…Running on a momentum of integrity, honesty, inclusivity; transparency and accountability
*Says a win on November 3rd would make her the first woman, first immigrant and first Nigerian in the position, opening the doors “wide for more people like me”
*Pledges to serve every resident “regardless of party affiliation,” declaring: “Whether you are Black, brown or white, you matter in the grand scheme of things”
*Proud of her homeland, insisting immigrants are here “to contribute to the growth and development of this country”
*Plus, views on ‘Japa Syndrome’, unforgettable memories after 20 years migration to the United States
*BY PHILIP FAVOUR BOLUWATIFE/SOUTHWEST CORRESPONDENT, Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA
SHE crossed the Atlantic more than 20 years ago with big dreams and a conviction that her life was meant to touch far more people than she would ever meet. Today, Dr. Oyinkansola Jinadu, a Nigerian-born educator, author, nonprofit founder and certified life coach, is the Democratic candidate for Ellis County Commissioner, Precinct 4. And on November 3, 2026, the voters of Ellis County, Texas, United States will decide whether she takes her seat on the Commissioners’ Court.
It is her first run for public office, and she arrives with the momentum of a primary victory and a platform built on transparency, integrity, inclusivity and accountability: a firm stand against rising property taxes, tighter governance of the data centers sweeping across the county, and a Commissioner’s Court open to the people it serves. Her campaign slogan, “We Shine The Light,” is described by her campaign as a conviction as much as a tagline.
Born in Nigeria, Dr. Jinadu holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Lagos and a Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Phoenix, Arizona. She has also been conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy, Humanities by the United Graduate College and Seminary International, in recognition of the community advocacy framework and curriculum work she has built through The Honeydrops Foundation, her 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Through the Foundation, she leads two signature programs, Live Bold, Love Smart, a teen dating awareness initiative, and Men Against Abuse, both dedicated to helping communities rise beyond the cycles of domestic, sexual and teen dating violence. She is also a member of the Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force.
Long before the boardrooms, the book launches and the campaign stage, she was a teacher. A veteran educator with Dallas ISD, she turned that classroom instinct into a portfolio of ventures under Honeydrops Pro Inc., including Dr. OJ Coaching Consultants and The HD Pro Global Institute, while authoring four books, five professional training manuals and more than 15 published articles. She also hosts the Dr. OJ Speaks podcast and talk show. Her name, Oyinkansola, translates to Honey Drops Into Wealth, a meaning she has spent her adult life living up to.
A woman of deep faith and a mother of three sons, she describes herself as a proud Nigerian and an equally proud American, two nations she says “worked together” to make her who she is today. In this exclusive interview with Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA, held days after Nigeria marked 66 years of independence, Dr. Jinadu lays out her plan for Ellis County, reflects on discrimination, challenges, sacrifices, and offers a message of resilience to young Nigerians dreaming of life abroad (Japa syndrome):
*NAIJA STANDARD: Hi, Dr. Oyinkansola Jinadu, how are you doing today?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: I’m doing wonderful, sir.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Great. We know that you are contesting for Ellis County in Texas as a Democratic candidate. The question is, what is your manifesto for the position you are applying for?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Okay. I’m running to become the next Ellis County Commissioner, representing Precinct 4. The position is a local government position. If you are familiar with the way the American government system is set up, we have the federal, the state, and the local government. The county runs the local government and then distributes that power through the city municipalities.
So, I will be working at the county level as a commissioner within the Commissioners Court. It’s a court where we have five individuals who make decisions in a leadership capacity as far as the business of the county is concerned: how money is spent, how infrastructure is developed and made available to accommodate the growth and development of the county, and, of course, taxes, the payment of taxes and budgeting, ensuring that the right individuals are working to ensure that our money is spent judiciously.
We are also held accountable for all that every single year. We work directly with the state government, from the governor’s office to the legislature and the Senate, to ensure that any laws being passed or any legislation being proposed gets implemented at the local government level.
Now, for me, running for this office, my role is to run on transparency, inclusivity, integrity; and accountability. That means the issues that matter to the people I am trying to serve, who are the people of Ellis County, regardless of party affiliation, are served without any bias. That means, I am always protecting the interests of Ellis County residents and businesses by making decisions that would directly impact them positively.
