Special Interview with Hon.Okufuwa Samad Oluwatoyin

From Skybirdnews Group 

kindly introduce yourself Sir. Educational background and family.

My name is Okufuwa Samad Oluwatoyin. I am married with kids. I celebrated my 45th birthday on the 5th of January this year. I spent my childhood in ikosi ketu, precisely at No 1 Okufuwa crescent ikosi ketu Lagos in kosofe. I have cumulatively spent 44 of my 45 years residing in kosofe. I attended grace children school gbagada Lagos for my nursery school, community primary school ilupeju Lagos for my first school leaving certificate, I also had a brief spell of one year at Luba comprehensive secondary ijebu ode, before completing my secondary school at Maryland comprehensive secondary school Ikeja. After that I proceeded to Lagos state polytechnic isolo where I read accountancy for my OND, I also attended Lagos state university Ojo where I graduated in the department of sociology. After that I proceeded to the university Lagos for my masters in business management.

(How do you see political situation in Nigeria today 

My take on the current political situation in Nigeria is to say the least disheartening, it is obvious that good spirited Nigerians have over the years decided to abandon governance to crooks and selfish individuals. The reason is not far fetched though, as it will appear that people have been intentionally discouraged from participating in political activities with the now popular notion that politics is a dirty game.

Why did you join Labour Party?

Good question. In 2009 i decided to join the then AD that later matermophosed into APC out of my disaffection with the way and manner the political scene was being handled, but I wasn't really active because of work until about 2015 that I became an active participant. I joined knowing fully well that it was important for me to patiently learn the ropes, but I told myself that my desire was to do things differently and better than I met it. I decided to leave APC due to their mistreatment and high level of arrogance, it was almost as if once you are well educated you will instantly become a person non grata, there are other reasons that I will rather prefer to keep to myself for now. I later joined the people Democratic Party in 2018 hoping that things will be much different, to be honest my experience in PDP was much better but at a point it was obvious that it was always going to be an exercise in futility as most of the leaders in PDP were PDP members in the morning and APC members at night,

What are the chances that Peter Obi will win the Presidential election?

Peter Obis chances are quite bright because there is a general disconnection  btw the leaders in the country and the populace. It is almost as if those in power are getting richer while the majority of Nigerians are getting poorer. His excellency Peter Obis plans obviously connects with the people who are tired of the old brigade, he appears to be coming onboard with a much better phylosophy of mind.

 If you win the House of assembly election in your area, what are your plans for your people.

There is something called the Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs. Certain basic needs are general to every human being, there is the importance of meeting such needs before we start to talk about others. needs such as clean air, food, water, shelter, clothing, warmth, and sleep are actually more important in the scheme of things than every other, but unfortunately a huge population of lagosians are unable to meet this basic needs. I plan to propose good and viable regulations that will resolve all these, in furtherance to this, the level of youth unemployment is quite alarming, when we were growing up it was a thing of joy and pride to go to school but now all you hear around is that education is a scam, contrary to such opinion, education actually liberates. If I become a lawmaker part of my plan is to put up people friendly laws, laws that will ensure that proper and conducive environment is developed for research and development especially as whatever knowledge we all think we have now is actually minute to what God has bestowed the world with. I grew up in Kosofe, I always tell people that there is virtually no house I didn't enter in the whole of ikosi ketu as a kid, hence the growth and development of Kosofe is very close to my heart. I am a street loving person and most of the inner streets in kosofe are suffering complete neglect, good and proper drainages are also lacking in most part, a development that has helped the increase of mosquitoes and it's attendant malaria illness. Electricity and water supply are also major issues that require urgent attention, I can go on and on really.

The Nigeria economy is down, what hope for the poor masses?

My position on this item is that the power to fix this country is within reach, Nigerians should desist from selling their vote and conscience to the highest bidder. The solution is for all Nigerians to carefully choose their leaders based on competence and reliability and not based on ethnic, religious and emotional sentiments .

What would be your first bill you will like to pass in the House of assembly when you win the election.

I remember that when I was small, apart from the fact that we had good and portable water running in taps in virtually every house in kosofe, we also had the public works water supply, all of that now seem to be a thing of the past. By Gods grace it will be a major part of my developmental drive 

Collection of PVC, is government getting right.

For me am not totally convinced that we still need to have PVC to vote, but then it is all work in progress. I feel we have too many viable ways to enlist interested voters, we now have NIN,BVN etc even though a social security number might just be enough. We also need to step up to the realm of allowing diaspora voting. I believe that growth most times is a gradual process and change is almost inevitably. We will get it right someday.

What are your chances of winning the election?

I will like to simply state that my chances are quite bright despite the fact that alot of drama in party is really slowing some of us down and serving as inhibitors to alot of things we would have loved to do and campaign to the best of one's ability.

Nigeria is corrupt nation, what is your take.

My personal opinion on this is that rather than complain about corruption, we should focus on the family, yes the family is the bedrock of any society. If we do not give our children the proper training and upbringing the society will suffer.

What do u want to be remembered for?

I will love to be remembered as a true and genuine agent of change and keep steadfastly to my late dad's words of regular advice to me, that a good name is better than silver and gold.

What is your advice to Nigerians for u becoming the next House of assembly in your area?

One major problem that our country has always had over the years is selfish leaders. If there is anything to expect from me, then it is selfless leadership 

Thank you.

Editor-in-Chief 

Skybirdnews Group 

Charles Nwaoguji .