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Tag: Kolade

  • Kolade Dominate wins OAP of the year

    Kolade Dominate wins OAP of the year

    It’s a double celebration for Kolade ‘Dominate’ Olowu, a leading Nigerian radio presenter and journalist, who emerged the winner of the OAP (Radio Presenter) of the Year award at the Beatz Awards 2024 and Men of Honor Awards.

    Kolade, who has over a decade of experience in radio broadcasting, and currently serves as deputy head, Broadcast Services at Inspiration FM Lagos, was recognised for his outstanding contributions to the industry.

    Read Also: Seun Kuti condemns child battery, says it’s not part of African culture

    His engaging storytelling, insightful interviews, and thought-provoking discussions have endeared him to millions of listeners across Nigeria.

    “I am deeply humbled and grateful to receive this award,” said Kolade Dominate Olowu. “It’s a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion that I bring to my craft every day. I’d like to thank the organizers of the Beatz Awards, my team, and my loyal listeners for their unwavering support.”

  • Leave good legacy for coming generations, Kolade, Akinde urge Nigerians

    Former Nigeria Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, has called on Nigerians and leaders, especially those that have just taken the mantle of leadership during the last elections, to take cognizance of what they are doing and note that they are expected to leave a good legacy for the coming generations.

    Kolade made the remarks yesterday during the launch of a book titled: “Exemplary Christians in the Nigerian Public Square,” written by the former International Director, Scriptures Union, Mr. Emmanuel Oladipo.

    At the event, which took place at Chapel of the Healing Cross, Idiaraba, Lagos, Kolade said “the first thing I want everyone to remember and to appreciate all the time is that we are here today.  We were not here yesterday and some other people are going to be here tomorrow.  Therefore, we should try to give our best to Nigeria today while we are here”.

    “Secondly, it takes the grace of God to be good and we should realise that it is the Supreme God who has authority and who can decide how to use the power given to man.  We should therefore submit ourselves to Him, he said.

    The Chairman of the occasion, the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos and Bishop of Lagos Mainland (emeritus), the Most Revd. Adebayo Akinde, said things had turned upside down because of the attitude of many Nigerians and it has been increasingly difficult to know what is right and yet, God’s standard has not changed.

    The Author of the book, Oladipo, said he was spurred to write the book based on his discovery that Nigeria was not a country that is respected during the period he travelled around the world, adding that when he came back, he was surprised to note that there were some people committed to a special life of integrity.

  • How to get Nigeria working again, by Kolade, Asiodu, others

    Former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Dr. Christopher Kolade and a former Super Permanent Secretary, Chief Philip Asiodu, yesterday called on Nigerians to place national interests above personal considerations.

    They spoke under the aegis of burdened elders, a group of concerned elder statesmen committed to good governance and prosperous nation, during a parley with reporters in Lagos.

    Other members of the elders group include Prof. Anya Anya, Elder Syngle Wiwge, Chief Folake Solanke, Prof. Akin Mabogunje and others.

    They said Nigeria will work again when Nigerians begin to pursue collective interests capable of meeting individual yearnings.

    Kolade pointed out Nigeria has been held down by years of pursuing individual and sectional interests at the expense of national goals.

    According to him: “This country will work when we stop looking at how to get personal gains at the expense of national interests. We have to stop considering how to get the best benefits for my family, group and sections.

    “When Nigeria’s interests are pursued, we can rooms for all groups and sections to be at their best.

    “We must stop playing on our differences and work towards common goals and grounds.

    “That is when we can be sure this country with the best human and natural resources can become one of the most advanced in the world.”

    Asiodu called for conception and implementation of national development plans without deviation by successive governments.

    He lamented national progress has been stunted by distorted plans of successive governments as against sticking to holistic implementation regardless of change in government.

    He said: “We have to stick to whatever long and short plans we come up. It doesn’t matter what party wins or comes to power.

    “These plans must be sacrosanct. We can make adjustments after clearing with the masses. But we must plan well before no nation develops without planning.”

    Wigwe said the elders are committed to working for a new Nigeria until their last breath.