Based on the situation of our county, our country, the economy, and several other issues, I am running on the top three issues that I believe are most relevant to Ellis County right now. Number one is ensuring that we do not have an increase in our property taxes, so addressing the issue of increasing property taxes that has plagued us over the years. In the past seven years, we have seen our property taxes continue to skyrocket. That is an issue that matters, and it concerns the residents. A lot of people cannot afford to stay in their homes anymore, not because homes are more expensive, but because the taxes they are being charged have continued to increase. Focusing on that and trying to address that issue in the Commissioners’ Court is a priority for me once I get into that position.
The next issue is addressing the issue of data centers. Data centers have gotten attention on a national level, where everybody now knows that the lack of good governance around data centers has been something a lot of state and local government leaders have left to fall through the cracks. So, my goal as a County Commissioner is to help create good, accountable governance around data centers, the existing ones, and to absolutely vote no and put a stop to the continued approvals of data centers coming into Ellis County.
Ellis County has a record number of data centers that have already been approved, and we also have the highest number, about 29 applications that are pending and awaiting approval. Ellis County has a lot of rural, unincorporated roads, which makes us attractive to these data centers and big tech companies. And our current leadership has given all these big tech billionaire companies a lot of tax abatements. So, my goal as commissioner is to go in there and ask hard questions. Why should we give 10-year tax abatements to billionaire data center tech companies while we are now asking regular, everyday citizens, whom we are called to serve to pay more in property taxes? And they are not only paying more in property taxes. All these decisions that have been made over the years have directly impacted on the cost of electricity, the cost of water, the cost of everything that makes life work for Ellis County residents.
So those are my top two, and the third thing I am really focused on is making the Commissioners’ Court more accessible and open to the public. That means we ensure that our Ellis County residents are always in the know about decisions that are being made or about to be made. We bring them in monthly to hear from them, to get feedback from them, but also to keep them informed on decisions that are being made. Not after we voted and passed all of these decisions and then we inform them. No, we don’t want to run the county that way anymore. By doing this, I believe Ellis County would also begin to experience record growth in our economy, and we would be able to rebuild the lost confidence of our constituents, the residents and businesses within Ellis County. So those are the top three things I am running on, around my integrity, accountability and transparency platform.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Originally a Nigerian immigrant and a Naturalized American, what wider factors inspired you to get into this commissionership role?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Absolutely. Being a Nigerian immigrant has always been a thing of pride for me. I’m a very proud Nigerian, and of course becoming an American gave me even more of a platform to stand on. So now I have two amazing countries in which I am able to not only place my identity but also serve.
I have always had a heart to serve, even coming from Nigeria. For over 20 years in this country, everything I have done, whether as a job or as a business, has always been pointed towards serving people. I started as an educator many years ago and transitioned into running a non-profit organization, which advocated for victims and survivors of domestic violence, creating programs around that issue. And then, of course, I did several other things within the community to mobilize our people towards providing solutions.
So, when I was approached by the Democratic Chair within our county to consider running, I considered it, and I accepted it and took ownership of it, because I know that this country allows people like me the opportunity to be heard and seen. And not just to be heard for nothing, but to contribute valuably to an economy that has been a blessing to me.
Coming to the United States has been a blessing. Every immigrant will have several different stories to tell, but one thing we can all agree upon is that the United States of America has provided us with opportunities and privileges that we have all been very grateful for and have taken advantage of to move our lives in the right direction. So, for me, the one way I can give back, and I have always thought about giving back to this country, is by serving.
Serving at this level provides the opportunity for me to create an opening for other people just like me, immigrants who are out there wondering, does it really matter? Or am I just here to earn a living, build a better life, and then maybe go back home? No, no, no. We are here to do all those things, but we are also here to contribute to the growth and development of this country, and that looks different to everybody. For me, it looks like becoming a public servant and a County Commissioner, providing solutions that I know will benefit the people of Ellis County.
*NAIJA STANDARD: By the grace of God, on November 3rd, you become the commissioner for Ellis County. How do you think your winning will impact immigrants of African descent and the Latino communities? How do you think they could be impacted positively?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: I think the biggest word I see is hope. I think it is going to give a lot of people hope, and it is going to open them up to seeing that anything you decide to do is possible. But not just that. It is the fact that regardless of the colour of your skin, whether you are Black, Brown or White, you matter in the grand scheme of things. And nobody else is going to give you that validation unless you take it. Even in this nation, as we are here as immigrants, no one is going to offer that validation to us on a silver platter. So, my winning is going to let people know that, look, I matter, you matter, we all matter, and we have a fighting chance to validate ourselves when we decide to do something bigger than ourselves. That is going to bring hope into the community, whether it is the Latino community, the African American community, or even the indigenous African community where I am from. It is going to bring hope to know that, okay, we do matter, and we can make a difference even in this nation as immigrants. That is the first thing.
