By OLALERE OLADITAN

Every political season produces a meeting point between history and destiny. In Osun State, as the 2026 governorship race gathers momentum, that convergence may well be taking place in Osogbo, the state capital ? and in the person of Kunle Rasheed Adegoke (K-Rad), the most strategic and consequential aspirant within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

For decades, Osogbo and its twin local government, Olorunda, have stood at the heart of Osun politics ? a reliable electoral engine that has decided the direction of power without ever tasting it. The agitation that the next governor should emerge from Osogbo is therefore not just emotional; it is a legitimate question of equity, reward, and representation.

The Power of the Capital Axis

The numbers tell the story clearly. In 2014, Rauf Aregbesola?s victory was powered by a commanding lead in Osogbo and Olorunda, which delivered over 40% of his winning margin. In 2018, Gboyega Oyetola?s narrow edge in the same axis was enough to carry him through after a contentious rerun. And in 2022, Senator Ademola Adeleke flipped both LGAs, securing close to one-third of his total winning margin from the capital region.

In Osun politics, the road to victory passes through Osogbo and Olorunda. Whoever wins the capital wins Osun.

Yet, despite this sustained political importance, Osogbo has never produced a governor. Power has rotated among other zones ? Ila, Ijesa, Ede ? while the capital city that bears the administrative weight of the state remains the loyal referee. That historical imbalance now fuels a growing consensus: it is time for Osogbo to lead.

K-Rad and the Case for Prepared Leadership

It is one thing to agitate for inclusion; it is another to present a candidate with the intellectual capacity, moral clarity, and administrative depth to justify it. In Kunle Rasheed Adegoke (K-Rad), Osogbo and indeed Osun appear to have found that blend of aspiration and preparation.

K-Rad?s rise in the APC is not accidental. A seasoned legal practitioner, reform-minded technocrat, and passionate advocate of developmental governance, his politics is issue-driven ? rooted in ideas rather than empty rhetoric. His blueprint for Osun?s progress touches on the state?s most critical needs: institutional reform, industrial expansion, youth empowerment, and the revival of local enterprise through culture, tourism, and innovation.

In a state yearning for pragmatic leadership, K-Rad represents competence with conscience ? a refreshing shift from personality politics to performance-driven governance.

Strategic Timing, Strategic Zone

If any time calls for an Osogbo governor, it is now. If any candidate embodies that aspiration with the readiness to lead, it is K-Rad. His emergence aligns perfectly with Osogbo?s historical importance and the APC?s urgent need to reenergize its base.

Politically, his candidacy could recalibrate the APC?s strength around the capital axis ? a zone that historically determines statewide outcomes. An Osogbo-born APC flagbearer like K-Rad would not only consolidate the votes of Osogbo and Olorunda but also appeal to urban voters across Ede, Ilesa, and Ile-Ife who see in him a balanced, credible alternative to populist politics.

Osogbo?s Choice, Osun?s Chance

The 2026 election presents Osun State with a defining moment ? to merge justice with strategy, and sentiment with substance. Osogbo?s aspiration for the governorship is morally defensible; K-Rad?s readiness to lead makes it politically achievable.

For once, aspiration has met preparation.

And if Osun?s political history is any guide, the capital that has long determined who governs may, at last, have found one of its own prepared to govern wisely, fairly, and for all. In Osun 2026, Osogbo is not just asking for recognition ? it is offering leadership. And in Kunle Rasheed Adegoke, that leadership may finally have a face, a plan, and a purpose.

?Olalere Oladitan, a poultry farmer and political analyst writes from Ilobu, Osun State.

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