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Across Oyo State’s 33 Local Government Areas, vital statutory bills and appropriation acts are passed each legislative session. Yet, ordinary citizens, youth leaders, civil society organizations, and local business owners remain disconnected from what is actually debated in the Agodi Assembly Chambers.

Committee hearing schedules are rarely public in advance, bills are rarely accessible in digital open formats before passing into law, and legislative budget allocations for critical sectors like education, primary healthcare, and youth enterprise are difficult for the public to monitor. When legislative records stay locked in physical filing cabinets or dense legal gazettes, democratic accountability suffers and public cynicism rises.

The Policy Proposal

I propose an Oyo State Open Legislative and Budget Transparency Law, establishing a statutory digital open-access system jointly coordinated by the Clerk of the House and the Oyo State Information Technology Development Agency (OYSITA). The framework would mandate four actionable reforms:

1. Mandatory Digital Gazetting & Real-Time Bill Tracker: Every bill introduced on the floor of the Oyo State House of Assembly must be published online in open, machine-readable formats within 5 working days of its First Reading, accompanied by an updated status tracker from First Reading to Executive Assent.
2. Citizen-Facing Plain-Language Summaries: Before any public hearing or final passage, the Assembly’s research service must produce a concise, 2-page civic explainer in English and Yoruba answering: What does this bill do? Who does it affect? What is the budget impact? How can constituents submit memoranda?
3. Open Committee Sittings & Public Memo Submissions: An accessible digital calendar publishing committee hearing dates at least 7 days in advance, alongside a direct public portal allowing citizens, community associations, and students across Oyo State to submit feedback or flag localized concerns remotely.
4. Sub-National Budget-to-Constituency Scorecard: An interactive quarterly tracking tool showing statutory capital appropriations allocated across constituencies, enabling residents to see exactly which legislative approvals directly translate into community schools, health centres, and road projects.

Why It Matters for Oyo State

A legislature cannot be truly representative if its proceedings remain opaque to the people it represents. By bridging the gap between legislative data and citizen engagement, this framework will strengthen public trust, curb budget execution leakages, and ensure that young people and civic actors can actively participate in state-building rather than spectating from the sidelines.

In many rural communities in Ondo State, including my home in Irele Local Government, a simple lab test can mean a long and costly journey to a general hospital or a private lab in town. Many patients are treated on guesswork. Children with sickle cell disease are often diagnosed late, after repeated crises. Pregnant women may miss tests for HIV, hepatitis B, anaemia and diabetes. Treatment without diagnosis wastes money and costs lives.

The proposal

I propose a law that guarantees every Ondo citizen access to essential lab tests within their own ward. It would:

1. Set a minimum test package at every primary health centre: malaria, HIV, hepatitis B, blood sugar, haemoglobin, pregnancy and genotype screening.
2. Create a statewide sample transport network. Trained riders would collect samples from rural PHCs on fixed schedules and carry them to accredited labs in our general hospitals and teaching hospitals. Results would come back by SMS within 72 hours. This would build on the sample transport systems already used for HIV and TB programmes.
3. Introduce free newborn and premarital genotype screening. It would come with counselling, so families know their sickle cell status early.
4. Require quality standards for all government labs, with trained lab staff and regular checks.
5. Publish a public scorecard. It would report every quarter how many tests each LGA performed and how fast results came back, and the House of Assembly Committee on Health would oversee it.

Why it matters

Early diagnosis is cheaper than late treatment. This law would reduce preventable deaths, ease pressure on our hospitals, and give rural families the same chance at good health as people in the cities.

A country, state where their Judicary is dependent on executive will be easy to manipulate, it is very essential the judiciary is preserved to maintain their utmost integrity.

Oyo State sits at a genuine commercial crossroads, with real potential in cross-border trade, agro-processing, and SME growth, yet much of this potential goes underutilized because small business owners, women entrepreneurs, and young people trying to enter trade and enterprise have little accessible information about the legislative and regulatory environment shaping their opportunities. This gap matters more now than ever with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in effect, an agreement that in principle opens Oyo's SMEs, agro-processors, and women and youth-led enterprises to an entire continental market, but in practice remains largely theoretical for businesses that do not know what AfCFTA rules of origin, tariff schedules, or export certification require of them.

I propose a Trade Corridor and SME Empowerment Information Framework, a state legislative initiative combining two things. First, a simplified, publicly accessible information system that translates trade, export, and SME-related legislation, AfCFTA compliance requirements, and budget allocations into practical guidance, so a woman running a textile business or a young agro-processor can understand what registration support, tax incentives, or AfCFTA export facilitation actually applies to them, and how to access it. Second, a structured feedback channel built into the legislative process itself, allowing SME owners, women-led enterprises, and youth cooperatives to flag real barriers, for example multiple taxation, unclear export documentation, or difficulty meeting AfCFTA rules of origin, directly to lawmakers before policy is finalized, not after.

