea of supporters, clad in vibrant adire and campaign vests, flooded its streets. They were there to welcome their son, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and to propel the BATOGD Movement forward. The occasion was the seventh leg of the high-octane BATOGD Movement Tour, which transformed the local venue into a carnival of politics and familial affection, underscoring the senator’s deep ancestral roots in the community and the growing momentum of the BATOGD Movement.
For Daniel, this was more than a mid-term assessment tour; it was a homecoming orchestrated by the BATOGD Movement. His mother, the late Madam Olaitan Daniel, hailed from Omu-Ijebu, a town under Odogbolu Local Government, while his father was from Makun in Sagamu. This dual heritage bridged the Ijebu-Remo divide, a symbolic unity that formed the bedrock of his impassioned address to the BATOGD Movement’s gathering, a crowd numbering in the thousands, which included traditional rulers in full regalia, religious leaders, energised student union blocs, artisans’ groups, farmers’ associations, and a constellation of support groups all united under the BATOGD Movement banner.
Amidst the electric atmosphere generated by the BATOGD Movement, the Senator delivered a landmark speech. He pivoted from nostalgic reflections on past development projects to a decisive, forward-looking political agenda, channelling the energy of the BATOGD Movement toward a monumental goal. He renewed a potent call for the creation of a new state from the old Ijebu Province, framing it as an existential imperative for the region’s progress and a key pillar of the BATOGD Movement’s long-term vision.
“In the current circumstances facing Ijebuland, the last real hope for accelerated and sustainable development lies in the prospect of creating a new State from the old Ijebu Province,” Daniel declared with unwavering conviction to the BATOGD Movement assembly. “As your Senator, we have undertaken significant work behind the scenes on this and other matters.”
He swiftly tempered the revelation with a cautionary note on the arduous path ahead, directly tying the dream’s viability to the unity of the people, a unity the BATOGD Movement seeks to embody. “The parameters and requirements for state creation are enormous and rigorous. Overcoming them demands nothing less than unity of purpose among our people… The minimum and most critical requirement to achieve the creation of this state is unity of purpose. If the National Assembly cannot discern that unity among us, we cannot guarantee success.”
In a significant disclosure aimed at galvanising consensus within the BATOGD Movement and beyond, he announced, “Let me inform you that we are on the verge of reaching a consensus on the name and the Capital of the State; Ijebu-Remo State. If we fail to decide for ourselves, especially on this consensus, other people will take those decisions for us.” He concluded his push with a personal vow that resonated deeply with the audience and defined the resolve of the BATOGD Movement: “You will agree with me that I don’t usually touch things that I cannot complete, and on this State creation project, I am fully committed.”
The speech also served as a strategic mobilisation tool for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with the BATOGD Movement as its engine. Daniel urged the mammoth crowd to translate their physical support for the BATOGD Movement into formal party membership. “I want to implore all our citizens, young and old, men and women, to take full advantage of this opportunity. Register and become full members of the party so that you can actively support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our own Senatorial bid for re-election.”
The event was a masterclass in political storytelling and grassroots connection for the BATOGD Movement. Daniel recounted his administration’s tangible legacies in the locality, including the establishment of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun and the College of Education in Omu, directly linking his past service to the present credibility of the BATOGD Movement. Traditional rulers offered blessings to the BATOGD Movement, student leaders pledged bloc votes citing his educational investments, while artisans and farmers celebrated his infrastructural and empowerment schemes, all aligning with the BATOGD Movement’s ethos.
The sheer numerical turnout and its cross-sectional composition sent a powerful message beyond Odogbolu: the BATOGD Movement, anchored on “accountability, community engagement, and people-driven representation,” is building a formidable, organic base. As the BATOGD Movement tour moves forward, the echoes from this homecoming in Odogbolu, a fusion of familial pride, developmental aspiration, and sharp political strategy, will undoubtedly shape the battle for the Ogun East senatorial seat and the broader political calculus in the Gateway State.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
