Talking About Who Can Best Represent Isin Among Those Contesting For The Isin State House Of Assembly Seat In 2027
In choosing who should represent Isin at the House of Assembly, we must ask ourselves a simple question:
What kind of representative does Isin need at this stage of her development?
The APC has given us Stephen Awoyale, a young but promising candidate. His record speaks for itself, given the limited time his age has afforded him.
Political experience is valuable. Age is valuable. Years of participation in politics can provide useful lessons. But experience becomes meaningful only when it is accompanied by character, competence, capacity, and a demonstrable record of service.
Stephen is not a product of political ambition alone. He is a product of education, enterprise, community service, leadership, and grassroots engagement.
A proud son of Ijara-Isin, though young, he has spent years working with people, supporting communities, empowering young people, assisting vulnerable families, and contributing to initiatives that improve lives.
His experience is also broader than electoral politics.
As a media entrepreneur and administrator, he understands communication, organisation, and management. As YOWICAN leader, he demonstrated his ability to mobilise people and deliver programmes. Through scholarships, youth and women empowerment initiatives, and community interventions, he has shown that service to the people is not something he intends to begin only after winning an election.
Though young, he is not too young to have been involved in the *O To Ge* movement—a struggle that gave him practical exposure to political strategy and grassroots mobilisation. His participation in government intervention and development-monitoring committees further exposed him to the workings of public administration, accountability, and development delivery.
That combination matters.
The House of Assembly does not need merely a political jobber who knows how politics has always been played for selfish or sectional benefits. It needs someone who understands how representation can be transformed into opportunities, legislation, development, and effective engagement with government.
Stephen is the only one who represents that possibility.
He belongs to a generation that understands modern communication, entrepreneurship, youth aspirations, community development, and the changing expectations of constituents.
And perhaps most importantly, his public journey offers something every representative should have: a record that can be examined.
Before seeking the mandate of Isin, he has already demonstrated a willingness to serve Isin.
Before asking people to believe in his promises, he has given them reasons to believe in his capacity.
Before seeking public office, he has accepted public responsibility.
This is not an argument against experience. It is an argument for the right kind of experience. It is not a condemnation of popularity, but a demand for scrutiny of what a candidate is popular for.
The experience Isin needs is not simply measured by the number of years one has spent around politics, but by what those years have produced in character, competence, relationships, service, and results.
Stephen Awoyale brings experience without the baggage of political stagnation or a questionable past; ambition anchored in service; youthful energy backed by education; and political understanding strengthened by professional competence.
Isin deserves representation that anyone can beat his or her chest and vouch for—a man anyone can associate with his past and not be afraid of what he can do in the future.
A new chapter does not erase the lessons of the past. It builds on them.
For Isin, that new chapter can be Stephen Awoyale.
An opposition member wrote that Stephen Awoyale is not the best candidate for the House of Assembly, but I challenge him to come out with the record of any candidate more promising than this. Political party considerations apart, Stephen remains the best for this job among those currently in the race.
Hon. Ogundele Joseph Olabisi
a.k.a. Bisi Kristien
Active stakeholder for the past 32 years in Isin politics.
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