A CULTURAL MILESTONE IN MODERN AFRICAN HISTORY
OGBENI
The Osun Renaissance Years
A cultural artifact of Nigerian history.
A tribute to grassroots politics.
An African story told with elegance, fire, and truth.
About The book
OGBENI is a compelling chronicle of transformation and a cultural manifesto that documents how Rauf Aregbesola’s administration reshaped the identity of Osun State.Split into two sections; Oranmiyan and Renaissance, the book traces the momentum of a grassroots movement and the radical, people-first policies that followed, from youth empowerment to education reform and cultural rebranding.Written by respected columnist Olakunle Abimbola, it delivers both historical accuracy and ideological clarity, a fast-paced, data-backed account of how purposeful leadership can spark lasting change.Why now? Because legacy demands memory, and this is one worth remembering.
About the Author
Olakunle Abimbola
Olakunle Abimbola is a seasoned Nigerian columnist, behind the weekly “Republican Ripples”, in The Nation newspaper, a platform he’d shaped since 2007. With two decades of consistent political commentary, Abimbola brings both credibility and clarity to his work.As the author of _Ogbeni: The Osun Renaissance Years, Abimbola delivers a fast-paced, data-driven chronicle of grassroots governance and systemic change. Published by Safari Books, Ibadan, Nigeria, the 466-page work is subtitled “An African Guide to Grassroots Politics and Development”, and stands as both manifesto and manifestation of effective and transformative people-first policy, with the most vulnerable at the centre of the Ogbeni universe.
Where to buy
Own a Piece of Political Legacy
Own The Legacy
Ogbeni: The Osun Renaissance Years is available on Amazon.Order your copy and explore a rare record of transformation, policy, and purpose in Nigerian history.
Stories of the Osun Renaissance
Experience the Legacy in Motion
Witness the Movement
Directed by Kunle Afolayan, this is more than a film, it’s a curated documentary series capturing the transformation of Osun State.
Across multiple episodes, hear directly from those who shaped it, lived it, and dared to believe in it.Featuring commentary from Prof. Wole Soyinka, Pat Utomi, Femi Falana, and others, each film in this playlist reveals a different chapter of boldness, vision, and grassroots momentum behind a political renaissance.
Watch the full playlist and relive the moments that turned policies into history
Praises For OGBENI
“This book is more than a political chronicle, it’s a spiritual record of what’s possible when a leader truly listens to his people.”
~ Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, Author & Cultural Icon
“I consider Ogbeni a political memoir, a development model, and a cultural mirror. It's a rare triple-threat and a contribution to nation-building.”
~ Prof. Pat Utomi, Political Economist & Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership
“With Ogbeni, we don't just remember a governor we remember a movement. This is a blueprint for Afro-progressivism in practice.”
~ Dr. Chika Okeke-Agulu, Princeton Professor of African Art & Politics