I joined politics to solve grassroot problems ― Jibulu

Mujeeb Olaitan Jibulu is one of many hopefuls for the Abeokuta North State House of Assembly seat. In a recent interview, MOJ, as he is fondly called revealed the motivating factor for his political aspiration.

Who is Jibulu?
My name is Mujeeb Olaitan Jibulu, a Criminologist, Political Scientist, Media Entrepreneur, Web Developer and a farmer, born in Elega, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. I was once a civil servant with the Ogun State government, where I worked for 10years before my voluntary retirement. I currently own a Nigerian/UK-based tech company based on web development, digital marketing and online entertainment and lifestyle platforms.

How did you go from being a civil servant to a tech entrepreneur and farmer?
People are mostly afraid of leaving a government salary-paid job to stand on their own and build something for themselves. Still, it is a decision I know I need to take to be able to help myself. I can say that my desire to seek knowledge brought me to where I am today. I have always wanted to be a farmer. I have been in the farming business since I was a civil servant, and I started with the Cassava plantation before expanding to livestock.

You authored a book in 2015, what is the book about?
Yes! The book title is “Islam and Terrorism” to address the growing issue of terrorist activities in Nigeria and why we cannot link their actions with Islam as a religion. That was when the Boko Haram activities started gaining lots of attention in the country, and many people are looking at it from a religious point of view. I felt the need to write a book that would correct the widespread notion at the time, and it was a success. I remember I was in the Civil Service then, and the then Ogun State Head of Service was impressed by the work and gave her full support to launch the book.

What’s the main idea behind JibuluCare Foundation which you founded?
I believe that it is collective efforts that can help us to improve people’s lives in our society. In 2017, I formed a non-profit Charity organisation named “JibuluCare Foundation” the foundation, over the years, has contributed to the educational journey of many children across Nigeria by providing writing materials, exercise books, textbooks, school fees and lots more and providing care for the aged and less privileged in different societies.

What informed your decision to contest for an election?
My journey of life before politics has always been about helping people, and I have been doing this with JibuluCare Foundation for the past 5years. The passion for doing more pushed me to seek a political authority that would enable me to do things I might not be able to do as an individual for my people.

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I am confident I have the required experience to serve my people and represent us well at the State House of Assembly. In the public and private sectors I have worked, my superiors often trusted me with sensitive duties that were way beyond my pay grade, I can give you their names for you to check with them, and I have consistently delivered. My aspiration to contest for the state house of Assembly seat representing Abeokuta North is out of the desire to do more for my people than I have been doing in the past.

What is your agenda for Abeokuta North if elected?
I have a blueprint of what I intend to do when elected as a state house of assembly member in the next election. I may not be able to give the full details here, but the roadmap borders on laying a foundation for sustainable development in the local government that will touch every part. I always mean it when I say that I share my people’s pains, and I know how my people go about hunting for water. Water has been a major problem in our local government since I was born, and I have designed a plan to ease this problem without seeking funds from the state or federal government. JibuluCare Foundation’s works helped me identify the challenges behind the growing number of out-of-school children in our local government. This office can help us secure the future of our kids. I also plan to lay a foundation to encourage children’s tech- and non-tech-based technical education programmes.

As a Criminologist, I have prepared a model that will enable us to get the best out of our state-owned Amotekun and So-Safe Corps; we can achieve a lot with the present security apparatus we have in Ogun State. In this local government, we have good and bad roads; the good and the bad roads need periodic maintenance. I plan to come up with a bill to take care of this.

Meanwhile, a series of consultations with Abeokuta North people have assisted me in developing a workable template that will help us care for the aged and the physically challenged people in our communities.  I have also discovered that we need to constantly engage our children and youths in meaningful activities; in academics, entertainment, and sports, we will engage them with these activities while rewarding and empowering them.

We will accomplish most of these tasks while partnering with international and local organisations and individuals that can help us facilitate all the developmental projects we have in plan for the people of Abeokuta North.When it comes to knowledge in providing solutions to 21st-century socioeconomic problems, I am confident about my ability to do better for the benefit of my people. I will set a perfect example of Youthful leadership in this state that other state constituencies will be jealous of us.