His Game Plan Revealed
Although there hasn’t been any official statement to this effect, there are strong indications that a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Senator Soji Akanbi, may have decided to run for the 2027 governorship race.
In fact, the signs are all over Akanbi’s activities lately. Just a few days ago, he dropped what seemed to be a hint about his next political move on his Facebook page, where he shared pictures of a primary school building that he renovated.
“Methodist Primary School, Agbeni, Ibadan built by Chief Obafemi Awolowo over 6 decades ago has been reconstructed by Sen. Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi, the Okanlomo of Ibadanland so as to strengthen educational foundation of OYO State. SOJ is coming, Joy’s coming,” he wrote.
This is aside many of his community and political engagements lately. Some weeks ago he held a strategic meeting with with the representatives of professional bodies in Ibadan. The discussion during the meeting was about the impact of government policies on the average Nigerian.
Also in another post captioned SOJ 2027, Akanbi reinstated his commitment to the vision of an inclusive, prosperous, and united Oyo State. His dream, he noted, is of a state where every citizen is empowered and no one is left behind.
“This journey is not about me. It’s about you, your family, your dreams, and our collective future,”he said. Of course, Senator Soji Akanbi is more than qualified to run. He’s not only well equipped politically but also educationally sound. He has a very rich political CV. He attended the best schools both in Nigeria and abroad.
Akanbi is one of the early starters in Oyo politics, having joined at the age of 28 in 1989. He rose to become the State Financial Secretary of pan-Yoruba Socio-Cultural Organisation, Afenifere, and served between 1998 and 1999.
At age 30, he was elected member of Federal House of Representative on the platform of Social Democratic Party. He has represented the Oyo South senatorial district at the Senate between 2015 and 2019.
So he’s well prepared and positioned for any political assignment. The fact that Soji Akanbi is a grassroot politician to the core is another noteworthy factor. In fact, the believe in some quarters is that 2027 may be the right time for Soji Akanbi to fulfill his dream of governing Oyo State. Some political watchers in the state are of the opinion that Akanbi should be given the chance to flag the party’s flag in 2027, having being instinctively loyal to the party, and for his contributions to the election success of his political leader and mentor, President Bola Tinubu, in 2023.
He was one of the principal actors of South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), a platform used to canvass for election for actualisation of Tinubu’s presidential ambition in the 2023 general election. And had remained steadfast despite the fact that his efforts have not been rewarded. That is Soji Akanbi for you. He has always been a core party man and aligned with the progressive ideology.
His roots
Senator Soji Akanbi was born into the family of Alhaji Muibdeen Akanbi of Inalende Ibadan and Alhaja Muinat Akanbi of Osifeso family, Itantebo, Ijebu-Ode. Both of blessed memory.
His father was one of the greatest political and Islamic leaders in the old Western region. His tenure as an elected member of Ibadan District Council, at various times as Chairman of market committee and Chairman of Lands Committee, witnessed remarkable development of infrastructures for socio-economic advancement of Ibadan in the late 50s/60s.
Oloye Muibdeen was a respectable community leader in Ibadan, who never lost any election in his hay days. He was elected into the old Western Region House of Assembly in 1965 and became a Honourable Member of the Western Region House of Assembly.
His education
Soji Akanbi attended LICC Primary School /Omolewa Nursery and Primary School, Lagelu Grammar School, before proceeding to UK for further studies. He is a graduate of Business Administration and also holds a Postgraduate Degree in Management Studies (Financial Option) from Kingston University, England.
He’s a member Chartered Institute of Management, UK, and Chartered Institute of Marketing, Uk. He worked with Beecham Plc, Houston, England, Liman Groups and rose to The Head of Travels Department. A post he held for over 3 years with the responsibility of handling all travelling matters of the company in Europe, America and South East Asia. He later rose to the post of A.G. Financial Controller, a post he held until 1988 when he resigned and returned to Nigeria. He joined Italstrade Nigeria Ltd as a Director, an Italian construction company part-owned by his late father.
His business life
Soji Akanbi is a silent achiever in the private sector. His business interest cuts across Finance, Aviation, Construction, and Oil & Gas. His quest for success in the private sector informed his decision to establish R.S.I Investment & Trust Ltd in 1993.
He subsequently established and seats on top of numerous successful companies including Libragold Travels & Tours Ltd, Saturn Epic construction engineers, Saturn Epic Oil and Gas and Dynasty Airline Management Ltd. He is the Chairman, Dynasty Airline Management Ltd and the Group Executive Chairman of Libragold Group; a leading corporate organisation in corporate flight charter, tourism and Aviation industries in Nigeria.
Senator Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi is a man of many parts with diverse portfolio of professional knowledge and skills, an erudite scholar and versatile businessman. He had attended various local and international trainings, seminars and conferences including the Exceptional Leadership Program, Strategic Planning, Project Management, Alliances and Partnerships, Corporate Governance, Strategic Risk Management among others. He is a prominent member of the Nigeria Economic Summit, and member Institute of Management. Also a prominent member of the Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce, the Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce, and Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
His political career
Senator Akanbi commenced his journey into politics at the young age of 28 in 1990 and contested the House of Representatives election under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and won, representing Ibadan North West Federal constituency in the Green Chamber (1992-1993), where he was Chairman Sub-Committee on Customs and Excise. Some of his colleagues then are Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Orji Uzo Kalu. Between 1998 to 1999, he held the post of Secretary Finance Committee of Afenifere in Oyo State and later the Alliance for Democracy (AD). A post he held and mobilised finance for the success of the election of AD in Oyo State in 1999.
He was appointed Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Oyo state on industrial & Economic Matters, under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Governor Lam Adesina led government in 1999-2003, during which period he also held other various leadership and sensitive positions that engineered the government to achieve success.
He served as the Executive Vice Chairman, State Planning Commission; Chairman Special Committee on Economic Development; Chairman, Oyo State Poverty Eradication Program; Board Member Oyo state Small Scale Industrial Company (OYSSIC). He is to date, a prominent member of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG).
A successful business man, philanthropist and a loveable politician with great passion for the downcast. Senator Akanbi’s life has proved to many that Politics is not a ‘do or die affair’.
Hence, it is possible to manage Private business and Politics to achieve greater success. At some points, when Senator is not in public office, he faces his business squarely, while not forgetting his people in Ibadan. This gesture of holding on to his people in the grassroots and his political structure which cuts across all political parties, has contributed to his overwhelming popularity across the state, on the platform of which he won his seat to the senate in 2015 in a landslide victory, defeating the incumbent Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, with over 54,000 votes.
His tenure at the Senate witnessed unequalled performance in terms of bills, motions, projects facilitated to his constituency, executed projects and empowerment programs. He has supported so many associations, artisan groups, professional bodies. He has touched major markets in Ibadan with his solar electrification, motorised boreholes and cash empowerment in support of their businesses. Another very interesting thing about this grassroots politician is that he patronises his people in Ibadan for services.
As result of his giant strides in politics, Soji Akanbi has won several awards and recognitions. They include The Oyo Merit for good governance award as the best performing Senator of the year 2017 in South-West Nigeria, South-West Nigeria Excellence Awards as the Outstanding Senator of the year 2017, Yoruba Man of the Year 2017 by Omoluabi Leadership Award.
Also, he won a Distinguished Education Stake holder’s award 2017 by Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State; distinguished Merit Award For Excellent leadership award by Lagelu Grammar School, his alma matter, among others.
All these and many other factors are believe to be an advantage Soji Akanbi has above every other person that may be eyeing Oyo APC gubernatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
