Ladi Adebutu: The Dream That Refuses to Die

“You have the patience, the strength and the passion to achieve your ambitions, your goals and your dreams. All you have to do now is try’’ Ladi Adebutu has proved that some political dreams are simply too stubborn to die. The former federal lawmaker and governorship hopeful of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has been on a long, winding road to Oke-Mosan since 2019. It has been a journey littered with political landmines, disappointments and near misses. Yet, like a marathon runner who refuses to leave the track despite bleeding feet, Adebutu has kept moving. For some, repeated setbacks would have sounded the death knell. For Adebutu, they appear to have been nothing more than bitter chapters in an unfinished book. Each time the door appeared slammed shut, he returned to knock again. Each time the political tide turned against him, he seemed to find another current to ride. And perhaps, after years of swimming against the tide, the waters are finally beginning to change. Political observers say Adebutu today is not the same politician who embarked on this arduous journey years ago. The experience of successive battles appears to have tempered him like steel in fire. His political network has widened, his visibility has grown, and his influence appears to be gathering momentum. He has watched political fortunes rise like the morning sun and disappear like evening shadows. He has seen alliances blossom and wither, friendships tested and political calculations rewritten. Through it all, he has remained in the game. That, perhaps, is his greatest weapon. There is now a growing feeling among political watchers that the 2027 governorship contest could offer Adebutu another shot at redemption. Whether that opportunity will finally translate into victory at the ballot box remains a question only the electorate can answer. But the signs, his supporters insist, are becoming increasingly encouraging. The man who once appeared to be perpetually chasing the political rainbow now seems to be getting closer to the pot of gold. Now, with 2027 looming on the political horizon, the big question is no longer whether Ladi Adebutu still wants Oke-Mosan. He clearly does.