This is necessary because women and youth are disproportionately represented in Oyo's informal and small business sector, yet are least likely to have the institutional access or information needed to benefit from trade and enterprise policy, let alone a continental trade agreement as complex as AfCFTA. Closing that information gap does three things at once, it strengthens SME participation in formal trade corridors, positions Oyo State businesses to actually use AfCFTA rather than watch it pass them by, and gives the legislature a direct, structured line of sight into the barriers businesses are facing, making policy more responsive and enforcement more collaborative rather than punitive.

What happens when a community reports a problem at its Primary Health Centre, but nobody is clearly responsible for following it up?

This is a question I have thought about repeatedly during my work as a National Health Fellow.

I have visited all 38 Primary Health Centres in my local government and engaged health workers, community leaders, traditional institutions and residents. I have seen communities that are willing to support their PHCs, but I have also seen gaps in infrastructure, water, electricity, equipment and maintenance.

My policy idea is for Ondo State to establish a Community PHC Accountability and Stewardship Framework that connects community participation to clear government responsibility.

The idea is simple: communities should have a structured way to report problems, government should have a clear responsibility to respond, and both sides should be able to see what happens next.

The framework could:

• Give communities clear roles in identifying and reporting PHC challenges.

• Create a simple reporting system that routes each issue to the appropriate PHC, LGA or state authority.

• Assign responsibility and reasonable response timelines for reported issues.

• Include unresolved community concerns in periodic PHC performance reviews.

• Require periodic public reporting of major issues reported, actions taken and outstanding gaps.

• Recognise community stewardship in protecting facilities and equipment, while keeping funding, staffing and service delivery firmly within government's responsibility.

• Begin as a pilot across selected PHCs in different LGAs, with clear indicators such as response time, resolved issues, facility condition and community feedback before considering wider adoption.

This is not about asking communities to fix what government is responsible for.

It is about closing the gap between identifying a problem and getting the right institution to act on it.

Ondo State already has community structures and institutions involved in primary healthcare. Rather than creating another layer, this framework would strengthen the connection between those structures and the government systems responsible for responding to their concerns.

I believe this matters because a public health facility is more than a building. It is a public asset, and the people who depend on it should have a meaningful role in protecting it and ensuring that concerns about it are heard.

For me, good policy is not about creating something new for the sake of it. It is about seeing a real problem, understanding why existing systems are not fully solving it, and designing a practical way to close the gap.

Policy Idea: Oyo State Youth Skills and Employment Initiative

The Oyo State Government should establish a structured programme that provides young people with free vocational training, digital skills, entrepreneurship support, internships, and access to small business opportunities. The policy should also connect trained youths with employers and provide transparent monitoring to ensure that beneficiaries gain meaningful employment or sustainable livelihoods.

Lagos State should establish a Political Professionals Regulation and Development Framework to professionalise the political industry by creating clear ethical and competency standards, recognising political practitioners, establishing structured career pathways, and connecting qualified professionals with political parties, legislators, government institutions and civic organisations.

The framework could provide for a recognised professional body responsible for registration, professional standards, continuous professional development, certification and a code of conduct for practitioners such as political strategists, political researchers, legislative aides, campaign professionals, political communicators and public affairs practitioners.

This would create a more defined pathway for the thousands of young Nigerians studying Political Science, International Relations, Public Administration, History and related disciplines who often struggle to translate their academic training into sustainable careers within the political space. Similar to the role professional institutions play in other fields, the framework would help ensure that entry and progression within the political profession are increasingly influenced by competence, professional development and ethical standards, rather than relying primarily on personal connections.

Beyond creating career opportunities, professionalising the political industry could also improve the quality of political and public leadership. Political leaders, legislators and government institutions would have greater access to trained professionals who understand policy, research, communication, political strategy and public administration.

In the long term, this could help build a stronger pipeline of young professionals into political parties, legislative offices, public institutions and the civil service creating a generation of public servants and political practitioners who are not only passionate about governance but have also been properly trained for the responsibilities they will assume.

The framework would complement, rather than replace, the statutory roles of INEC, LASIEC, political parties, IPAC and civil society organisations, while creating a professional ecosystem around the people who work within Nigeria's political and governance space.

Oyo State Youth Skills, Employment and Civic Participation Bill

One policy I believe is important for Oyo State is the establishment of a comprehensive Youth Skills, Employment and Civic Participation framework.

The policy would create a coordinated system for providing young people with access to digital and vocational skills training, internships, entrepreneurship support, mentorship, employment opportunities, and civic education. It would particularly prioritise young people from underserved communities and those facing barriers to employment.

The policy should also promote partnerships between government, private organisations, educational institutions, civil society organisations and development partners to create sustainable opportunities for young people.

Importantly, the programme should include transparent monitoring and public reporting of beneficiaries, funding, training outcomes, internships and employment created. This would help ensure that youth empowerment programmes produce measurable results and reach the people who need them most.