    “We need to retake Nigeria. We should operate with systems instead of running personal plans and visions,’’ he stressed.

    Anya said the elders have an obligation to redirect nation “before we meet our makers for the sake of unborn generations and accountability before Him.”

    He called on Nigerians to jettison tribal and sectional causes to make the nation work.

  • Kolade, varsity dons, others seek people’s constitution

    •’Current constitution promotes inequality, civil unrest’

    SCHOLARS and eminent personalities of Yoruba descents have called on the Federal Government to set up machineries in motion to give the country a new constitution that will be fair to all ethnic nationalities and geo-political zones.

    They said the current constitution, if not urgently reviewed or out-rightly repelled, would lead the country to a decline.

    They spoke at a “Roundtable with National and state Assembly candidates of major political parties in Southwest”.

    It was organised by a Yoruba interest group, Voice of Reason (VOR), with theme: “Imperative of restructuring and the need for a new constitution”, in Lagos.

    The speakers argued that the Federal Character Principles, as presently outlined in the constitution, has been eroded by those promoting ethnic favouritism.

    Leading discussions at the event, former Nigeria High Commissioner to United Kingdom Dr. Christopher Kolade said the restructuring of the country’s political sphere was very germane and imperative to bring the country back to its right part.

    The retired seasoned broadcaster, who was the chairman of the occasion, said Nigeria needs national transformation, stressing that a new constitution could drive that.

    Kolade urged the citizens to concentrate on creating good structures for the country’s restructuring.

    He, however, maintained that such structures must have faithful people to operate them or else, the whole struggle would become wasted.

    Calling on political leaders to promote national unity, Kolade said: “I want to say that the Federal Character Principles should be implemented in line with constitution to promote and create equal opportunity for every regions of the country.

    Chairman of Elizade Group of Companies and Founder, Elizade University, Ilaramokin, Ondo State, Chief Micheal Adeojo, who is a member of VOR, said that he aligned with everything said by Kolade.

    In his paper titled: “Imperative of restructuring and the needs for a new constitution for Nigeria”, a renowned erudite scholar, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, said Yoruba culture and traditions must also be strengthened to enhance progress.

    Fapohunda, who introduced the draft of a proposed Nigerian Constitution written by the organisation to the gathering, maintained that Nigeria as presently constituted is running a Unitary System of government.

    He berated politicians spending excess money to fund campaigns, stressing that such contradict the virtues of “Omoluabi” that is needed to drive growth.

    Chairman of VOR Dr. Olufemi Adegoke said the purpose of politics is to strengthen the society and its people.

    Notable dignitaries at the event are a former senator and a member of the organisation, Akin Odunsi; Admiral Toye Sode, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose-Ajasin; retired Assistant Inspector General of Police Tunji Alapini; Convener, Yoruba Koya Movement Otunba Deji Osibogun; the General Secretary of VOR and Otunba Yomi Alao, renowned Developmental Economist, Bolaji Ogunseye.

    Also present at the event are the Kowa Party Presidential candidate for 2019 general elections Mr. Shina Fagbenro Brown, popular Lawyer Soji Akingbade, a member of the House of Representatives and the candidate of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress for Agege federal Constituency Samuel Adejare, many candidates of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), including many eminent scholars and corporate players.

     

     

     

  • Kolade to chair roundtable on Jan 30  

    A Yoruba Interest Group, Voice of Reason (VOR) will on January 30 host candidates of major political parties in the Southwest to a roundtable on the demand for restructuring.

    The event will hold at the Oranmiyan Hall of Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

    A statement in Lagos yesterday by Chairman of the group, Dr Olufemi Adegoke, said the roundtable, themed: “Imperatives of Restructuring For National Unity, Development and Security”, will be chaired by a former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade.

    Adegoke said the roundtable is being convened to sensitise aspiring candidates for the executive and legislative arms of government in the Southeest on why the restructuring of Nigeria’s political, economic and social structures is key to the progress of Yoruba Land.

