Governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem (AKK), has called on Nigerians in the diaspora to actively participate in the development of their home state, insisting that Oyo needs the intellect, investment and direct political involvement of its globally-exposed indigenes to achieve systemic transformation.

Kareem made the call at the weekend while addressing members of the Ibadan Progressive Association Australia (IPAA) during the association’s 10th anniversary celebration in Australia, where he delivered a keynote address centred on bridging the gap between Oyo state’s current realities and a functional society.

He told the gathering that his decision to join the 2027 gubernatorial race was not driven by ambition or title-seeking but by what he described as a “meticulously researched blueprint” for the state, noting that he remains the only aspirant releasing detailed, periodic policy papers to the public.

“My campaign is an intellectual and practical exercise in statecraft. Leadership must be a product of preparation, not just a product of ambition,” he said.

Outlining his vision, Kareem listed education, healthcare and the economy as the core pillars of his agenda.

He said the state’s educational system must move beyond enrollment to functional literacy that prepares youths for a globalised market, adding that a fully-funded elementary education model that also incentivises parents to enroll their wards is achievable.

On healthcare, he advocated a decentralised, technology-driven primary health structure that ensures no citizen is more than 30 minutes away from quality care, irrespective of location.

For the economy, he proposed an institutionalised credit system for market women and artisans, stressing the need to move from occasional empowerment to structured credit access that sustains what he termed the ‘Cycle of Prosperity’ for drivers of the informal economy.

Kareem, while addressing concerns over Nigeria’s leadership challenges, said the narrative is changing as more returnees and technocrats with global exposure enter public service.

He maintained that importing the discipline, technological savvy and meritocratic values imbibed abroad could solve the country’s leadership puzzle, adding that Oyo state could become a global model for sub-national governance with the right leadership.

He urged members of the IPAA not to be passive observers in the state’s political future, but to contribute through professional knowledge exchange or direct political participation.

“While the comfort of the diaspora offers stability, our ancestral home requires our intellect, our investment, and our active participation. We cannot afford to be passive observers while the future of our state is being decided,” Kareem stated.

The aspirant commended the Chairman of IPAA, Dr. Akinsola Akinbiyi, for his leadership in keeping the community united, and thanked members of the association for what he called their rigorous questioning and endorsement of his vision.

He said insights from the engagement had further fortified his resolve to build an Oyo State that indigenes worldwide can be proud of by 2027.