I believe this policy would strengthen youth economic participation while also encouraging young people to become informed, responsible and active participants in the development of Oyo State.

Ogun State should establish a coordinated flood early warning and community response system for flood-prone areas.

The policy would require relevant agencies to identify and regularly map flood-risk communities, monitor rainfall and drainage conditions, and provide timely warnings through SMS, radio, social media and community leaders. Local emergency response plans should also be developed with residents before the rainy season.

The state should publish information on flood-risk areas and the progress of drainage and flood-control projects so citizens can better prepare and monitor government interventions.

This policy would help reduce loss of lives and property, improve disaster preparedness and strengthen cooperation between government and communities.

Lagos is one of the most complex states to govern in Nigeria. Its diversity, population and continuous growth create unique demands on public policy. As Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos attracts people from across the country and beyond in search of education, employment, business and better opportunities. As the population grows, the demand for accommodation grows with it.

Accommodation is therefore more than a private housing matter. It is an integral part of Lagos’ economy. When housing becomes unaffordable, the consequences extend beyond individual households. They affect transportation, education, businesses, public infrastructure, urban planning and the overall cost of living.

I propose a Lagos Rent Affordability and Tenant Protection Policy that addresses both residential and commercial accommodation.

The current increase in rent is creating pressure across other sectors of the state. Some residents are moving farther away from their places of work or leaving Lagos altogether because they cannot afford accommodation. Others are resorting to informal and unsafe spaces. The increasing use of bridges and other public spaces as places of shelter is one visible consequence of a housing problem that is becoming an urban management problem.

The pressure is also affecting public education. When families relocate outside Lagos because of housing costs, their children often move with them. This gradually affects enrolment in public schools. If government infrastructure, teachers and other resources are planned around higher projected enrolment while actual student numbers decline in some communities, resources may become inefficiently distributed and wastage may increase.

Commercial accommodation is another part of the problem. Rising shop rents are making it difficult for small businesses and informal entrepreneurs to secure legitimate spaces. Some traders who cannot afford shops resort to selling on streets, bridges, walkways and around drainage channels. This creates additional challenges for traffic management, sanitation, pedestrian safety and environmental enforcement.

A major part of the problem is the lack of transparency around agency charges. Prospective tenants often face multiple fees with no clear, consistently enforced percentage or standard structure. These additional costs increase the amount required before a person even moves into a property.

There is also a need for stronger quality control in the real estate sector. Some newly developed properties are rented out at high prices despite concerns about construction quality, basic infrastructure and suitability for habitation. Rent regulation therefore needs to work alongside stronger building inspection and enforcement.

In parts of the Mainland, including areas such as Ilupeju, Surulere and Ikeja, residents increasingly face significant rental costs. For example, a mini flat in some locations may attract annual rent in the range of ₦1.5 million to ₦2.5 million, while two-bedroom apartments may range from ₦3 million to ₦4 million or more. Commercial shops in strategic locations may also attract annual rents of ₦1 million and above. These figures vary considerably by location and property, but they demonstrate the pressure facing residents and small businesses.

The policy should therefore focus on five areas:

1. Standardised Agency Fees and Agent Registration:

Lagos State should establish a mandatory registration system for all estate agents and agencies. Each registered agent should receive a verifiable licence or identification number.

The state should set a fixed percentage for agency fees and require agents to disclose all charges before any payment is made.

Rent and agency payments should be made through traceable channels linked to the registered agent, agency or property owner. The state should also establish a simple platform for tenants to verify agents, report fraud and seek redress.

1. Lagos Rental Information System:

The state should develop a publicly accessible platform providing rental information across different areas, including indicative rental ranges, verified property information and tenancy guidelines. This would help reduce information gaps between landlords, agents and prospective tenants.

1. Stronger housing quality control:

All new residential and commercial developments should undergo appropriate inspection before being offered for rent. Developers and property owners should face consequences where properties fail established safety, structural and habitability standards.

1. Affordable dispute resolution:

Lagos should strengthen accessible mechanisms for resolving landlord-tenant disputes without forcing residents into lengthy and expensive legal processes. Community-level mediation and dedicated tenancy support centres could provide an early avenue for resolving disputes.

1. Commercial space and street trading policy:

The government should recognise the relationship between rising shop rents and street trading. Affordable commercial spaces, market redevelopment and structured micro-business zones should form part of the response. Enforcement alone will not address street trading if legitimate commercial spaces remain beyond the reach of small businesses.

The objective is not to undermine property owners, estate developers or investors. It is to create a rental environment where property investment remains viable while residents and businesses receive reasonable protection from exploitative practices and excessive transaction costs.

Lagos needs a housing policy that recognises the connection between where people live, where they work, where their children go to school and how businesses operate.

If accommodation becomes inaccessible, the consequences will continue to appear elsewhere. On our roads. Under our bridges. In our schools. On our streets. In our markets. And ultimately, in the wider Lagos economy.

A growing Lagos needs a housing and commercial accommodation system that grows with its people.