The second thing is that winning would mean everybody gets to believe that when you try to do something nobody else has done before, it does not mean it is not going to be possible. Right now, I am running for a position where I am the first: the first woman, the first African American, the first immigrant, the first Nigerian in that position. Being the first means several other people can get access to that position, and even a higher position. That is so important, and that is why I am fighting hard. If I am able to win this, then I open those doors wide for more people like me, whether they are Latino, African, or just immigrants who really don’t know that this kind of thing can be possible for them. I get to open that door for them to walk through and aspire to achieve something bigger than themselves.
*NAIJA STANDARD: If you look back over 20 years ago, when you were coming from Nigeria to the United States, did you have any premonition that someday you would rise to this level of your career and go for the Commissionership? What were your dreams when you left Nigeria with your bag in your hand, coming to the United States over 20 years ago? What were your ambitions? What were your aspirations?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: If I look back to the beginning, I will tell you that this was not in the books for me. So even taking it back, 20 years is so far. If I look back to January of that year, everybody has a resolution, a plan, goals and those types of things. I never did. But one thing I knew 20 years ago, coming here, is that coming to this country would mean I would get to achieve some of the biggest and wildest dreams I could ever have, whatever they were.
I came into this country very ambitious, very driven, and I have pushed myself harder than most to do everything, whether it was running my businesses, setting up businesses, getting out there and achieving academic excellence in all of these credentials God has allowed me to have, or even just serving at a very basic level, being called to serve my community, spreading awareness on an issue that affects us as a people. I always knew there was a bigger place for everyone to occupy than just themselves. So yes, coming here 20 years ago, I knew my life was always going to be bigger than just me coming here, having a source of living and doing mundane things.
I have always looked at life outside the box of mundane, the normal things that people aspire to. You come here and make money, and buy a house, and have cars and resources. Yes, we all want that, but for me, that is basic. I have always looked beyond that. What more can I do so that my life touches not just me and my family and the people around me, but many more people who might never know me, whom I might never meet, whom I might never even could get feedback from? I have always wanted my life to touch as many people as possible.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Since you came to the United States 20 years ago, have you ever been discriminated against because of the colour of your skin, or because you are Nigerian, or because of where you come from as an immigrant in America?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Absolutely. As long as humans exist anywhere in the world, there is always going to be discrimination. If I look at discrimination as an immigrant in the U.S., I can also look at discrimination as a Nigerian citizen in Nigeria. If my parents don’t have the resources to position me in certain places in Nigeria, I would automatically be discriminated against. Nobody is going to listen. Nobody is going to want to hear anything I have to say. In fact, I won’t even have access or the privilege to do certain things. Here, even in the U.S., it looks a little different, but it is just the human factor. What is discrimination? It is just another person wanting to remove you or exempt you from something they believe you don’t deserve.
So yes, even in this race, I have been highly discriminated against. But guess what? You can never focus on the downsides of things, because those are things human beings do to make themselves feel however they need to feel. For me, it is a mindset shift. If you see me as a Black woman who does not qualify to be in that position, that is on you. I don’t have to agree with you, because when I see me, I see a human, a person who has value to offer, and I am coming in there to propose that value.
Discrimination exists everywhere. Even in this race, I have had my signs taken down. People come at me on social media telling me all kinds of things, but I pay no mind to that, because one thing I can say being a Nigerian has taught me is to have the thickest skin ever. Tell me, as a Nigerian, that I cannot do something, and I will tell you, watch me make it happen by any means necessary.
*NAIJA STANDARD: What have been the most challenging times of your career? The most interesting times as well?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Oh, interesting times, there have been a lot of them. Business failures have been a part of my journey. In those 20 years, it has not all been rainbow and sunshine. I have started businesses, invested a lot of money, and they have failed. Those have been really tough. Imagine not being able to see a way forward from them, but then you wake up and say, okay, let’s try this again. Those have been very challenging times.
Challenging times also include just trying to get things done as a mom of kids in this country.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Wow.
