#OTOGEAYearAfter: Nobody Can Claim Glory of O TO Ge Revolution- Sulaimon Yusuf
Sulaimon Olayiwola Yusuf, a graduate of Sociology from University of Ilorin played active role in O TO GE struggle that birth the current administration in the state. The Event and Tourism Expert shares his thoughts with FACTUALTIMES Crew in our Special Series tagged #OTOGEAyearAfter. Sulaiman Olayiwola Yusuf who is the Creative Director at BAS Events and Tourism Limited described O TO GE as a sacred mantra, adding that nobody can claim the glory.
How would you describe the political space in Kwara a year after O TO GE Revolution?
Before the OTO GE movement, there had actually been agitations, aspirations and revolutionary moves by Kwarans to end the dynastic rule. We are in a democratic setting and not a family rule of one person determining our political life in the state. Unfortunately the past years, the agitations and aspirations were not met. But to God be the glory, 2019 came and the OTO GE became the sacred mantra. That is enough is enough. It became sacred and by God’s grace, every Kwaran adopted that sacred mantra. It is sacred because it was a divine mantra. Nobody can singlehandedly claim glory for O TO GE revolution. God was ready for kwarans. That was why the OTO GE became an adoption in every kwaran lips. Even the ruling party then was unconsciously aligning with that O TO GE mantra. So OTOGE is actually by kwarans and it was for kwarans and thank God for making it a reality that the dynastic family was unable to quench. Now we have a level playing ground in our political terrain.
That means O TO GE revolution during 2019 general elections was actually a watershed in political history of kwara state?
Yes! It’s a watershed in the political history of kwara state. Even the people outside kwara were really looking up to kwara state and you know it is always painful when they make jokes out of it, by saying ‘look at you kwarans, you are still being ruled in this democratic dispensation by a family, by a single person who determines your political fate.’ And mind you, whosoever determines someone’s fate politically, determines someone’s social economic fate, so we want a level playing ground where there would be intellectual competition, political competition, so that it would not be by political permutation alone. We want a situation whereby people will come out and contest and aspire for political offices. It will be people who merit it, people with intellectual mobility and we thank God we have that level playing ground now.
You know it’s not all about political permutation in the state or changes in leadership. It comes about development, infrastructural development, efficient civil service, and even building capacity and building of a prosperous of kwara. Do you think the people have achieved reasons behind “O TO GE” revolution?
The reasons for political movement was for political revolution whereby we can change the political narrative of the state and that came to pass. Without political revolution kwara cannot be emancipated. Our people cannot be emancipated socially, economically and politically. Now it’s just a phase that we have been able to go by now, it’s just a step. We are not there yet. Now that we have a new administration, if this administration doesn’t perform well to expectation, then we can say we want to usher in another unlike before that the dynasty determines who comes to be whatsoever in our political terrain. But now, it is the people’s vote that counts and we can remember during the campaign, people were saying if we vote for you and you don’t perform to expectation, we vote them out. This is what we want, so that performance will be very competitive, not someone building one infrastructure, making noise about it. No, we have passed that, we need to move forward.
You participated actively in the struggle at the state level even in your local government, can you share your experience?
I was based in Abuja and mostly coming to Ilorin as well. Let me say I travel a lot as a tourism expert. I move around, I am very adventurous in every ramification and I have been in the political space since 2010, learning the art and science of politics since the time of ACN. I started with Dele Belgore during the “o n dun bo,” I have been there learning and I’ve always been in tune with the grassroots politics, because every politics is local. So, in 2018, I was inspired that I have to come back home and contribute my quota to change the political history of the state and by God’s grace, I wasn’t just the only one, we have hundreds of people that came with the same aspiration to change the political history of the state. And I aspired for a seat in the kwara state house of Assembly to represent Ilorin East. It cost me so much which I later stepped down due to some political reasons because to me, politics is not a do or die thing. And that didn’t make me lean back or relax without contributing in all ramifications to the emancipation of kwara state politically.
There was a particular rally in the build up to the election, that is the 3 million match from Garin Alimi to some areas in Ilorin metropolis after which they converged at Post Office. We heard you actually played active role in that rally.
Before the three thousand match from Garin Alimi which actually involved every kwaran, it was a walk. And before then, I already had an inspiration that within my constituency, I wanted to organize a rally. But due to financial constraints and social constraints, I decided to organize that within the Local government and I was able to mobilize some youths and some resources for that. We were still planning the rally when I got information from someone that there would be a rally on that day which coincided with the day I was to do my own, but I didn’t step my own rally down. I was able to calculate the time to make sure we infuse into the main rally and we were able to quickly do that of the one I already conceived for the Ilorin East LGA. We were able to meet up somewhere around Agaka with the resources I mobilized and it was very successful. I was given the privilege to address the crowd alongside Comrade Esinrogunjo and Dr. Ajia. We used my megaphone and carstand
12 months down the line, how would you describe performance of this administration under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other elected public officers in the state?
