Recently, the Publisher of Pleasures magazine, Ola Babatunde had a one on one chat with the Awards winning and amiable member of the Lagos House of Assembly; Hon. AKande Olusegun Victor. A top educationist and a legal luminary spoke on the General Hospital that will soon be constructed in Ojo I, how he pays salary to 75 widows in the area and other issues in the state and West Africa, he specifically says, the heady and defeated president of The Gambia is a Fool, Enjoy the excerpts.
Good having you on our Magazine Hon. Please who is Akande Olusegun Victor?
Thank you very much for having me on your magazine, all the way from Ghana, Yes, Hon. Akande Olusegun Victor is a simple man, a man who has feelings for fellow human beings, a man with special affinity for academics, a man with vocal point for the masses, an educationist, a Legal luminary, God fearing and a politician as well. I am a seasoned Teacher, and I really want to remain a teacher so I make people continue from wherever I stopped and I think I am proud to be called a teacher. Akande Olusegun Victor is also a man with an impeccable character, a scholar of high repute and a man of the people. I wish people should say more about me so it will not be as if I am blowing my trumpet. But in a nutshell, I am a simple person.
As an educationist why Politics, why don’t you stay within the four wall of the classroom?
If politics is left for mediocre, we will continue to have what we’ve been having in the past and we will be is a corner complaining. If we allow charlatans to control our economy we will keep having problem, so educated ones like us came into politics to bring revival and development to our economy, Economy must be well managed but how can charlatans do that? So we need to come into politics to rescue the situation.
How long have you being in politics?
I have being in politics for some years, at least since the late 80s. I think that will tell you how experienced I am in politics.
How many times have you contested?
I have contested on my Party platform for 16 years before I won. So getting to this place has taken a long time, thanks to the Almighty God for granting me victory this time around and I thank my people for giving me the mandate this time. Since 1999 I have been contesting and now God says it’s the time for me. In fact my winning this time was against all odds, but when God sanctions a thing no one can fight it. So I give God praise for my victory.
For a Year plus that you have been here, what would you say are your contributions to your people?
Thank you, First I am here representing people of Ojo I, and I have done couples of things to affect the people positively; as and educationist, I have set up an IT school and over 600 people are benefiting from it free of charge, the graduation of the first set will come up at the end of January, you will be invited to cover it because it will come with fun fair to also celebrate the new year with my people. We have sunk some bore holes in some areas that lack water, I have set up a little salary for widows in the constituency and we give N5, 000 each for 75 widows every month. We have contributed to school sports by donating Trophies to schools, we have organized Boxing bouts and other sporting competition as a way of encouraging the youth in our constituency. The mother of all projects I am influencing from the state is the General Hospital in our constituency and I must say we are getting good attention to that. You know the Deputy Governor is also from our constituency, so with the support and the passion of the Governor, we are going to get it. Imagine, we have to take people to Igando General Hospital, Badagry or Gbagada and that is far, very soon we will have our general Hospital here.
Considering the fact that you are in the opposition, are you getting support from others in the House?
Please permit me to commend the wisdom of our speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, he is a wonderful leader, he handles everyone as the same, he is a refined and seasoned politician who believes in oneness and togetherness. The challenge is rather from the opposition within the constituency, they most times disrupt our developmental activities, but then they discovered that I meant business and I don’t discriminate, we are now one big family. I thank the people and mostly the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
In less than two years you have done this much, how will people see you in four years?
As earlier mentioned, by the end of January 2017, we will have the graduation for the first set of our students and at that time I will be commissioning most of the projects we have embarked on so far, it will also allow us to celebrate the New Year with my people. I will want people to judge me by whatever they see I have been able to attend to in the area after four years.
If you have opportunity to have a private discussion with the Governor, what will your request be?
Humbly I will say sir, please give my people a General Hospital. Secondly, I will ask for the construction of more roads in my constituency.
Any efforts in place?
Great efforts have been put in place and the Governor, H.E Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has been a listening and wonderful governor, he is a leader per excellence, he is a man of the people, and he is passionate about the development of Lagos state. In fact I am pleased to work with him as a legislature.
Will your party members be happy the way you are praising and hailing opposition?
My brother, this is our problem in Africa, it’s not about the party, it’s about what you are able to do, if my party is in power all we can do is to improve on what he is doing, at present he is doing well, why should I condemn someone that is doing well for the people. You must also know that if his administration fails I am also part of the failure, so we need to give him best of support to perform more.
How would you describe the leadership at the Lagos House of Assembly?
I thank God for the leadership and especially the Speaker, he is a man of wisdom, he creates a level plain ground for all members. He is a great leader, we also have some elders in the House, there is Hon. Oshinowo, a father and a leader, he ensured there is stability in the House, he is one of the oldest in the House and he allows we all work as one people, I have not had any issue with any of them.
What can you say could curb Political violence in our society?
First Understanding, we must understand that we are one people regardless of our political affiliations, and ideologies, we cannot belong to the same party, yet we must learn to understand and tolerate ourselves. We should see our unity more than our party, take for instance, if any country qualified to say quarter finals at the Football World Cup competition, we all forget our country and rally round our support for the African country that advanced, at that point you forget where you are from but see ourselves as Africans, we need to imbibe same spirit in politics. The moment someone wins, we should forget our political divides and rally round the person, we should see the person as representing all of us.
Remember, the man you intend to kill or you have killed will be your blood brother or sister by the time we trace the linage. Please my appeal to our people is to stop fighting ourselves, we are one people and togetherness we can build a great nation or society.
The Gambia incumbent has just said he will not leave office, what is your take on the position of Yayah Jammeh?
He is a fool and the father of it. He has been in power for 22 years and people have said go, what is he fighting for again?. I tell my people if I don’t do well, vote me out in the next election but if I have done well give me your mandate, The Gambians had voted Jammeh out, the same was in Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan congratulated Buhari for winning, I know the same happened recently in Ghana when President John Mahama called the opposition Nana Akufo Addo to congratulate him, what is the problem of Jameh, he is a fool and I have no apology for calling him a fool.
You have received do many awards, what brings you these many laurels?
Well, I can’t tell but it has to do with my contributions to the development of my area and humanity. I have received professional and social recognitions from various organizations and academics groups. I have from Nigeria Bar Association, Rotary Club, students’ Union, and various groups. I can only thank God because I don’t know I have done so much until e=when I read in the awards.
What message do you have for your people and Lagosians?
I greet my people, I thank them for the privilege they gave me to represent them here at the Lagos State House of Assembly, I promise to be focused and represent them well, I promise to facilitate more development and most importantly to contribute my quota to the development of the area. And to people of Lagos, let us continue to support the good initiatives and developmental projects of the Government, be law abiding. And I must thank you Pleasures Magazine for coming all the way from Ghana. Thank you.
Watch the full interview
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