INTERVIEW: We can create 10,000 jobs through agriculture, technology in Osun — Adesuyi

As the August 15, 2026, governorship election approaches, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate, Engr. John Olufemi Adesuyi, says his administration would focus on job creation, technology-driven entrepreneurship, quality education, accessible healthcare and community-based security if elected.

In this interview with Western Post correspondent Deborah Oladejo, the certified data analyst, Internet of Things (IoT) expert and consultant also speaks on his chances in the election, his opposition to vote buying, and why he believes Osun needs a new approach to governance.

Excerpts

If elected governor, what will be your top priorities?

Adesuyi: My priority is job creation through agriculture because it has the longest value chain. My model is to create 10,000 jobs through agriculture. We are going to develop profitable agricultural businesses to encourage our youths and unemployed graduates with technological support. Young people can be engaged in poultry farming, piggery, cattle rearing and other livestock businesses. We will also attract companies that use crops like cassava and bananas as raw materials instead of exporting them. We will process cassava into cassava pellets here in Osun, creating more jobs for our youths. Another priority is what I call “Technopreneurship”.

Today, businesses are driven by technology. We will promote technology through micro, small and medium-scale enterprises. People need training and knowledge to start businesses; it is not always about capital. You can live in Nigeria and sell a house in Canada through digital platforms if you are properly registered as a realtor. Government should be run like a business that creates opportunities for the people.

What is your plan to improve security in Osun?

Adesuyi: A government that cannot protect the lives and property of its citizens is a failure. We will incorporate traditional rulers and community leaders into our security architecture. They will be trained to develop security models for their communities, and we will provide them with the necessary devices. We will also create channels through which crimes can be reported quickly to reduce insecurity.

Some people believe you may not have the financial strength to compete with candidates of bigger parties. What is your response?

Adesuyi: Financial muscle should not determine who becomes governor. No governor uses his personal money to buy electric poles or construct drainages. They use public funds, internally generated revenue and federal allocations. What matters is whether you can meet the statutory requirements for contesting an election. We have done that. We have funded our nomination, our expression of interest and our primary election. We have no godfather, and nobody is bankrolling our movement. By the grace of God, He has sustained us.

How convinced are you that you’re going to win this election based on the popularity of the party?

Adesuyi: Elections are won through strategy, not popularity. The most popular candidate does not always win. In the 2023 presidential election, the ZLP came sixth, ahead of some parties people consider more popular. In the 2022 governorship election, the ZLP recorded votes in every local government in Osun. Some parties people think are popular recorded zero votes in some local governments. We did not record zero anywhere. We have our spread and we are not interested in vote buying. We will not be intimidated by campaign crowds because crowds can easily be assembled. Vote buying is a crime under the Electoral Act.

It should not determine whether someone is qualified to contest an election. We are sensitising the people because if we want a government that is accountable, citizens must stop demanding money before voting. That is why we have politicians who see politics as a business. They spend billions to win elections and then try to recover the money through public funds. We are not interested in vote buying.

What has been the response of the electorate to your campaign?

Adesuyi: So far, nobody has told me that I am not qualified. Everywhere we have gone, people have welcomed us. They tell us they believe in us and like our programmes. Their concern is money. I tell them to support us first. If they support us, others will also join.

What strategy will the ZLP adopt to win the election?

Adesuyi: Osun has over two million registered voters, yet fewer than 800,000 voted in the last governorship election. We believe there are over 800,000 loyal and honest citizens who stayed at home because they do not want to be part of the corrupt system. Our responsibility is to reach them, explain our programmes and encourage them to pick up their PVCs and vote. We believe they can give us the votes required to make the ZLP the winner without taking votes from other political parties.

What are your plans for the education sector?

Adesuyi: For the past few years, our education system has faced serious challenges. Even when the government says education is improving in Osun, especially by referring to WAEC and NECO rankings, I believe credit is not being given to those who truly deserve it.

The government recruited teachers about three months ago, but as I speak today, there are still more than 100 schools in Osun without teachers for major subjects. If you visit our technical colleges, where government should be investing more resources because students are expected to graduate with practical skills, many of them still depend on corps members for teaching. After a few months, one batch leaves and another comes in. That is affecting the education system, and these facts can be verified. The learning environment also leaves much to be desired. Education today requires technology and simulation.

We are no longer in the era when a blackboard alone is enough. We must align our education system with global standards and use technology to drive learning. Government must also pay greater attention to technical colleges. If you ask the Osun State Government, they will say education is free. Why are technical colleges still short of teachers, and why are we not seeing the impact of those funds? WAEC and NECO are moving to Computer-Based Testing (CBT). How many public schools in Osun have up to 200 functional computers to conduct CBT examinations?

If WAEC and NECO will be CBT-based, then internal examinations and tests should also be conducted using CBT. What has the government done to prepare schools for that transition? A lot still needs to be done. As an IT professional, I know how to address these challenges without placing unnecessary pressure on the state’s finances.

What would your administration do differently in the health sector?

Adesuyi: Many people may think there is nothing more to do because Osun already has a health insurance scheme, but there is a misplaced priority. Government is paying for some people who can afford to pay for themselves, while millions of Osun residents who cannot afford it are left outside the scheme. People die every day because they do not have enough money to get to the hospital. Even when they manage to get there and pay for a hospital card, they still cannot afford consultation fees or drugs, so they return home. Those are avoidable deaths. Our administration will declare a state of emergency in the health sector.

We will ensure that healthcare becomes cheaper, more accessible and, where possible, completely free. Quality healthcare should not be beyond the reach of the ordinary citizen. Government often boasts about renovating one primary healthcare centre in each ward, but it does not present the full picture. Some wards consist of as many as 15 communities spread across long distances. Calling one renovated health centre per ward a major achievement is misleading. Communities should have standard health facilities close enough for residents to access emergency medical care without travelling long distances.

Government should stop acting as though it is doing citizens a favour. People pay taxes and levies, and government also receives allocations on their behalf. Those resources are meant to provide services to the people. It is the same way governments boast about paying salaries. I said it during the administration of Gboyega Oyetola that paying salaries is a statutory responsibility of government. If you are not going to pay salaries, why seek the office of governor in the first place?