    The statement reads: “We want to lobby aspiring candidates for their support to back the restructuring of Nigeria for the sake of the future of Yoruba land and the survival of Nigeria. We also want to ask them how they plan to get this constitutional request actualised if elected in 2019.

    “Most importantly, we want to foster unity, harmony and cohesion among candidates in the Southwest so that Yoruba land can speak with one voice on restructuring.”

    Candidates are expected to be seated at 9am.

  • Political office holders need leadership training, says Kolade

    A former Nigerian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, has advocated a system whereby elected or appointed officials are required to undergo leadership training before they occupy office.

    He said this would better equip them to understand their responsibility as leaders and the accountability they must render to their followers.

    Kolade, a former President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), spoke yesterday in Lagos on the sidelines of a news briefing/logo unveiling to herald CIPM’s 50th anniversary.

    CIPM is the body empowered to regulate the practice of human resource management (HRM) in Nigeria.

    Kolade advised the government to take advantage of institutions like CIPM and corporate governance societies among others, which teach professional leadership skills.

    He said: “Now we can let our leaders understand that leadership is also a profession. So, even if you become a leader through election, say into the National Assembly or election as governor, everybody who enters into leadership needs to receive training because being a leader is not the same thing as being an ordinary member of a team.

    “We need to train people in leadership; we are not doing that right now. People get elected and they think that the day they become elected they have become leaders. It is not true. So, if we want leadership to have the best influence on performance in this nation when people get elected or appointed into office, give them leadership training, so that they understand the responsibility that they have as a leader and the accountability that must follow that responsibility.”

    CIPM President Mr. Udom Inoyo noted that the event was “a significant milestone of 50 years of unleashing people’s potential through HRM.

    Inoyo, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Board of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), said CIPM had made “significant progress in all areas.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • How to achieve good governance, by Kolade

    Beyond casting their ballot, Nigerians muts be actively involved to ensure good governance, Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) has said. In a paper entitled: “Christians and governance”, delivererd under the auspices of Christ the Redeemer’s Friends International (CRFI), Dr. Kolade cautions elective office holders against constitutional abuse.

    It is often appropriate to start with definitions, especially because both terms – Christianity and governance – have been used in so many contexts that we need to avoid any possible confusion by ensuring true clarity in the usage that we are adopting for this discussion.

    Take the word ‘governance’, for instance, a short definition, often seen in some United Nations (UN) documentation, sees governance as “the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented).” Some have gone from that statement to assume that governance (decision-making and implementation), being activities frequently carried out by governments, should be synonymous with government.

    However, as soon as we accept the reality that decisions are taken and implemented at multiple levels of the society, we have to agree that ‘governance’ is broader than ‘government’ because other sectors of society are included in it.

    These include non-governmental organisations, businesses, professional associations, civil society movements, and religious organisations, to name only a few. Wherever we can identify a group that sometimes exercises some influence on the crafting of public policy or its implementation, that group is asserting its relevance to, and active participation in, governance.

    Indeed, all of us, as citizens, sometimes elect or appoint individuals into roles in government, in which they volunteer to take the responsibility for leading the governance endeavour, it is also true that society needs the active participation of all its members in ensuring the success of the governance plans and policies, not only today, but all the way into the future.

     

    Purpose of governance

     

    Therefore, rather than seek a definition of governance, we may do well to ask the question – What is governance for?  In other words, what is the purpose of governance? Why do we practise governance, and what does it help us to achieve?  Once we adopt this approach, it is reasonable for us to conclude that any governance that fulfils its purpose with sustainable success would qualify to be described as, and this immediately allows us to consider the possibility that Christianity – or, indeed, any other philosophy that extols noble values and high standards – can have a beneficial influence on the quality of governance in which its adherents participate.

    We must also acknowledge that governance is a responsibility, since it is designed to achieve important outcomes for everyone in the society. It should not only ensure welfare, peace and security; it should also enable every citizen to be the best he can be through his productivity and adherence to the laws of the country.

