Robust politician, successful journalist, former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to a former all-action Governor of Oyo State, former Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State, Global Public Relations guru, Kehinde Olaosebikan, is known to say things as they are: in a frank,sincere, no-axe-to-grind manner.
In this interview with People&Politics’ Stephen Gbadamosi, Olaosebikan fielded questions on several burning issues of national value, including President Bola Tinubu’s often thumbed down performance so far, the raging insecurity in the land, the seeming political tsunami of Govs, senators, others (even opposition ones) thumbing up Tinubu for a second term in 2027, and other matters.
People&Politics : President Bola Tinubu clocked two years in office, on May 29. What’s your dispassionate assessment of how far he has run?
Olaosebikan : Frankly speaking, the president has done well. The most crucial obligation in any position of authority is leadership –and the president has practically demonstrated leadership; indeed strong and visionary one, for that matter.
Close to leadership is the formulation and implementation of good policies to guide any government. On this score too, I rate him very high. He has birthed and is executing robust and audacious policies containing vital ingredients to turn things around and make Nigeria truly great.
People&Politics : Please define what you mean by strong leadership?
Olaosebikan : The universally accepted definition of strong leadership is one that encompasses qualities that inspire, motivate, and guide towards the progress or the upward movement of any nation.
I give it to President Tinubu that he has exhibited vision, integrity, and most importantly, decisiveness in running Nigeria. He has taken bold steps that are already yielding results.
People&Politics : Taking you up on your assessment of his administration so far, the obverse reality is that many Nigerians keep complaining about the dire socio-economic consequences of his government’s policies on their welfare. How do you marry these complaints with your position on their issue?
Olaosebikan : Do look back and consider where we, as a nation, were coming from; then you will agree with me that the policies were taken in the best interest of the Nigerian masses.
The policies are being strategically executed to strengthen and prosper Nigeria. They are mostly targeted at restructuring the country.
If you assess properly, you will see that we are gradually actualising fiscal restructuring, which is really the heartbeat of the long sought devolution of powers. The state governments now have more funds for development.
A state government can now generate power as they have been so empowered, thus setting the stage for them to accomplish a lot of public welfare-boosting things for their people.
To me and indeed any patriotic Nigerian, this is a remarkable accomplishment.
Check this out too: the president has approved all necessary licenses for commencement of the Kolmani Integrated Development Project, an oil exploration and industrial hub located in Gombe and Bauchi States.
Maybe, some people do not yet understand the full meaning and/or implications of this singular presidential act: look, it will definitely reshape Nigeria’s oil and gas landscape.
It will drive real growth in that part of the country; the entire North-East and Nigeria would be swimming in prosperity on account of this.
Though I belong with the masses and so feel their pains, but the stark reality is that voodoo or quick-fix policies, where you just see things change overnight, will not work here, given the long years of rot in our systems.
Strongly needed here are policies and steps to permanently clear the rot, redirect the economy towards production, and balance the inequalities in our tax administration. Thank God, the President Tinubu administration is on these steps.
We all must commend the president for displaying uncommon courage to take on these albatrosses head-on, and take us through this necessary,but tough, tough of remedy, reconstruction and ultimately to the sunshine beaches of general prosperity.
The president keeps actively working to strengthen the economy, agriculture, trade, and industry, shoot down costs of living. For instance, as we talk now, prices of essential staple food items have crashed nationwide; rice, beans, gari, doya (yams, in Hausa) and several other items’ prices have plummeted.
The country will achieve stability in all aspects.
I am very confident that there will be great improvement as we enter the second half of the administration. There is hope for a better and greater Nigeria. Prices will continue to crash, then stabilise.
People&Politics : Let’s turn to the nagging issue of insecurity. Documented reports say scores of innocent persons have been killed across the country by armed insurgents, many more maimed or injured, while hundreds of thousands,if not millions,forced into becoming refugees in their own country. What is your perspective on this matter that some view as a national emergency?
Olaosebikan : The government and the military are doing their best, but for any level of achievement, there are windows for improvement. The government and the military have to do more.
We need to seek and get the best technology to effectively protect our extensive borders. The military appears overstretched, too.
