Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has attributed what he describes as the Yoruba people’s steady lead in political, social and economic development to the quality of leadership demonstrated across the Southwest region.
Omokri, in a post shared on his X page on Tuesday titled “Why the Lukumi Yoruba Continue to Be Ahead in Nigeria,” commended the outcome of the Southwest governors’ emergency meeting in Ibadan on Monday, where regional leaders deliberated on rising insecurity and agreed on coordinated measures to strengthen safety and development.
He praised the governors for putting aside political differences to jointly confront national security concerns, noting that the Southwest has remained the least affected by the wave of banditry, kidnappings and school abductions ravaging many other parts of the country.
Quoting the former presidential aide, the post read: “Yesterday, on Monday, November 24, 2025, Southwest Governors met in Ibadan, Oyo State, to discuss the current insecurity challenges facing Nigeria. They forgot political divisions and saw themselves as neither Governors with a common goal. Not one state was missing. All states were there. The Lukumi Yoruba Governors came up with suitable ideas, set up a budget, and made money available to establish an insecurity fund, as well as nominating managers for the fund.”
Omokri stressed that despite facing less insecurity than other regions, the Southwest remains the only zone where governors have adopted a proactive and coordinated security strategy.
He said this alone explains why the region continues to thrive economically without relying solely on its ports and commercial strength.
He wrote: “Now, when the Southwest continues to progress and contribute more to Nigeria’s GDP and VAT fund than all the other five zones combined, someone will wake up from their slumber and say, ‘It is because of Lagos port.’”
Omokri argued that while some governors in more troubled regions act indifferent to worsening insecurity, their Southwest counterparts have embraced protectiveness, sacrifice and visionary leadership.
He added: “Why are the Lukumi Yoruba ahead in Nigeria? It has NOTHING to do with ports and EVERYTHING to do with leadership! They do not, and cannot, have Governors who will build breweries when there are no schools, or travel abroad when their states are on fire. And that is why approximately 6,000 people enter Lagos every day. Many in night buses because Lagos is their boss!”