    We may also ask, at this point, what or who is a Christian, and what role should he or she play in governance?  If we are true Christians, this means that we have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, not just when it is convenient or unavoidable, but, indeed, in everything, and at all times.  It means that we have chosen Christianity as our way of life, a way of life to which we are committed, and which should reflect in everything we say or do.

    So, considering what we have already said about the need for all members of the society to participate in governance, we should have no problem in agreeing that, when we do so as Christians, all our decisions and actions should be an accurate reflection of our Christianity.

    One of the ways in which the Christian brings Christ into governance is to follow the example of Jesus Christ, especially when He had to deal with situations involving human considerations and preferences.  We take note of the fact that He would usually go to the word of God in order to establish the validity of the position He was taking.  He chased greedy tradesmen out of the temple because they were turning the place that God’s word described as a house of prayer into a “den of thieves”.

    Again, when Jesus Christ was tested by the devil at the start of His ministry, He answered every test by quoting the Word, thus effectively disposing of each assault. The Christian in governance – and this means everybody – can do no better than to take refuge in the word of God, where experience has shown us that there is always an effective answer to every question that we may raise in any situation.

    With specific reference to the governance responsibility, the true follower of Jesus Christ actually stands in a place of distinct advantage.  We have already mentioned the fact that the word of God can provide an effective answer to every challenge that the Christian may encounter. In addition to that powerful resource, the Christian also has the teachings and example of our Lord Himself when He lived as a man here on earth.  His teachings have given the Christian the noblest values and highest standards that should be applied in all situations.  Then, on top of all that, Jesus Christ has fulfilled His promise that the Holy Spirit would come to live in Christians and guide them to all truth.  When this first happened openly to the disciples, Peter was quick to remind everyone that the promise of empowerment by the Holy Spirit was available to “all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).  This gives us, the Christians of 21st century Nigeria, the confidence that, indeed, “we can do all things, through Christ who gives us strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

    The essence of all this is that Christians today are able to address their governance responsibility, not only by showing themselves to be practitioners of good governance, but also by standing firm to defend their Christian values and standards whenever they come under attack by people who are inclined to violate them.

     

    What is good governance?

     

    As we observed earlier, it is often helpful, in this kind of discussion, to try to understand a concept by its purpose, and by the outcomes that take place as a result of applying the concept. We have also suggested that the word of God offers enormous help in answering the questions that we confront as we pass through life.

    When we study the Bible at the 29th chapter of the Book of Proverbs, we are given a number of instructive pointers, which I quote here in the Contemporary English Version of the Holy Bible:

    Verse 2: “When justice rules a nation, everyone is glad; when injustice rules, everyone groans.

    Verse 4: “An honest ruler makes the nation strong; a ruler who takes bribes will bring it to ruin.

    Verse 7: “The wicked don’t care about the rights of the poor, but good people do.

    Verse 12: “A ruler who listens to lies will have corrupt officials.

    Verse 14: “Kings who are fair to the poor will rule forever.

    Verse 16: “Crime increases when crooks are in power, but law-abiding citizens will see them fall.

    Verse 18: “Without guidance from God law and order disappear, but God blesses everyone who obeys his law.

    Verse 26: “Many try to make friends with a ruler, but justice comes from the Lord.

    Verse 27: Good people and criminals can’t stand each other.

    In a paper by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), published in 1997, we are also offered the following as the characteristics of good governance – the factors that we should look for in order to be sure that good governance is actually happening:

    An institutional set-up that ensures good governance usually has the following features:

    Participation: All men and women should have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Such broad participation is built on freedom of association and speech, as well as capacities to participate constructively.

     

    Rule of Law: Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly laws on human rights.

     

    Transparency: Transparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes, institutions, and information are directly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough information is provided to understand and monitor them.

     

    Responsiveness: Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders.

     

    Consensus Orientation: Good governance mediates differing interests to reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interests of the group and where possible, on policies and procedures.

     

    Equity: All men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being.

     

    Effectiveness and Efficiency: Processes and institutions produce results that make the best use of resources.

     

    Accountability: Decision-makers in government and civil society organisations are accountable to the public, as well as to the institutional stakeholders. This accountability differs depending on the organization and whether the decision is internal or external to an organisation.

