Former Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has thrown her weight behind the administration of President Bola Tinubu, applauding what she described as steady hands on the nation’s currency and bold strides in infrastructure development.
Speaking at a media parley in Abeokuta on Saturday, Obasanjo fielded questions on her political aspirations, governance blueprint, and the state of the nation. With the confidence of a seasoned technocrat, she argued that recent gains in currency stability, expanding infrastructure and growing global trade ties signal light at the end of a once-flickering tunnel.
She maintained that a stable Naira is not just a headline statistic but a lifeline for businesses plotting their future. When exchange rates stop dancing to erratic tunes, she noted, investors can plan without holding their breath. Likewise, improved road networks and port access, she said, are arteries through which economic lifeblood flows.
“Although there’s a lot of negativity around the construction of the coastal road but in the long run, it will generate income in terms of connectivity of the two ports.
“It will also lead to transportation ease to the East in ways that we can’t even start to reckon with. It’ll actually help decongest the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. Right now, to go North in Nigeria or to go East, you have to come through Ogun State on that road.
“Yes, it’s good that they go through, but if they’re going through and congesting that road, it’s also a problem. So, that coastal road will help us to decongest Ogun state roads in ways that will actually help us with development too.
“There’s been some improvements in the security situation, mainly because we now have a lot of collaboration going on – international collaboration. The president’s visits to different countries for trade is boosting economic development,” she said.
On security and diplomacy, Obasanjo suggested that Nigeria is no longer fighting its battles in isolation. She attributed improvements in safety to increased international cooperation and trade diplomacy, noting that foreign engagements are gradually translating into economic dividends.
Turning to politics, she dismissed the notion that it is merely a contest of ballots. For her, it is a marathon of relationships, built brick by brick over time. Like professional networks that thrive on mutual trust and steady engagement, she said politics flourishes where people feel seen and valued.
“If you are in a political party and nobody reaches out to you or asks about you, then something is missing.
“Politics is about warmth, acceptance and human connection,” noting that she feels valued within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
On her vision for Ogun State, Obasanjo outlined a five-point agenda anchored on industrial growth, agriculture, education, tourism and transportation. She praised the mushrooming of factories across the state, describing industrialisation as the engine room of employment and internally generated revenue.
Yet, she was quick to stress that job creation remains the heartbeat of her development philosophy. In her view, an economy without purchasing power is like a car without fuel — impressive in structure but motionless in reality.
“When people have money to spend, the economy grows. Real development starts from there,” she said.