There is an urgent need to enhance the military numerically. The logistics, too, have to be upgraded. I think the approval of the Forest Guards, which experts see as the missing link in Nigeria’s security architecture, would also go a long way in the battle against insecurity. Victory is our’s, by God Almighty’s special grace.
People&Politics : The president has an initial four-year term and he’s midway in this first. The next general elections are two years away,in 2027 to be precise. But, Nigerians notice that, though two years ahead, there are public moves by some politicians close to the president who are already wooing Nigerians to re-elect him. Isn’t it rather too early, seeing that fixing the economy and taming heightening insecurity should be sine qua none in government’s mentality?
Olaosebikan : I learned, and practice everyday, that in perception management, the general principle is that people move or associate with leaders with value, those who can better their lot.
So, at all times, a leader with quality assets would always attract people from different and even from unexpected quarters. That is exactly what is happening in the case of our president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It is no coincidence that governors, senators, House of Representatives members and others are defecting to his party. They do do for the betterment of those decampees and their constituencies, and nobody should blame them for that. It is the best form of power of influence.
Before becoming our president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is a great and dependable leader.
In governance, economic, political, and social development, Tinubu has no equal in Nigeria, with the clear evidence being during his tenure as the two-term, re-elected governor of Lagos State.
Now, with a deliberate policy of spreading development to the grassroots with enhanced allocations to the States and the autonomy granted to Local Governments, it became obvious that president Bola Tinubu means really well for Nigeria.
What is going for president Tinubu is the strength of his leadership. His leadership is strong, drawn from his years of deft political activities, toiling, education, exposure, and uncanny ability to surmount obstacles and difficulties.
Most Nigerians, for instance, will easily choose president Tinubu from among the others aspiring to be president; persons such as former vice-president Atiku; Peter Obi; Rabiu Kwankwaso; and Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
Why? Because they will routinely go for the person who knows the road. This is exactly why the State Governors and others who have decamped and are already campaigning for his second term, are doing so.
Why procrastinate when the difference is so clear, when the best choice is so obvious, and when the gap is so wide? What else are you waiting for?
Back to your question, it is not early at all. It is a case of doing the right thing at the best time. President Tinubu has no mate among those aspiring to take his place in 2027; he’s head and shoulders above them all, individually and collectively.
People&Politics : There is rising alarm that the movement of the State Governors, federal lawmakers and other political heavyweights to the president’s APC does not augur well for multiparty democracy in Nigeria.
Olaosebikan : This is clearly untrue. No way that Nigeria can be a one-party state,as it is. Having a strong party does not translate to having a one-party state.
It all boils down to leadership, again. It is like a football tournament; if your team is strong and well-managed, it can dominate the scene for years.
You remember we had PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) dominating; it dominated the nation for 16 years. They were even aiming at being in control for 60 years!
It is all a matter of leadership. If you have a strong, great leader, you will have a strong and great party where everybody wants to belong.
The same is true with a weak leader –which was the case with the PDP. It was weakened and members started finding their ways out of the party.
People&Politics : Your conviction is that APC is strong and attracting political leaders due to president Tinubu’s strong leadership?
Olaosebikan : Of course. Tinubu is APC, and APC is Tinubu. I am sure you remember how the party was formed.
You remember what the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, went through before he eventually realised his ambition of becoming the president through the APC and Tinubu.
Do you also remember how Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu went through turbulence before emerging victorious as the 16th president of Nigeria?
Over time, president Tinubu has shown vigour, strength, brilliance, stellar performances, and excellence in governance. He has always put his best foot forward. He has consistently proved to be a winner. So, who would not want to follow a winner?
People&Politics : Recently resigned presidential adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, not long ago fired a shot at the president, saying him and others in same age bracket should quit the politics stage for younger blood. Your reaction?
Olaosebikan : I’ve great respect for Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.
But, for him to advise the president to hand over power to a younger person in 2027 because of age, is uncalled for. It is cheap advice.
On what is such advice premised? This is a president who is improving in all aspects — physical appearance, speeches, and deportment — tremendously every day.
Check out his outfit and gait in Rome. Sumptuous! We are all seeing him doing great, and we are very proud of him. Why would you now ask that person to hand over because of age after you had failed to destroy his government using ethnic and baseless accusations? I can see elements of hatred in the actions of these persons.
And as Muslims, this is another iniquity that is forbidden, which we are constantly reminded of every Friday.
