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Unbroken Conviction: Senator Husain and the Test of Loyalty in Nigerian Politics

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Nigerian Politics

Miftau Adebowale

Mudashiru Husain marks 70 with loyal reflection, embodying steadfast values, conviction, and loyalty in Nigeria’s progressive politics

Chronicle II reflecting Husain’s doctrine of loyalty and reflection as he turns 70.

Also read: From Ejigbo to the National Stage: The Humble Rise of a Reluctant Politician

In the ever-shifting and volatile tides of Nigerian politics where alliances are easily fleeting and convictions are often traded for convenience, Senator Mudashiru Oyetunde Husain stands out as one of the few men whose loyalty has never been swayable.

For more than three decades, Husain’s political compass has remained firmly fixed toward a unidirectional leaning – the progressive family anchored by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s President and political pathfinder of the Fourth Republic.

To Husain, loyalty is not a strategy; it is a creed, a covenant, and a defining character that must be upheld at all times.

Loyalty as a Political Value

Those who have followed his sojourn from his days in Lagos politics to his time as Senator representing Osun West (2011–2015), usually describe him as “the quiet loyalist.” He has never been known for loud declarations, yet his actions consistently speak volumes.

When others flinch in the face of political storms, Husain stands still. This is not because he is unnecessarily obstinate, but because he believes loyalty must be rooted in unwavering conviction, not convenience.

“A man who cannot stay true to his political heritage cannot stay true to the people he serves.”
— Sen. Mudashiru Husain

The above popular corollary imply that Husain’s loyalty has never been blind. It is informed, measured, and bound by shared values.

His relationship with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu dates back to the early formative years of Nigeria’s modern progressive movement, when both men were building the political structures that would later shape modern democratic governance in the Southwest.

To this day, Husain often speaks of Asiwaju not merely as a leader but as a decisive mentor whose clarity of vision, compassion, and tenacity have inspired generations of politicians.

The Osun’s Storm: When Loyalty Was Tested

There came a time, however, when that loyalty faced its most difficult test during the turbulent years preceding and following the Osun APC internal crisis.

While factions emerged, alliances shifted, and loyalties were strained, Senator Husain never wavered.

He did not wait to see which way the wind would blow; instead, he stood with conviction, guided by what he often calls “the original compass of progressive ideology.”

“Husain is the true definition of loyalty in politics,” a close associate said. “He boldly lets the world know where he belongs even without regrets, but with courage and conviction.”

Even when standing firm came with personal and political costs, Husain refused to act against his beliefs.

He remained where he has been right from the time he was commissioned to come to Osun, upholding the principles laid down by Asiwaju Tinubu, his all-time mentor and benefactor.

His composure in those turbulent times revealed his rare quality of a politician who values integrity above opportunity.

The Calm in the Storm

While others sought refuge in factional advantage, Husain worked quietly behind the scenes, reaching out to estranged leaders and pleading for unity.

His reconciliatory efforts were tireless as well known to all top leaders. It started from reaching out, initiating dialogues, to emphasizing the need for a united Osun APC family.

Even when those efforts met resistance, he remained calm, never bitter. “Politics is not war,” he often said, “it is a vehicle for shared progress.”

When the political dust settled, Husain naturally found his way back into the mainstream progressive camp duly recognized by President Tinubu and where he thinks the interest of his benefactor can be well protected.

It wasn’t a return of convenience but a reaffirmation of the values he had never abandoned.

This is why, among party loyalists, he is fondly called “the Class Captain” which symbolized his composure, order, and steady leadership even when others lost their bearings.

A Legacy of Conviction at 70

Today, as he turns 70, Senator Mudashiru Husain’s name evokes not only respect but reassurance showing that loyalty, in its truest sense, still exists in politics.

He has shown that one can disagree without betrayal, compete without bitterness, and aspire without disloyalty.

His political journey right from Lagos to Osun and from parliament to governorship ambition remains a study in conviction.

A chronicle of a man who has walked through turbulence but never drifted from his values.

“In politics, storms are inevitable. But character is what steadies the ship”. These are valuable words he has been known for.

Also read: From Ejigbo to the National Stage: The Humble Rise of a Reluctant Politician

At a time when many redefine loyalty for expediency, Husain remains the exception exemplifying the unbroken link between the old progressive order and the future of Osun’s renewed hope.

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Opinion

K1’s Awujale Ambition: An Impossible Dream, Not a Pathway

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Omoba Abiola Aloba

Let it be said plainly & without hesitation: the possibility of K1 becoming the Awujale is not merely slim, it is nonexistent. No amount of influence, back-channel persuasion, or perceived connection to the powers that be can rewrite the established order of Ijebu kingship.

Ijebu-Ode is not some obscure hamlet tucked away in a forgotten corner of the map. It is a historic kingdom with deep-rooted traditions, guided by an organised royal structure & populated by some of the most educated, enlightened, accomplished, & illustrious people in the country. Ours is a land where pedigree matters, where lineage is verifiable, where ancestry is not a tale woven overnight for convenience.

