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By John Ekundayo “If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.” – Howard Schultz, former CEO, Starbucks What is branding? What distinguishes a branded product or service? How can you and I depict and differentiate one brand of product or personality from another, in business or politics? These and some other questions are likely to pop up as someone reads and reflects on the topic of this essay. In a recent article published in the Nation newspaper, the author provided a precise premise to the subject of branding. He stated, inter alia: “In organizations, a brand is synonymous with the name, design, symbol, or any other feature that distinguishes a firm’s products or services from those of its competitors and creates a unique identity in the minds of customers … Walter Landor, renowned brand designer, opined that “products are made in a factory but brands are created in the mind.” This author concurs with this statement in toto! Presently, with Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) in the saddle for 3 years, most followers in the political landscape of Ekiti can identify values of humility, compassion, generosity, and doing what he says he will do (integrity), with BAO; and summing all these up is that the are ready to vote him in again as their Governor for the 2nd term. This sits and situates pretty well with Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, who succinctly stated: “if people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand”. BAO: Building blocks “A brand is a voice and a product is a souvenir.” – Lisa Gansky Ab initio, Oyebanji stepped out on the 16th of October 2022 with Ekitikete in mind. He did not take faulty and faltering steps of dealing with people based on their political leaning or party affiliation. BAO, as popularly called by adherents and admirers, places a high premium on people. He, in the prism, of human resource experts and scholars, view Ekitikete as the greatest resource in the leadership – followership dyad. In the colour, content and context of Ekiti, where he was involved in the creation of the state rubbing minds then with statesmen, traditional rulers and elders, he knows, first hand, the sociology of Ekiti people. In addition, having served in previous administrations of the erstwhile Governors – Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo and Dr John Kayode Fayemi – he has apparently comprehended the nuances of governance more than any player in the political arena of Ekiti presently. Moreover, it will be inadequate, without expiscating Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji’s (BAO) leadership approach or style, to conclude that he is a novice or starter in the political emancipation of the Land of Honour – Ekiti. Aare Afe Babalola, one of the founding fathers of Ekiti, sometimes in 2024, while attesting to BAO’s giant strides in all sectors, was down to earth in succinctly stating: “It pains me that you didn’t become governor of Ekiti much earlier than now … However, this governor is doing a yeoman job.” BAO: Breeding and boosting inclusion Saliently and succinctly stated, the humane and humble personality of BAO starting from inception of his administration till date is laudable and loud for all to bear witness. His exemplary laced with inclusive leadership style has warmed him into the hearts of most Ekitikete, especially those who will by now be in opposing or adversarial camps firing and fighting against his return to office. In this vein, the people with special needs have a voice in the government. Mr. Governor has paid uncommon attention to people living with disabilities in the state by appointing a specialist, Princess Adetoun Agboola, as the Special Adviser of Special Education and Social Inclusion in the Executive Council of Ekiti State, to nurture them. In addition, Mr. Governor, shunning publicity, during his birthday, always directs all his friends and family members to channel whatever gifts they intend offering him to his ‘friends’ – people living with disabilities. This is seemingly unique and uncommon in the corridor of power, especially in the context of Nigeria! Read Also: Travails of volunteer healthcare workers in Nigeria’s, Ghana’s forgotten villages By and large, without gainsaying it, his style has garnered great gains for the ruling party – All Progressives Congress (APC) – in the state and national level, taking cognizance of the fact that the Ekiti Gubernatorial election coming up on the 20th June 2026 is the first off season election preceding the presidential election of 2027! In essence, the APC must get it right in dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. It is on the heels of this that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party should be lauded for acting swiftly in granting BAO a clean bill of health to contest the June 2026 election whilst disqualifying two other contenders, who failed to satisfy the minimum prerequisites to becoming the party’s candidate. As yours sincerely was stating while appearing on the TVC News Breakfast edition of Saturday, 11th October 2025, that any missteps to the contrary by the highest administrative organ of the party, the NWC, could result in litigation that may negatively affect