Ademola Bayode Oyekanmi became known politically in ijumu LGA and Kogi politics when he aspired for the seat of House of Representatives kabba Bunu/ijumu federal constituency in 2015.
In 2019, he was the Kogi West Coordinator
Alh Mohammed Shaibu tetees Governorship Campaign Team. He is a member and Kogi West Cordinator of Team New Nigeria.(TNN).
Bayode Oyekanmi is the Chief Operating Officer EniAmi Intl Limited, The publisher of HorsemouthAfrica Magazine, He is a businessman. He is the chairman of Elizabeth and Ezikiel foundation, an NGO that assist the widows and less privilege children.
Question.
You have been quiet politically these days.
Answer
Not really, I have decided to take the position of Observing to see where the trend is going. 2023 election is going to define Nigeria. The youth are not happy, the women are not happy. Nigerians are not finding it easy. Unemployment, poverty rate increasing, corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria. Insecurities everywhere, Lost of Trust among tribes and religion. Sincerely 2023 will determine a lots in this country.
Question.
Coming to the Youth, one of the Nigeria Youth have taken a bold step to come out for the President of Nigeria. In the person of Governor Yahaya Bello.
Answer.
Governor Yahaya Bello is someone I admire so much especially his stand during the covid 19 pandemic. I love his boldness, he is fearless, it’s an attribute of an average Ebira man, They fight injustice with boldness and fearlessness. Governor Yahaya Bello fought the covid 19 and won. Today it’s recorded that Kogi State got no COVID-19.
Aspiring to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is his fundamental right is not a bad idea.
We all have rights to aspire. My Joy is my brother from my state, My Governor is coming out to be the President of My country Nigeria. If he didn’t get it that means someday a Kogi man will become President of Nigeria. I love Kogi State. We are the middle, there is no how you are crossing from North to South that you will not pass through Kogi State. We deserve to be the President of Nigeria some day.
I tell my friends that the real Nigerians are the people of Kogi State. We have the culture of the Yorubas, Igbos and Hausas imbided in us. We are the Nigerians.
Question.
The Youths are Saying it’s their turn to take over that the Elders have failed us.
Answer.
Really our leaders have failed us not the elders. Our leaders some of them came into power as a youth, what difference, some came in as elders what difference also did they make. So it’s not about the youth or the elders, it’s a leadership and system failure. Leadership has been redefined in this country to mean the person that has more money than others. You hear people saying I will support Aspirant A, you ask why, They tell you he has more money to spend than others. That mentality have to change if we want to get it right in this country.
Competent Nigerian Youth taking over the leadership of this country is my wish, but how many of them have been groomed to take over from the elders, how many of them are ready to be groomed or mentored, How many of the Elders are even ready to mentor the Youth. You see the leadership gap between the elders and the Youth. The youth have a long way to go. Am also a Nigerian Youth, I know where the shoe pinches us.
My advice is if the Nigeria Youth will come together and present and support a candidate that have the youth in mind, a candidate that will create more Jobs, a candidate that will create more opportunities for the Youth. Not the highest bidder. I belong to a lot of Youth groups. When I hear there discussions I begin to feel are we really ready. But if over 50millions Nigeria Youth can agree and present a candidate that will be the beginning of a New Nigeria. We can do it if we really want to.
Question.
Do you see Governor Yahaya Bello becoming the President of Nigeria.
Answer.
Some years back, your newspaper Nigerian Post interviewed me and asked me if Yahaya Bello could be Governor of Kogi State. The answer I gave them will be the same answer I will give now.
You don’t underrate any one aspiring for an office, you don’t know the power working in them. You may think who is he and God will say at this point this is the man I want. We can not say no because Power belong to God, and he gave to whom he chooses.
Governor Yahaya Bello is bold and fearless, he has empowered a lot of women and Youth which happens to be the agitation of Youth and women.
He has the first female ADC. Yahaya Bello Presidency will be bold and fearless enough to retire old politicians.
He said he will make 20million Nigerians millionaires before the year 2030 and he will develop Nigeria the way he developed Kogi State.
Question
Who will you prefer to succeed President Buhari.
Answer.
There is one good thing in this government that the players underplay.
This is continuity, since the history of leadership in this country, it’s only president buhari that has continued what President Goodluck Jonathan left unfinished. The Road, The Rail and other infrastructural Development.
If other governments have been continuing from where there others left. Nigeria would have been better than we are now.
The person I will love to succeed President Buhari is someone that can unite the country, the tribal division is much. We need a bridge. A man that is loved by the North,the south, the east and the West.. A unifier.
Question.
Zoning in Kogi West. What’s your take on it.
Answer.
Zoning has its merits and demerits.
As per Kogi West, let the Senate goes to the Yagba people and the House of Representatives go to Ijumu Arin to be precise.
Senate have dwell enough in Kabba Bunu/ijumu federal constituency. That’s my take. But if the leaders say no to zoning, then let the Best and the most popular get it.