In his own capacity, the executive governor of Kwara state is trying. We can’t all in all gauge his performance because he has your years to govern the state, but within this one year, he has been trying to touch every sector which is quite commendable, though it is not enough, because we have passed the era of praise-singing and mediocrity celebration. We have passed that, we want mind blowing achievements, we want our people to grow, we want the state to develop. This administration within one year in the area of infrastructure is trying, in the area of education it’s trying its best, though, the best is still not enough. We are Oliver twist, we want more.
For the other arms, especially the lawmakers, how would you rate their performance?
There is a problem with the lawmakers because they over promised during campaigns, which is not peculiar to only Kwara state, but Nigeria politics, where aspiring lawmakers would be campaigning and be promising things outside their jurisdiction. Lawmakers are to debate issues that affects the people, that affects the state of the nation and also to sponsor bills, to help the people with their full potentials in order to achieve their aspirations, to influence projects and help people to reach their full potentials. But that is not their major responsibility, because of the heavy promises just for them to win elections, there is so much expectations from them. Let me focus on the state lawmakers; they need to deploy every law making/legislative mechanism to complement the effort of the executive arm of government. Our House of Assembly must not be a rubber stamp assembly, there is no how democracy would be strengthened, and there is no how governor would be propelled without a viable assembly. The activities of the House of Assembly has actually been questioned in recent times, yet, they have been able to pass some bills but there is something very important in government at all levels and that is transparency and accountability. People have actually questioned the transparency and accountability of this government and which affects the house of assembly too.
The house of assembly has been enjoined and questioned as regards the FOI Bill (freedom of information bill). It is very pathetic, not commendable that the state of assembly is dragging its feet as regards the FOI bill which will help people access to information as regards how we are being governed in the state. Whatsoever a government can do for the people, if there is no transparency and accountability, then that government would always be questioned and the government hasn’t done enough.
You as a tourist expert, what can you say about the agriculture policy of this government and efforts of government to energize the tourism sector in the state?
The Executive Governor of Kwara state has actually made some policy statements as regards tourism and also on agriculture. Agriculture is to be treated as the main stem of the economy, not just in Kwara state but in Nigeria. When there is food for all, then our people can easily reach their full potential. The tourism sector has not been given the needed attention, the needed attention tourism needs goes beyond just policy statement. The government needs to identify stakeholders and help to develop this sector. Tourism is a professional sector as agriculture and should be treated as such as the economy can be easily developed/propelled through tourism. We don’t just want policy statements, we need policy direction on agricultural sector, we need action oriented programmes and projects on agriculture and tourism which can actually be incorporated. There is a concept in tourism and the concept is agro tourism. Agro tourism is a situation where by agriculture is made attractive to the younger generation. Farming is mainly practiced by everybody, that is the youths and Agriculture has gone beyond soil tilling and cropping alone. There is integrated farming now and integrated farming cannot be done by illiterates. It can only be done by educated individuals and if we are encouraging the youths to choose a career in agriculture, we need to make it attractive, more lucrative and make them see it as a career that is worthy to be chosen. Tourism will help the government to make agriculture more attractive, more lucrative and more inspiring for youths to choose as a career. Tourism sector touches every other sector like health, education, culture and many more. Tourism should be given immediate attention, when it’s been given, the government can actually build its economy around tourism just like the way Dubai is doing now, and some other state like Osun, Cross River and Ogun states. They are trying to build their economy around tourism because tourism is a very potent economic development indices which the government needs to attend to.
What is your advice for the state government amidst COVID-19 Pandemic?
Covid-19 has really affected our social and economy life, it has instigated a new social order which some people are finding difficult to adhere to, but never the less the government can use the opportunity for them to be more creative, innovative and insightful. It’s time for government to discover it’s potential in his people, on the economy of the state. Covid-19 has affected our social life, no prayer during Ramadan, church are not opening even the Eid for Muslim is not certain, so we need to be more prayerful and have good faith. The government should sincerely open to innovation of ideas and advice; this is the time the government needs to have an all inclusive government. The cabinet members should also have their own potentials and this should be properly annexed. The government shouldn’t be run as one man show, it’s should all be inclusive, even people outside cabinet should be invited so that we can have development for our state. It is tenable to review the budget because this pandemic has disrupts socio-economic activities which affects IGR and Federal Allocation. Kwara State Government should therefore focus on projects and programmes that provide immediate comfort and convenience to the people. Long term projects and programmes should be suspended for now.
What is your view on crisis threatening unity of Kwara APC
On the crisis rocking Kwara APC, it is no longer rumour that there is crisis in the party, crisis is inevitable especially when you have fellows with different interests.
This ruling party is full of strange fellows, but notwithstanding we need to understand the dynamism of human nature and characters, there will definitely be interests, but the interest should be collective. The Governor by virtue of his office is the leader of the party, we have some major stakeholders and political leaders in the state whom interest are clashing and the results is becoming obvious day by day. The Governor as the leader of the party should call the chairman and stakeholder to iron all these issues. The governor will be able to Galvanize all the dividends of democracy will be felt by all kwarans. There is no way you want to control a state without an element of politics. The Governor should deploy all mechanism to ensure there is peace in the party and the interest of the Governor should be for a greater kwara.