Former Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia and Malawi, Folake Marcus-Bello, has challenged the Yewa ancestry of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for Ogun State in the 2027 election, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
Marcus-Bello, a former Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs, made the claim during a live television programme, where she alleged that Adeola was not originally from Yewa and challenged him to a public debate over his ancestry.
She said she had documents which, according to her, could substantiate her position, including the programme of events for Adeola’s father’s burial in Ekiti State, which she said contained details of his Oriki and lineage.
“Let him come and sit in front of me. We would bring the documentation that I have—the programme of events of his father’s burial in Ekiti State with his Oriki and his progeny,” Marcus-Bello said.
The former diplomat argued that the 2027 governorship contest should not be treated as an open contest for anyone seeking the office, insisting that the Yewa people deserved the opportunity to produce a governor who was genuinely from the area.
She said, “If what you have stated is true, Yewa has a better chance to produce a governor because they have never produced one. But give us—and I am speaking authoritatively also on behalf of Hon. Ladi Adebutu—a real son or daughter of Yewa and we will support that daughter or son of Yewa.”
Marcus-Bello also questioned Adeola’s political history, claiming that his political career was established in Lagos before he later shifted his political ambition to Ogun West. She further cited the alleged background of his parents and the burial of his mother in Epe in making her case.
“The local politics of Ogun State is reserved for the indigenes of Ogun State. It is not an all-comers game,” she said, describing Ogun as politically different from Lagos, where, according to her, people from different backgrounds have settled and participated in politics.
She also accused the APC of abusing political power and referred to what she described as a book containing allegations against Adeola, calling on his camp to respond to the issues she raised.
However, the claims about Adeola’s ancestry and the documents referenced by Marcus-Bello were made during the television programme and had not been independently verified at the time of filing this report.