Ashafa 2019: When continuity is best form of succession

Before I begin, I want to say that I am writing from a position most people are likely to deem biased since I am Senator Ashafa’s son. So, it’s safe to say that I know what some may be thinking. Senator Ashafa is his father. Why wouldn’t he want him to retain the Lagos East senatorial district ticket for the 2019 elections?

In a way, the question seems innocuous. However, beyond the evident bias that being the senator’s first son confers on a piece of writing such as this, I want to put it on record that I am not biased when I say that I have watched my father, Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa, deliver on every promise made to his constituents – the good people of Lagos East senatorial district.

Now, this is not to say I automatically agree with everything he does. Quite the contrary. His politics, policies and leadership approach are always subject to intense debate with a view to making sure that what is good for the people eventually trumps all other arguments. To be sure, the buck stops at his table and in the end, it’s always a win-win for him and his constituents when politics and policies are debated.

I consider loyalty in certain circles sacred (e.g. Faith, Country, Marriage, etc.) but I personally do not believe in “blind” loyalty to any individual or institution. And it is on this my father and I seem to differ slightly.

ALSO READ: It is unacceptable to harass our drivers —Uber boss

Senator Ashafa is extremely loyal to his party and its leaders, most especially the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the extent that he could drop his re-election bid if he is convinced that such an “unlikely” decision is in the best interest of his party/leader.

In a very dynamic political environment where politicians switch allegiances and defect as though they were flipping through TV channels absent-mindedly, the party leadership can always stay rest assured of Ashafa’s progressivism, even if the heavens fall.

On the flip side, however, loyalty is not all there is to effective representation and governance, and this is what I find remarkable about my father. It would seem an obvious theory to any discerning person that incredibly loyal people only kiss the ring to retain their seat at the table even when not contributing anything meaningful.

My Dad turned this theory on its head by simply demonstrating a tremendous capacity to deliver on his mandate AND remaining loyal. Of the many things I admire about him, his relentless commitment to delivering value to his people, and the capacity to drive his vision, rank high. Don’t take my word for it, though.

A visit to his website(www.gbengaashafa.com) for an analysis of the 96 constituency projects he has completed in the last three years will help even the most unyielding cynic make an informed, independent and positive review of his stewardship.

There are several reasons, past and present, to support Senator Ashafa’s 2019 re-election bid but this piece is not to reel them out. Interestingly enough, there is one that readily lends credence to his character and deep-seated passion for human capital development in Lagos East. A few years ago, he organised a Youth Energy Career Program for his constituents in partnership with some foreign experts.

This program cost tens of millions of naira. At the time, it was a bit difficult (given our society’s proclivity for wanting to “see” projects) to understand why he would put such an amount into training young people when he could drill boreholes and buy new transformers – projects that were visible and undeniable.

I still remember him telling me that “boreholes are important and so are transformers, but of more importance is the capacity of the younger generation that will lead in the future”. “If we invest heavily in them today, they will build better structures tomorrow”, he went on to say.

Much as I agreed with the long-term value of such a laudable training program, I felt it was more important to execute projects that the constituents could see.

Senator Ashafa, was, however, never bothered about such tokenism. He simply wanted the young people in his constituency to have a better shot at life by empowering them with rare, future-forward skills. Well, I was wrong and he was right! Each one of the twenty-something participants landed top jobs that have turned around their fortune for good.

The likes of Dolapo Popoola and Olumayokun Mabunmiwent on to land top jobs at General Electric, Oando and Kaduna State Government where the skills they picked up at the training was sufficient enough to make them relevant. I was super excited at these developments and humbled by the vision of my father. He imagined a future for those students and created a pathway for them to achieve it. Simply remarkable.

With the level of poverty and youth unemployment in the country, Nigeria’s human capital requires huge investments. When we find leaders, who are willing to “risk” their political future by committing to human capital development, we must encourage them to stay in office.

The hundreds of scholarships he has given to indigent children, the seed capital and business grants he has empowered young people with, and the constant advocacy for their safety and well-being through his consistent townhalls and medical outreaches have captured my head and heart. It is now simply up to the people to do everything to ensure that a capable, sympathetic, and visionary leader gets another chance to give more young people hope and a fighting chance at life in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.

Through Ashafa’s leadership and representation in the Senate, the people of Lagos East senatorial district can now believe that as far as 2019 is concerned, continuity remains the best form of succession.

Together, we can do more.