Hon. Seyi Adisa, a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly representing Afijio, has shed light on his political journey, citing his encounter with the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi as a turning point in his career.
Speaking on a radio programme, “The Spotlight”, on Splash FM, Seyi recounted how he met the late Ajimobi through his daughter when he attended law school in England.
According to him, he knew he would engage in partisan politics, but he focused on making money first because politics requires a lot of funds, leading him to start a law firm.
“My idea was to become a lawyer and make money first because you need a lot of money in politics. I planned to enter the ring when I turned 50. I had the mindset that politics is not what you do when you are young.”
He disclosed that he received a call from Ajimobi, during which he conducted a brief interview with him a few months after assuming office. He added that Ajimobi later sent him to KPMG for a comprehensive interview.
According to him, the interview at KPMG lasted about two and a half hours, noting that it was based on the report of the interview that he was ultimately appointed as the late governor’s principal private secretary.
Reflecting on his journey as Ajimobi’s Principal Private Secretary, he described the position as a “double-edged sword”, noting that despite sharing some roles with other top government officials, he focused on building relationships and influence.
As one of the youngest members of Ajimobi’s cabinet, he explained that he was able to navigate the political and cultural landmines by being respectful and polite among other officials.
“As a 27-year-old principal private secretary, I was able to manage the top civil servants and I learnt to stoop to conquer.”
Speaking on the huge task of the role, he disclosed that it required a lot of emotional intelligence. According to him, there were times he felt like resigning from the job, even though he was able to persevere until the end of the first term.
“There were some tough times when I doubted myself and wondered if I had the capacity to continue with the position. Although I didn’t have a mindset that I would resign if things went well.”
He described late Ajimobi as a thorough and excellent man who frowned upon scandalous acts, stressing that he played an active role in opening doors to people who helped him in moving the state forward.
Despite being an opposition member at the Oyo State House of Assembly, he noted that he was able to play a strategic role and leverage the experience he had gained as a former governor’s private secretary to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.
He further disclosed that he would be unveiling a book “Leading at 27: HOW YOUNG LEADERS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD” which he wrote on Thursday, April 2 2026.
