By Ladi Ayodeji
Deacon Banjo Omole’s twin publications, Destined Destiny and Extolling Leadership, land with the weight of a man rounding off a successful political chapter and stepping confidently into a creative renaissance. As he concludes his two-term tenure as APC Chairman in Ifako-Ijaiye, these books function not merely as commemorative works but as statements of identity, political, cultural, and artistry.
They reveal a man who has lived inside the engine room of Lagos politics, watched its rhythms up close, and chosen to document its leading figures in a language that blends admiration, spirituality, symbolism, and history.
Destined Destiny is the more forceful of the two, a focused tribute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Omole writes with the certainty of someone who believes Tinubu’s journey has been less accidental and more divinely crafted. He leans heavily into numerology, destiny, and metaphor, weaving a portrait where Tinubu becomes more than a political actor
He becomes a symbol of endurance, transformation, and national possibility. The imagery is deliberate: “eagles that soar above storms”, “leaders who carry the weight of nations”, and the recurring spiritual undertones that speak to Nigeria’s deeply religious political psyche. Omole’s devotion is unmistakable, and the poems are steeped in that conviction.
Where Destined Destiny delivers a single beam of focused praise, Extolling Leadership scatters the light across a wider field. Omole turns his poetic gaze toward Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Hamzat, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, and an impressive list of APC stalwarts.
Each individual is celebrated through carefully constructed metaphors such as timber, iron, gold, lions, and other natural imagery drawn from Yoruba cosmology and classical leadership narratives. Omole positions these leaders as custodians of Lagos’ progress and the APC’s vision, capturing their roles in the state’s political evolution.
The language throughout is unapologetically ornate, echoing traditional praise poetry while embracing modern political commentary. Omole writes with a performer’s voice. He is dramatic, rhythmic, and confident. His poems read like ceremonial speeches, the kind delivered before large audiences, meant to stir pride and reaffirm loyalty. Readers seeking subtle literary critique will find little here; these books are not exercises in neutrality. They are declarations of admiration, written by a man who has shaped, and been shaped by, the political landscape he describes.
Yet beyond the praise lies something more intimate: Omole’s transition into a new creative path. Through these works, he signals his intention to become not just a political actor but a cultural storyteller, poet, chronicler, and advocate for what he considers exemplary leadership. This shift is evident in his willingness to use poetry as a vehicle to record political memory, bind identity, and celebrate legacy.
Together, Destined Destiny and Extolling Leadership operate as both personal testimonials and political documentation. They capture a moment in Lagos and Nigerian politics through the eyes of an insider who chooses to honour his leaders with poetic devotion. Supporters of Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, and the APC tradition will find these collections deeply resonant, while literary observers will see in them a distinctive blend of political praise poetry and cultural narration.
Ultimately, the two books stand as fitting signatures to Omole’s tenure. It is bold, expressive, and anchored in loyalty, faith, and the enduring belief in leadership that shapes destinies.