and/or afflict the gubernatorial quest of the APC in Ekiti. BAO: Boasting best brand? Remarkably, from the outset of his administration, he mouthed the shared prosperity mantra as the social contract he signed with Ekitikete. This is encapsulated in the 6 Strategic Actionable Pillars of his administration. In this vein, he directed the Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD), over which this essayist superintends to scrutinize work plans of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) before adoption into the budget. The work plans should be in sync with the 6 Strategic Pillars of his administration, namely: (1) Youth Development and Job Creation; (2) Agriculture and Rural Development; (3) Human Capital Development; (4) Infrastructure and Industrialization; (5) Arts, Culture and Tourism; and (6) Governance. Presently, BAO’s administration is 3 years in office. Is the BAO brand speaking? There are at least nine roads awaiting commissioning in diverse locations of the State during this 3rd anniversary celebration, among which is the construction of the Ado Ekiti Ring Road (Phase 1). Moreover, there are 5 General Hospitals already renovated and retrofitted with state of the arts equipment and facilities. These are located in Ifaki, Ilawe, Ayede, Efon Alaaye and Okemesi – all spread across the 3 Senatorial Districts of Ekiti State. In addition, as we speak there are about 5,000 young farmers engaged in farming under the Bring Back the Youth into Agriculture programme of the incumbent administration. The BAO’s administration expended, and is still expending, huge and humongous resources on Agribusiness involving land clearing (up to 4,000 hectares), tractorization, subsidized farming inputs and extension services. The output was mass harvest of farm produce flooding the markets, whilst the outcome is that for the first time Ekiti is adjudged to have the lowest food price index in the south west of Nigeria. Oyebanji is bringing back the hey days of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to Ekiti State. There are 3 Renewed Hope Dormitories earmarked for commissioning for young farmers located in Eporo, Iyemero and Ikere. This author as the head of the Project Subcommittee of the 3rd Anniversary led other critical stakeholders round these projects and others due for commissioning. These dormitories are designed and equipped with common rooms possessing cable television and other ancillary facilities to attract and retain the young minds on the farms. Kudos to the Honourable Commissioner of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, and his team for working in tandem with the agreed work plan with OTSD. On top of these laudable feats, God has been gracious to give Ekiti unprecedented peace in Ekiti. This is not without the yeoman’s traversing and conversing with relevant organs of government and critical stakeholders in Abuja handling the security architecture of the country. It is no fluke that with less than 9 months to the next gubernatorial election, the Land of Honour is embracing and enjoying all round peace and progress. BAO’s leadership style is really boosting uncommon confidence among Ekitikete and making BAO’s brand unbeatable in the political landscape of Ekiti. This is the first time that peace is boosting progress in the trajectory towards prosperity! BAO: Bracing Best Brand! “If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.” – David Brier, author and brand identity expert. In construction engineering, bracing is the utilization of structural elements, which may be permanent or temporal in nature, to stabilize a building or structure with the aim of resisting lateral forces from wind, seismic activity or some other external loads. In essence, when engineers make use of bracing it is to prevent the building from buckling, cracking, deflecting or collapsing, as the case may be. It is a truism that many of the achievements of the BAO’s administration have been adjudged as mostly under-reported to the chagrin of some of us who are critical and core stakeholders in the Ekiti project. Any wonder, David Brier, celebrated author and brand identity expert, opinionated thus: “If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.” It is high time Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) invested more in robustly publicizing or disseminating the good works of his administration in order to forestall any denigrator to diminish and denounce his good works. He needs not be told to blow his trumpet in this day and age of internet technology taking cognizance of the fact that ‘internet does not forget.’ The indecorous mien of some unscrupulous business people and politicians is even the raison d’etre for protection and preservation of one’s brand, be it in the marketplace or in the political arena. This is in sync with the assertion of Warren Buffet, American investor and philanthropist who stated inter alia: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” Going forward, and as we approach the gubernatorial election of 20th June 2026, it is high time, BAO, in depicting his brand as the best among the seeming motley of contenders, attempted in altering the status quo ante by propagating more media presence befitting his transformational strides in Ekiti – the Land of Honour!
