Aiyedatiwa: When luck and destiny are not enough — by Bamidele Johnson

Much was made of the Ondo governor’s name when he moved from deputy to the big chair, first by completing the tenure of Rotimi Akeredolu and then by winning election afterward.

Among the Yoruba, a name is not a decorative label, but a prophecy with vowels and consonants. Kids aren’t just named but sent into the world with a spiritual memo. Names are believed to lean on destiny, push it gently in a certain direction, sometimes even bully it into acquiescence.

So, when a man is named Lucky, the expectation is already baked in. Lucky, his first name, requires no translation. His middle name, Orimisan, echoes the same sentiment. In Yoruba thought, ori is not merely the physical head, but the seat of destiny itself. Orimisan roughly translates to “my head is good,” which is to say the internal compass of fate is properly calibrated.

Then comes the surname, Aiyedatiwa, which means the world is ours. If you prefer a more triumphant tone, it could come out as the world has become ours. The three names bear one message and convinced his fans that destiny has signed the paperwork. They simply believed that those names were doing exactly what Yoruba names are supposed to do.

There was a basis. Ayedatiwa, we remember, survived the uneasy politics of Aketi’s illness and subsequently the ire of the Aketi camp, to which he was not the fragrance of choice. He emerged unhurt and then secured an election victory of his own. If ever there was proof that a man’s ori was working overtime, this was it, they thought.

The governor himself appears to share the same theological confidence in his destiny. That confidence is now pushing him toward seeking yet another term in office. But even the most spiritually fortified ori should occasionally look at the constitution. This is because somewhere along this lucky trip, the dashboard has started flashing “check engine” light.

Section 182(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) unambiguously says: “A person who was sworn in as governor to complete the term for which another person was elected as governor shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”
The section contains no metaphors or proverbs, but plain constitutional English. Only.

In 2023, Aiyedatiwa was sworn in to complete Aketi’s tenure. In 2025, he was elected for his own term. That, under the constitution, appears to be the terminus. But some energetic people still felt compelled to approach the court for clarification.

The court, unimpressed by the metaphysical power of names, ruled that Aiyedatiwa is ineligible to run again.
End of story, one would think.
But apparently not.
Still determined to ensure that the world remains his, the governor has announced that he will consult with his lawyers on the next move.

Consult what exactly?
Is there a hidden appendix to Section 182 that only lawyers and destiny can see? Is there a constitutional footnote? I like the governor’s optimism, but it is of the drunken variety.