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: It can be very tough to balance it out and still be a good, present mom while running for things, when people look at you like, aren’t you supposed to be home taking care of your kids? What is happening to your kids? But then you have to double down and know that at the end of the day, when you do the best you can with what you are given, the outcome will give you that validation to say, some of the sacrifices I had to make, being away from my kids to run this campaign, it was worth it. Some of the sacrifices I had to make, not living a lavish lifestyle, investing in the businesses that failed, it was worth it, because the lessons I learned from that, nobody can take away from me.
*NAIJA STANDARD: After you have won on November 3rd, by the grace of God, as commissioner for Ellis County, and after your tenure, do you have higher aspirations, higher ground you want to pitch on, a form of political ambition?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: There is always higher ambition. Once you get into the political space, you really get to see a bigger picture of what is possible, but you always want to stay humble and know that you have to prove yourself. It is always a matter of service. If I can serve well at this level, then I can build capacity to serve more at a higher level. One thing I would add, yes.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Go ahead….
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Yes, to serve at a higher level. So, let’s get this level done. Let’s get the local government taken care of. My goal is to make sure that at the local government level in Ellis County, things start to look a lot different than they look right now in the Commissioners’ Court. At that point, I will feel the release to move to the next level, which is serving my people at the state level.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Sorry to interrupt you. That is why we said by the grace of God, because with God all things are possible. After you win the commissionership at the local government level in Ellis County, do we expect that, by the grace of God, someday you will be a member of the Texas House of Representatives, and, by the grace of God, the governor of Texas?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Oh, wow. Well, as you have prophesied from your lips to God’s ears, you never say never. You always just believe that God has the best outcome. So yes, why not? If God opens those doors, we walk through them.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Nigeria just marked 66 years of independence. What is your message for Nigerians back home seeking to leave the country because of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu? They want to go out of the country. They don’t know how it is abroad. They want to fly to the UK, to the US, to Europe, to just leave the country. Millions of youths are staying behind. What is your words of advice? Many of us have been abroad for decades, but what are your words of encouragement, your words of inspiration, for the youths who are looking up, so they can hold on to them for the next level?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Absolutely. I am always very mindful to say, where are you running to? Don’t leave, stay. However, what I always say to people is this: it is not about whether you stay or whether you leave, because the person you take out of Nigeria is the same person you are going to bring to wherever you are going. You have to know that wherever that person goes, they must be willing to do what it takes to succeed in life.
Or are you running out of Nigeria because you feel it is going to be easier for you to do certain things? Trust me, it is not easier on the other side. The same person you are taking out of Nigeria as you ‘Japa’, you are ‘japa-ing’ with yourself, and you are still going to have to deal with yourself wherever you ‘Japa’ to. So, you have to be ready.
If you are resilient in Nigeria, and the opportunity is open for you to find greener pastures elsewhere, or to develop yourself elsewhere, I would never say don’t take it. Do take it. But if the opportunity is not there, you don’t have to look for it by any means necessary. Just develop yourself and be the best version of yourself wherever you find yourself.
For me, yesterday was independence, and I am very proud to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence. I am always very proud to let people know I am a Nigerian American. I am never going to change that. That is my identity, because I know where I came from. You are never going to make me deny that, because Nigeria gave birth to me, and America developed me. Both nations have worked together to make me into Dr. OJ, who can now be a Commissioner.
However, for some of our youth, Nigeria gave birth to you. If you are still there, please do everything you can to keep developing yourself. If you have an opportunity to be developed by another nation, take it. But if you don’t, don’t give up. Do not give up, because all you have is you. Whether you leave or stay, all you have is you. That is the point I am trying to make, and I hope somebody will hear this and say, okay, let me just stay here, develop myself, and be the best version of myself wherever I find myself. That is really my message.
*NAIJA STANDARD: We have two more questions, and after that we will round up this interview. The second to the last question is this: we all know what is happening right now to many immigrants in the United States, how ICE under President Donald Trump has been going after many immigrants and people of colour, embarrassing them, separating children from their parents, arresting them; discriminating against them. As a Nigerian immigrant originally and as an American, how do you feel about this arbitrariness, embarrassment and high-handedness by ICE against people of colour, because of the colour of their skin or where they come from?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Again, it goes back to discrimination. ICE is a problem, but if you are a legal immigrant, even when those systems work out of order, as they somehow are right now, one thing you always have is the justification of knowing that you are a legal immigrant.
