Agege Chairman Elected West African President, Signals Bid for Continental Leadership

Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, has emerged as the President of the West African region within the Young Elected Local Officials (YELO) Network under the umbrella of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).

The development occurred at the ongoing YELO Summit currently holding in Dakhla, Morocco, which is scheduled to conclude later today. Obasa is representing Nigeria at the continental gathering of young local government leaders drawn from across Africa.

Following his emergence as West Africa’s regional president, Obasa has also formally indicated his interest in contesting for the position of President of the YELO Network for Africa, a highly strategic role within UCLG Africa’s leadership structure. The election for the continental presidency is scheduled to take place next Monday in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The YELO Network serves as the collective voice of young elected local officials across Africa, providing a platform for leadership development, policy dialogue, peer learning and the promotion of youth inclusion in local governance and territorial development.

Obasa’s elevation to the West African presidency has been widely viewed by observers as a recognition of his leadership credentials and Nigeria’s growing influence in continental governance discussions. As Nigeria’s youngest serving local government chairman, his emergence reflects a broader shift towards youth-driven leadership in Africa’s local government systems.

Speaking on the development, Obasa described his emergence as a call to greater service, noting that young leaders across Africa must take responsibility for shaping inclusive, responsive and people-centred local governments. He reaffirmed his commitment to advancing youth participation, strengthening democratic institutions and promoting sustainable urban development across the continent.

The summit in Dakhla has focused on capacity building, exchange of best practices and the preparation of a new generation of political leaders capable of responding to Africa’s urbanisation and governance challenges. With the continental election approaching in Senegal, attention is now turning to the future leadership direction of the YELO Network at the African level.