Sustaining Awolowo's Legacy, An Impetus For My Governorship Aspiration - Barrister Shittu
The late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo has brought several laudable legacies to the fore during his days which have improved the socio- economic well-being of the people, it is therefore desirable to sustain these legacies in the areas of education, job creation health and infrastructural renewal among others.
Former Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu made this known during a brief interview with journalists in his office, explaining that he was determined to join the gubernatorial race towards sustaining the legacies from the pace setter state in the South West, Nigeria Excerpts:
Q: In summary your Profile sir?
A: I am a indigene of Oyo State born in 1953 and studied law at the University while at the law school I was privileged to emerge as a state House of Assembly member during the administration of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Thereafter I was appointed as a commissioner for Home Affairs Information and culture, I was also appointed as the Attorney General of the State during the administration of former Governor Ladoja.
In the year 2015 I was appointed as the Federal Minister for Communications and I thank God that his grace has not departed from me. In 2023 I was appointed as the Pro-chancellor and Chairman Governing Council David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State.
I am less of the Legal practice and more of politics, I have written eight books in Islam and I am determined to emerge as the Governor of the pace setter State in 2027 by the grace of Allah.
Q: In your presentation, you said you served as a Federal Minister, do you have any regret during this period?
A: Yes there are some regrets during this period, but do not want to emphasise on them now, because the former President is now late. The political situation on ground then did not allow me to give my best as I desired, but I believe that the future is very bright.
Q: Why are you interested in aspiring for the position of the Governor in Oyo State?
A: Today in Oyo State I am the Only politician who learn directly from late Chief Awolowo, the most innovative politician, the most dynamic and resourceful politician in the history of Nigeria, I have learnt some legacies from him which we need to build upon.
Talking about the Awolowo ideas we have industrialization, free education, free health scheme, job creation, provision of world class infrastructure, so I am prepared to revive his developmental vision. more importantly to enhance good governance and this is a driving force for me to reduce the level of poverty among the people of the state.
I have the intellectual capacity to provide good governance in the state by reducing the level of school dropout and productively engage the youth to be job creator in the state.
People keep on asking that where would I get the funding to actualise Awolowo's developmental ideas, and I also need to also inform that, the resources he used for developing Western Nigeria was through agriculture.
In Nigeria of today we do not generate resource only from Agriculture but also explore oil among other mineral resources in large scale and when properly managed, it will enhance the fortunes of the state.
Today in Nigeria, State Governors have enough resource in their disposal to upscale human capital development, we will create millionaires in the state through mechanized agriculture, while the state government will create the enabling environment towards making it a reality.
Q: Senator Oba Ladoja has been coronated as the Olubadan of Ibadanland how do you feel with this development?
A: I served under Senator (Oba) Ladoja, we have even come a long way. He is an organised person, who will leverage on his experiences in politics to position Ibadan on an enviable height. I am a Chieftain in Ibadan and we will do everything possible to ensure that he succeed in office.
Perhaps he is one of the most educated Olubadan, most industrious, most connected across board.
Q: How are you prepared to reduce poverty in Oyo State?
A: Like I have rightly said we will encourage large scale agricultural plantation through mechanized farming and give vocational training a priority. The training will be centred on youths empowerment and this will invariably reduce unemployment rate with the access to white collar jobs.
Late Chief Awolowo used to say a parable, "If you fail to train the children of the poor they will ensure that your own children don't sleep with their two eyes closed."
Look at what is happening in North East of Nigeria it is because of the children of the poor are not economically trained; they grow up and discover that they are left out without proper training, so they rebel against the society that has failed to train them.
My administration is prepared to move the youth away from the street of poverty and ignorance, we will establish what is called Ibadan Development commission to ensure that the special unique challenges confronting Ibadan as a mega city will be upscaled, more importantly in the area of physical planning, human social challenges among others.
Q: Nigeria at 65, where are we and where are we ought to be?
A: Nigeria is a work in progress because over the years we have not gotten the result due to negligence in governance at the National level, people who don't understand economics and are not ready to learn from professionals find their way into power.
Another challenge we have is corruption during the administration of former president Buhari, although he meant well for the country but he was surrounded by some elements working against his agenda, a beautiful case study was the former CBN Governor, Mr. Emefiele who emptied the treasury because of greed. And look at all the atrocities of getting self approval for all his atrocity without the presidency's awareness and approval.
This is very sad and because he trusted all his appointees. with the coming of Tinubu as the President, who was very careful of destroying the image of his predecessor in office while the process of governance had already been strangulated but he took over big task transforming the nation headlong and that is why he is receiving the big insults and abuses from Nigerians.
