Generally, how will you describe your experience during the primaries?
I must say it was a tough experience, from whichever angle one looks at it. It was not easy at all but I give glory to God for the outcome. I just told you that I toured all the local government councils and wards in the state. That enough did not come easy, considering the logistics involved. But I must also say that when one works with a formidable team, a team which aligns genuinely with one’s vision, one should consider himself lucky. It was a tough experience but the experience opened my eyes to some things I had taken for granted. Politics is not played in the boardroom. Politics is on the field, where you meet the stakeholders, party leaders and members, and listen to them. Such meetings enrich one to understand the political terrain better. What I learnt in that experience has turned to my assets now, and I urge politicians to blend well with their people in order to gain their trust and confidence during elections.
Your name easily gives you out as a son of a former governor of the old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua. How beneficial or otherwise has the name been to your political career?
To be honest with you, I don’t always like to answer this question because the answer is obvious. I can say that the name of my father made things easy for me, not only in Ikere-Ekiti, which is my hometown, but in all the 177 wards I visited and held meetings during my campaign for the primaries. If I must put it differently, I will say my father’s name is a key which opened and still opens door for me. What that means is that good name, as they say, is better than gold and silver. Yoruba are a sensitive race, which one will find extremely difficult to deceive. What am I saying? If the name was otherwise, they would have reminded me the past and used that past to judge their position on my own political aspiration. That is why we always emphasise the mantra of ‘Omoluwabi. Today, some suffer innocent misdeeds of their parents. The people know where I am coming from and give me their support wherever I go till this afternoon.
You hold three portfolios in the state cabinet. Did the appointment come to you as a surprise, and do you think you have what it takes to effectively combine Information, Tourism and Values Orientation?
If you knew me before now, you would understand my appreciation of the famous motto of the Boys’ Scout, which teaches us to always be prepared. And having passed through Governor Fayemi in his first term, one of the important lessons I learnt was to be prepared to pick up any task. And when you have a principal, who does not only make impressive statement but also walks the talk, you should know that you have no valid justification to be a layback. This, I think, summarises your question, with due respect. Regarding my competence to effectively combine the three, I shall advise you give me a close monitor to assess what is going on here.
How have you fared so far since you assumed office?
I am not given to blowing my own trumpet, for doing so should be called self-glorification. I think the public, which we serve is in the best position to tell you whether they feel positive change in this ministry or not.
I beg to disagree with you here. It is not a matter of singing your own praise but one of stating what you have done so far as the bridge between the government and the governed?
Whether you agree with my principle or not is not what matters here. The substance is that this government abhors unnecessary noise. Such practice is, at best, a distraction, which, in the end, creates confusion. This administration believes in work and allows the work to advertise the administration. We have lots of work instead of disturbing the ears of the public.
I learnt your administration has returned school feeding scheme. How sustainable is this when the administration should rather work on how to improve the standard of education?
If we were able to sustain it between 2010 and 2014, there is nothing stopping us from achieving even a better result now. It is unfortunate that the past administration discontinued such welfare scheme which is designed to cushion the burden from parents. The benefit of the scheme is even beyond the pupils. Directly and indirectly, the programme has employed about 2000 vendors, assistants, suppliers and market women across the state. A student who eats free breakfast on a daily basis, has no reason to lose concentration in the classroom. To be able to sustain it as your question demands, only pupils from primary one to three are the beneficiaries of the programme, just as only children from age zero to age five and elders aged 65 and above have access to free health care scheme. Don’t forget that education which you and I had was a result of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s free education programme, which put the defunct Western Region ahead of other regions in the country. Awolowo was able to sustain it with good economic policies. So, that is the template. In addition to food programme, we also pay WASC (West African School Certificate) and JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board) fees to assist parents and reduce number of students who may likely drop out of school. Without sounding immodest, our finances are properly structured and well planned to sustain any welfare programme we have embarked upon. If the past administration had not played politics with governance and maintained those policies it inherited from us, we would not have met the state in the sorry condition it was when we came last year.
Are you saying the past administration did not make any meaningful contribution in four years?
This government is built on the honesty of purpose. We don’t destroy or blackmail anybody. I only made a passive reference to our policies in relation to our predecessor. I can’t say the past administration did not make any contribution. If I had said that, you should even suspect me. The new Governor’s Office which Governor Fayemi is occupying today was constructed by the past administration. We thank him for that. But it is comparatively expensive. All the same, we thank him for giving the state that befitting edifice. The past administration also constructed a bridge. That bridge adds to aesthetic look of Ado-Ekiti. We also thank him for that. But that bridge is a misplaced priority, if the truth must be said. It is an unnecessary project, which can best be called a white elephant. I guess you passed through that axis on your way here. Did you see a traffic that makes such bridge inevitable when there were other welfare projects on ground which were left undone? But as I said, it adds to the beauty of the state capital. Also, the past administration dualised Ikere-to the state capital. And coming from Ikere, we appreciate that project. But apart from these, there is nothing to point to as projects which have added values to public welfare. This is what we are committed to correct. We have started and delivered some of these projects without making noise about them.
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