The rotational system among the ruling houses: Fusengbuwa, Anikinaiya, Gbelegbuwa, and others in their rightful order, has been honoured for generations. It is this rotation that has preserved peace, fostered unity, & ensured fairness. It cannot be discarded simply because one man suddenly fancies a throne that was never his to aspire to.

This is not mere politics. Where an Ondo man, can claim to be from Lagos and hoodwink the people.
You cannot hoodwink Ijebu people. Not here. Not ever.

As for those whispering that his supposed connections to the corridors of power might deliver a miracle in the form of a slamdunk, such thoughts are a profound misreading of the moment. His Excellency, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is himself a blue-blooded son of royalty. A proud prince of Iperu. He understands the weight of tradition, the sanctity of process, & the danger of installing a usurper on such a revered throne. No governor would want his tenure stained by such a historical misstep.

The Awujale stool is not a trophy for ambition; it is a sacred trust passed through legitimate bloodlines, anchored by history & protected by the collective conscience of Ijebuland.

No matter the theatrics, no matter the machinations, no matter who is whispered to be “in his corner,” K1 will not:  & cannot, breach an order far older & far stronger than his ambition.

This isn’t a contest for the Fuji music crown. It isn’t a battle of supremacy between K1, Pasuma, Atawewe, Osupa, Shefiu Alao & the likes for the crown of Fuji. It also isn’t about who took over from Alhaji Agba, the late Ayinde Barrister. This is about the revered Awujale crown & throne. The Awujale we deserve & desire isn’t a polarising, highly egotistical fellow. But an accommodating, liberal father of all.

Omoba Abiola Aloba
A proud son through his mom, of the Fetuga family of Ikanigbo
A custodian of a heritage that needs no embellishment
And one who stands firmly for the dignity of Ijebuland.

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The UK is losing billions by under-employing skilled Nigerians and other African Migrants — New Analysis from the Insight Vodcast

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The United Kingdom is losing about £4bn annually by failing to fully utilise the skills and qualifications of Nigerians and other African migrants living and working in the country. Beyond African migrants, the UK stands to gain up to £37 billion every year if workplace racial disparities affecting Black and Minority Ethnic workers were addressed.

This was revealed in the latest edition of The Insight Vodcast, a weekly news explainer produced by Adejuwon Soyinka, a UK based two-time Emmy nominated Nigerian investigative journalist.

Drawing on data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), Oxford University’s Migration Observatory, the McGregor-Smith Review, Business in the Community (BITC), and a 2025 University College London (UCL) inequalities study, The Insight Vodcast exposes a persistent and costly pattern of underemployment, wage disparities, and systemic barriers facing African professionals in the UK.

The UK 2021 Census counted about 1.5 million Black African people in England and Wales. That’s around 2.5% of the population. Of this figure, around 270,000 were said to be Nigerians living in England and Wales. The figure has since grown with estimates suggesting around 300,000 Nigerians in the UK as at 2023 while another 52,000 migrated to the UK in 2024.

The timely and hard-hitting analysis revealed how based on data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Black African, Caribbean and Black British workers consistently earn less than their White peers, even with similar qualifications. The Insight Vodcast report revealed how, according to the Oxford University’s Migration Observatory, highly educated migrants are disproportionately funnelled into lower-skilled jobs.

A 2017 independent review by Baroness McGregor-Smith showed that fully utilising the talents of Black and Minority Ethnic workers could add £24 billion a year to the UK economy. There hasn’t been an improvement since then. A 2025 analysis by Business in the Community (BITC), a business-led charity founded by King Charles III, suggests the UK stands to gain up to £37 billion every year if workplace racial disparities were addressed.

“These are not isolated stories,” The Insight Vodcast reports. “They represent a national economic blind spot, one that quietly drains the UK of productivity, innovation, and tax revenue.”

The Insight Vodcast attributes the ongoing crisis to a combination of entrenched hiring bias and structural barriers. A landmark Oxford study showed that ethnic minority job seekers must submit 60% more applications to receive the same callback rates as White applicants, a trend University College London, UCL researchers confirm remains unchanged as of 2025.

The Insight Vodcast report warns that the real economic cost is likely far higher today than previously estimated, given population growth and rising wages.

This week’s episode of The Insight Vodcast investigates “The Hidden Bill: How the UK Wastes Billions by Under-Employing Skilled African Migrants”, and calls for urgent national attention. The episode argues that unlocking African migrant talent isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s a direct economic gain that could boost public services, strengthen the workforce, and stimulate long-term growth for the UK.

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EDITORIAL: Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Politics of Vindictiveness Is Tearing Ogun Apart

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Governor Dapo Abiodun

Ayo Mojoyin

Governor Dapo Abiodun faces criticism for allegedly using state power to intimidate political opponents and block empowerment programmes in Ogun State

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