The structure of leadership in Oyo State, and Nigeria entirely, is tenure-based as eligible voters approach the polls to vote for the candidate they deem fit to lead them for a span of four years. The system of government in Nigeria also provides the opportunity for a deserving Governor or President to have the chance to go for a second term if the electorate feels he/she has done well in the first term.
Governor Seyi Abiodun Makinde is currently serving his second term as Governor of Oyo, the pacesetter state. From 2019 to 2023, he brought remarkable achievements to the state, especially in education, agribusiness, health, public infrastructure sectors, and also boosting the state’s economy, giving the people the confidence to vote him in for a second term in a landslide victory.
As the second term of the government is about to conclude its first half, Oyo Affairs finds it proactive to do a comprehensive report on potential personalities who might succeed Governor Makinde in 2027.
This platform has identified some remarkable actors in Oyo’s political scene who might wish to vie for the gubernatorial election come 2027, and this special editorial will feature them one after the other in a series.
The political actor featured in this series is Bolanle Aminat Sarumi Ashabi, politically known as BASA.
Bolanle Aminat Sarumi (BASA) is a Trailblazer in Business, Public Service, and Philanthropy
Honourable Bolanle Aminat Sarumi (BASA) was born on March 22, 1979, at UCH Ibadan. She is the daughter of a British mother and a Nigerian father, the esteemed political figure, Honorable Prince Alli Adebayo Balogun Sarumi, affectionately known as Alli Bay.
BASA is an experienced, practical, and forward-thinking corporate executive. She attended Ebire Nursery and Primary School at Felele, Ibadan, and St. Louis Grammar School, Mokola, Ibadan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Policy from the prestigious Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and a diploma in Social Work & Welfare, Psychology, and Sociology.
As a nationalist, BASA has served in various capacities at both the state and federal government levels. Notably, she was the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Oyo State on Diaspora matters from 2020 to 2022 and the Special Assistant on Social Development to the FCT Minister of State from 2011 to 2012.
BASA has maintained an entrepreneurial spirit since the age of 21 and currently serves as the CEO of BASA Organics, Bee’s Bridal Limited, MIA Uniforms, and a few more companies involved in education, cosmetics, real estate, etc. As a philanthropist, she is also the visionary behind the Childhood Bridge International Initiative and the BASA Foundation, both of which aim to effect positive change in people’s lives and contribute to the growth and advancement of the nation.
Some of the current ongoing philanthropic projects BASA sponsors include free CAC business registrations, community libraries, business grants for artisans, educational grants for students, lifting women: empowerment, and talent hunts for youth.
Her entry into active politics, starting at the grassroots level, underscores her commitment to advocating for gender equality, fostering a more refined political landscape, and enhancing democracy in Nigeria.
In a historic feat, she emerged as the pioneering female Governorship Candidate in the 2019 Oyo State elections, representing the National Interest Party. While she also narrowly missed securing the PDP nomination for the Federal House of Representatives in 2022, her dedication to public service remains unwavering.
Her political journey began with her appointment as Special Assistant on Social Development to the Minister of State for FCT in 2011, an experience that sparked her interest in grassroots politics. She later assumed the role of Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs to the Executive Governor of Oyo State in 2020, a position she held until March 2022, when she vied for the Federal House of Representatives and narrowly missed securing her party’s nomination.
During her tenure as SSA Diaspora Affairs under Governor Seyi Makinde, BASA orchestrated the repatriation of more than 400 Nigerian women who had fallen victim to human trafficking abroad. She also facilitated the safe return of a mentally ill student from Oyo State, who had been missing for over a year in Turkey. This young man experienced a remarkable recovery within a month of returning home and subsequently contributed his skills as a member of BASA’s administrative team for a brief period.
In August 2022, BASA established the Atikulated Global Movement, an influential group and platform for aspirants and candidates within the PDP. As National Chairperson, she oversees a community of over 5000 politicians, working together in nurturing their political aspirations and endeavors.
During the last presidential campaigns, her political influence as a prominent advocate for youth mobilization earned her the position of Director of Youth Mobilisation (Women) of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the Southwest.
As her political influence continued to rise, BASA was appointed to various positions in the National Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 elections and in the National Campaign Council for gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Ondo State.
BASA’s ultimate vision is to elevate Nigeria’s stature to one of greatness and global respect as an exemplar among nations.
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