What informed your decision to join the political fray?
I’m contesting for a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly (Ikeja II Constituency) under the KOWA Party. I was just tired of complaining. I felt it was time to get out of the group of people who sit and complain and do something. I knew that my coming out to contest election would spark a whole lot of debate and interest about the issue of politics and governance. I needed to get people to be interested in these issues. As it stands right now, a large number of people, especially the young ones, are not interested in how they are governed. They just don’t care. This doesn’t only just stem from a gross lack of interest, but also from a point of resignation and frustration. An average young Nigerian is of the opinion that his votes don’t count; that his voice is not heard; that he has been ignored and left out and that the government is not even interested in his wellbeing. So, why should such a person be interested in such issues? I wouldn’t blame them. The youth of this country have gone through a great ordeal. Many of us have lost our sense of identity as Nigerians. Many of us have not gained anything positive from this country. That is why you see our young and brilliant minds struggling to get visas so that they can leave this country.
Alao-Akala betrayed agreement with Ajimobi on 2019 ambition — Oyo APC Chairman
I joined because I believe it’s time for us to start up a struggle to reclaim Nigeria from the people who looted this country, from the people who brought us to where we are today. What we have now is not leadership; this is a sore and sorry case study for leadership. If we continue like this, we are on our way to having a very dysfunctional system on our hands. Nigeria is not prepared for the realities of the 21st Century, neither are we preparing our people for these realities too. The world has moved and we are left behind, celebrating nonessentials, fighting over things that don’t bring progress. It is sad and that is why some of us have said, we won’t sit down any longer. We would stand and begin to claim Nigeria back. Not all of us would run for office. But our job from today onwards is to rebuild this nation.
KOWA is relatively an unknown party, do you think you stand a chance winning the election on such a weak platform?
To start with, KOWA Party is not a weak platform. In fact, KOWA currently enjoys a massive reputation of being seen as a credible third force. The masses see KOWA as a place where corruption has no bearing and that is who we are in KOWA. Our party is the only party that conducted a free, fair, transparent and even technical presidential primary. Our contestants were made to write a written examination and also go through an oral interview session. And then, we had direct primary all over the country, using technology to aid this.
And yes, I stand a very great chance. There is no iota of doubt in my heart that I will win the election because I know the level of work I have put into my campaign and the more work that would still be done. Mind you, the masses are tired; they are frustrated and they are getting tired of this rice and beans kind of politics that we have come to know. Now, they want to be involved. They want to know what you have to offer; they want to have a direct access to you, and that is what I bring to the table. I am telling them that I am not only young, but I am also credible and capable and I promise them three things – accountability, transparency and accessibility.
Coming on the heels of the recent conference held in Abuja for 400 youth political candidates, do you think your generation is adequately prepared to change the old order?
Somebody said we are the tipping point generation. A whole lot depends on us. I thank YIAGA AFRICA for hosting an amazing conference which brought together 400 youth candidates across the country. They had amazing speakers who spoke to us and helped us understand the critical role we have to play in changing the narrative in Nigerian politics. It was beautiful seeing young politicians and the future leaders of our country come together across party lines, across tribe and religion, and form bonds and friendships. I know of several people who met their opponents at the conference and became friends.
In the hotel where I was lodged, we were awake most nights, at the restaurant, talking about how we need to forge strong bonds in a bid to change Nigeria. We did this knowing full well that we were all from different parties; we were all from different tribes; we were all from different religions. And I keep saying that our generation is not one that is going to use tribe and religion as a dividing factor. This is something that is alien to us. It is a tool that has been used by the old order to destabilise us. But, for us, it doesn’t even count. I believe that, even though we might not be adequately prepared enough, in terms of coordination, finance, mentality, network and the likes, I believe that we have a high level of anger in all of us and this is enough to cause a strategic disruption. We just need to know how to channel this anger to the right direction.
and then