     

    Strategic Vision: Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on good governance and human development, along with a sense of their rights and duties. There is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities in which that perspective is grounded.

     

    Best practice in governance

     

    If we place the UNDP list alongside the statements in Proverbs, Chapter 29, we easily see that the proposed values that should underpin good governance performance are very similar. Both passages make repeated allusions to truth, justice, equity, transparency, inclusiveness.

    In both passages, we also receive the information that those who follow best practice are most likely to succeed in governance.  Again we can find important help to confirm this in the word of God.

    Take the example of Joseph who went from the position of a slave to the role of prime minister in Egypt.  Consider also the important governance role that Daniel earned while in exile in Babylon.  In the New Testament, we also have the example of Stephen and his group of seven who were chosen for governance responsibility in Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 6.  All three references provide examples of best practice in governance, and the one attribute that they all shared was that they were driven by the Spirit and wisdom of God.  The same is what Jesus Christ promises His followers – if they keep His commandments.  And He expects them to keep His commandments because they love Him.

     

    The Nigerian Christian

    and governance

     

    The final question that this paper wants to pose is one that people ask me on many occasions when we engage one another in these discussions.  In the light of all that keeps happening in our country, people ask if it is possible for the Christian – indeed, for anyone – to be an apostle of best practice in governance in present-day Nigeria. My answer, always, is that it is not only possible, but indeed easy, if the Christian is in a functioning relationship with Jesus Christ, and if, with help from the Lord Himself, the Christian in governance is determined to be totally faithful to the Constitution of our country, and to the declarations that we make in our National Anthem and National Pledge. The third commandment warns that God will not overlook the guilt of all those who take His name in vain!

    Too often, our Christian identity withers in the face of any challenge that threatens our comfort, our love of money, or our yearning for personal importance and power.  In the end, the kind of best practice that produces good governance is determined by Christ’s expectation of those who claim to be His followers.  His values, His standards, and His unrelenting discipline are laid upon Christians in His own clear declaration – If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

    But Jesus Christ also extends the invitation to us to enjoy the benefit of His help and care:

    Matt 11:28-30

    28: Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

    29: Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

    30: For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

     

  • Channel your energy to making Nigeria great, Kolade tells Nigerians

    FORMER High Commissioner to United Kingdom (UK) Dr. Christopher Kolade has urged the citizens to channel their productive energy toward making the country great.

    He spoke on Tuesday at the formal presentation of the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Volume 9 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The presentation was in honour of the former Lagos State Governor Lateef Jakande, Chief Folake Solanke and Prof. Adetokunbo Lucas, who distinguished themselves in private and public service.

    Kolade said the country had reduced to a situation, where people wondered whether they were on the right direction or not.

    He added that the youths have deviated from the path that would bring honour for the pursuit of narrow interests that had no bearing with national growth.

    He hailed those honoured for their immense contributions to the building of the country, noting that it would rekindle hope for the Nigerian project.

    “We now live in a nation where you sometimes wonder whether we are all going the right direction or not. But for those who are honoured today, it will renew our hopes and confidence.

    “These are people who are respectable and you have these accolades because of the immense positive things you have done. This you have done to raise the image of the country and bring the prestige and honour that it so desired.

    “What you have done will attract respect, but if we don’t respect ourselves, nobody will respect us. Those honoured before and today give me renewed confidence that Nigeria is actually the nation that God has created for us,” Kolade said.

    The book reviewer, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, said the book was to celebrate achievers, who have made positive impact on society.

    She added that author of the book, Princess Mrs. Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, painstakingly selected those the foundation honoured.

    Prof. Ogunsola added that the services rendered by Jakande, Solanke and Lucas would remain evergreen.

  • Kolade: I will be first woman governor

    Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is a governorship aspirant in Ekiti State. She spoke with reporters in Lagos on her chances at the primary and the preparations for the July 14 poll. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

    Why do you want to be governor of Ekiti?