We have had citizens who were deported, and here is the thing: they were eventually brought back because they were found to be citizens. Barring the inconvenience and disruption in their lives, at the end of the day, because they had the legal right to be here, they were brought back with compensation. A lot of that has been happening. Sometimes it is hard to understand how a person in office or in government can make their decisions. We can only hope and pray that we are able to develop better quality leaders who will succeed that person, because for us to say, it is happening and there is absolutely nothing we can do, no. The best thing we can do is stay prepared and keep preparing.
That is why you see, in these midterm elections, a lot of highly qualified candidates stepping up to say, look, if this is what it is going to take to run this country, let good quality people step up so we can develop them from the lowest to the highest, local to state to federal, so that in a few years we are not running into these kinds of problems, where we have leaders who are just running rogue. So yeah.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Finally, we trust that after you win on November 3rd, by the grace of God, we will be one of the first African international news media in North America to speak with you on the night of November 3rd, after you have won. We trust that we will have a chat like this again, to say, now God has given you the victory, now it is time to move to the next level, just like you said. Also, a lot of Nigerians are looking up to you, Nigerians in Texas, Nigerians all over the United States. They know you are competing for this post, and many of them are praying for you. If you were to ask God for one thing, and tie your request to your philosophy of life, how would you go about it?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: If I have one request to ask God for, for this interview, right?
*NAIJA STANDARD: Yes, one request to ask God, and you want to tie the request also to your own life philosophy, how you see life, your view of life.
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Even in wanting this position, my prayer has always been God, let Your will be done, and let my ambition be in line with what You want me to do. Sometimes you look at it and say, you want to do this and that. But the reality of the matter is, if it is not something that has been set aside for you to do, something you are already prepared for, then it is not for you.
God is not going to usher you into a season He hasn’t prepared you for, because if you usher yourself into that season, you will crash and burn. So, my prayer has always been: God, let Your will be done, and let my ambition and my preparation match what You are doing. That way, even when the doors open, I am not too afraid to disqualify myself, and I am not too arrogant to go beyond what I am called to go for.
When I was asked to run, I was asked to run for a state position. I looked at it and said, I have never run for politics before. Yes, I have done a lot of work in the past, but I believe that for me to do this right, let’s go down to the lowest level. What is the lowest hanging fruit? I am telling you, that is how I came to run for County Commissioner. They wanted me to run for House District 10, which is a state representative role. But I said, “No, let’s go for the lowest hanging fruit.” I need to learn, I need to grow, I need to build trust, I need to build the name. I don’t want to go there and say, oh, look at me. No, that would be pride and arrogance. And for me, I went back to God. I said, okay, God, the preparation You have given me so far, I believe the capacity I have right now will fit this opening. If it is Your will, then let’s move. I will trust You, and we will move.
And that’s it. We won the Democratic primary elections, and we are here, going into the general election. I am trusting God that as long as this is His will, we are going to get in there. We are going to do what needs to be done to shine the light.
*NAIJA STANDARD: And what is your philosophy of life?
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Well, I have several, but the one that really guides me is this: whatever you do, just do the best you can with it, because the way you do one thing is the way you do everything.
*NAIJA STANDARD: Wow.
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: I tell my kids this. If you wake up and you don’t learn to keep your environment with an excellent spirit, to tidy up and do the things you need to do, trust me, every area of your life is going to reflect that lack of excellence. That is one of the things I guide myself by. Even when I feel like I want to slack, even in relationships, I am all in or nothing. If you are my friend, you are going to get the best version of me. If you are not my friend, that is fine. If you are in my circle, you are always going to get the best version of me, because the way I do one thing is the way I do everything. I always want to serve God with diligence and excellence, and even in serving God, I serve people in that same way. So yeah, the way I do one thing is the way I do everything.
*NAIJA STANDARD: It is very nice speaking with you, Dr. Oyinkansola Jinadu, and congratulations in advance on your election, which we trust God you are going to win. We are also looking forward to November 3rd, after you would have won, for a chat with you. That will be a celebration.
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Yes, that will be nice, my brother. Definitely, I look forward to that. Thank you for the opportunity. I am really grateful.
*NAIJA STANDARD: It is nice speaking with you right now. Thank you so much.
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Have a wonderful rest of your evening.
*NAIJA STANDARD: You too, likewise.
*DR. OYINKANSOLA JINADU: Bye-bye.
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