    I am bringing a lot into the race, in terms of professional experience, entrepreneurship experience and the passion for the people. I have been a business woman, an employer and a supporter of charity. I empower women and youths; widows who are taking care of their children, artisans and peasants who are in apprenticeship, but who cannot provide for themselves. I have an NGO, the Christiana Ebenezer Kolade Foundation.

    There are many aspirants in the race. What gives you the confidence that you could defeat people like Dr. Fayemi and Chief Oni at the primary?

    If the incumbent was that good, he wouldn’t be defeated in the first place.  That’s my opinion. I am a woman. I have done a lot of things internally and locally. I have created jobs. That’s what the people of Ekiti actually needs. There is a huge unemployment rate in Ekiti. College and university graduates are driving Okada. That is not a pleasant sight. Providing job is going to give me an edge. I believe in women empowerment. Any country that wants to succeed now cannot dismiss the place of women in politics and governance. That is part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). That is very important. There is no need to create inequality between men and women. In 1995, the Beijing Conference recommended an affirmative action on women participation. The youths who are jobless are in the same ages with my children. I need to cater for them. We have plans on how to actually create these jobs.

    How are you trying to reach the people at the grassroots?

    I can into politics for the purpose of empowerment for the people. I have been involved in Ekiti in the last five years. I saw the hospitals. I saw the schools. In the schools, there are no books. The hospitals are not habitable for human beings. We have glorified clinic s which we call hospitals. That is not acceptable.  These are things that need to be repaired. I am a business women, a nurse, a pharmacist, a consultant in medicine. I and my husband own the only privately owned facility in the whole of Connecticut. In Nigeria, I am also a farmer. I have over 300 hectares of farm land. We need to explore our natural resources. It can be done in Ekiti for the benefit of our people. This is how to increase the IGR from the ridiculous level that it is now. We cannot be expecting allocations from the Federal Government. We need to make money. If Lagos can do that, we can do it in Ekiti. We have land for mechanized farming.

     What support have you gotten from the womenfolk?

    Huge. A momentum going on. They were enthusiastic. They were actually looking for a woman to come out. They were not sure they would get somebody. When I declared and I told the Acting Chairman, women were excited. It was a welcome development to them. I know their plight. I am working with the women and the youths. They are happy that I am in the race, a mother, an intellectual and a highly compassionate woman.

    How popular are you with the delegates who will select the flag bearer?

    I will say Iam popular. I am the only woman. That o=is unique. I am a woman in the sea of men. I am not a stranger to them. In the last eight years, I have been very active among the women. In Ekiti North they know me. With the women and youths, we have the support. So, we are ready.

    The South is agitating for zoning. What is your position on the rotational governorship?

    I won’t necessarily support rotational governorship. I believe the best candidate; the most qualified person should emerge. Zoning is a problem. When it is adopted, that means the leaving out the most qualified candidate for the less qualified. A state is a state. That is the problem we are having in our country; sectionalism, tribalism. The most qualified person should emerge, either from the North Central or South.

    What is the strength of your party in relation to the ruling party which has the power of incumbency?

    The power of incumbency failed in the past. It will fail again this time. At the federal level in the last election. In the last Ekiti governorship election, it failed. It will fail again. All you need is a qualified candidate, who is capable, and the people actually believe in the person. If they trust you and they now you will deliver, people are not stupid. They are intelligent. Even, the illiterates know what is good for them.

    Judging by your experience, what is your assessment of how politics is played in the United States and Nigeria?

    That’s is a big question. I wished we were there. But unfortunately, we are not there. It took them 200 years to get to where they are. We are only a country of 57 years. We are going to be 58 years. So, we are a young country. It took them a lot of time to gain experience. We are growing. We are getting better by the day. People know that their votes count. They know their vote is their power. In the past, we didn’t even see women aspiring to the position of governor. The last we had was the State of Taraba that failed. There is a woman in the race now in Ekiti. Moji Yaya-Kolade is going to be the next governor of Ekiti. I am very confident.

    Why are you starting politics at the level of governor? Why not start with the House of Representatives or the Senate?

    This question has been asked before. Governor Fashola did not start from the Senate. Fayemi started as governor. Aregbesola started as a commissioner. When you have the acumen, you can take up the challenge. I have done some things for my life before. The questions we should ask are what contribution have you have to humanity, what have you done before? A lot of people just got to the position without all these. And that’s why there is failure. If everybody will have to crawl, the former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, would not have got to the present level. He left the Senate and became the governor. I don’t know why people are asking this question. Is it because I am a woman?  We all went to school. I have done it in private life; I will do it again in public life.

    What are you running for governor in the APC?

    I was involved in politics in the Diaspora. I was involved in the PDP. I was trying to see what they were doing. Immediately I came back to Nigeria, I saw that I could not continue with them. I was actually a woman leader in the PDP, in the Diaspora. I got to Nigeria and saw the actuality on ground and discovered that the PDP is not my kind of party. To work for the people, to work for the welfare of the people, I chose the APC. I have always contributed to the development of the party. I supported Fayemi regime in Ekiti State. It is not by our power that we are where we are. It is by the grace of God. I have four professions, degrees, certificates in America, Nigeria. There is need to ive back to mu=y community and my people. I have been involved in charity when I was 16 years old. It is my way of life. I just need a bigger ground to do what I have been doing for the people.

    Politics is expensive and Ekiti is not an exception. How prepared are you for the challenge?

    We have been spending money. And we are still going to spend. You spend because there is a reason to do so. You believe there is need to change some things. You put your money where your moth is. If you are ready to serve and you are not ready to spend a dime of your money, then, you are not serious. There is nowhere in the world where money is not involved. The only difference is that the way people contribute in the western world is not the way people contribute in Nigeria. In United States, people support the candidate after he has emerged. My husband is supporting me. It is encouraging.

    Do you have a godfather?

    I have. God is my godfather.

    What are the conditions that may make you to step down from the race?

    Never. The answer is never. I am not running for the deputy governor. I am running for the governor of Ekiti State because I have my own ideas, I have my own agenda. I have thought about it over the years. I did not just stumble on it. I am thinking about how I can make a big difference. And I have been making a big difference. I want to make a big difference on a bigger platform.

    What is your Plan B?

    I have my business. I am fully engaged. I am a very busy woman, professionally. I am an entrepreneur. So, I am not stepping down.  No compromise.

    What should Nigeria do to turn around its politics?

    Corruption should be tackled. Women participation in politics should be encouraged. A society that is putting its women in a corner is actually hurting itself. If you put a woman forward, he would introduce policies that will improve the lives of women, the youths. They know how to manage the home. Look at Margret Thatcher. The Iron Lady. In the British history, she ran three times, change the face of the economy and the country. From 1853, she was the longest serving prime minister. Angela Marcus of Germany. Serlef Johnson of Sierra Leone. Very excellent. In Nigeria, we have suppressed our women too much. We are actually hurting this community. The moment our en recognise the quality of women, that is when our politics will improve. We have many competent women in the country who can do it.

     

     

  • Why I want to govern Ekiti, by Kolade

    Why I want to govern Ekiti, by Kolade

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Dr. Mojisola Kolade, has declared her governorship ambition in Ekiti State.

    According to her campaign organisation, calls for new entrants in Nigeria’s political scene have besieged the new media, adding that the candidacy of a female technocrat, who is qualified politically and career wise is news and one worthy of the highest level of coverage and support.

    Kolade is an accomplished pharmacist and medical practitioner who wish to serve the people of Ekiti. Her antecedents include 34 years of leadership in business, pacesetting in politics and dogged commitment to the ideals of philanthropy.

    She said: “It is a known fact that the incumbent is nearing the end of his governorship tenure; this creates an opportunity for a new dawn in Ekiti State.”

    Kolade is undeterred by the fact that the state boasts of a number of qualified leaders.  In declaring her intention, she hopes to gain the support of the young and old, men and women, rich and poor; people of all levels, abilities, groups and faith, as all hands would be required to clinch the APC ticket for governorship in Ekiti.