Let’s briefly know who Hon Prince Adesegun Abdel-Majid Adekoya is.
I was born almost 60 years ago, precisely March 21, 1961 at Ako Matoole, one of the villages of Ago Iwoye in Ijebu North local government area of the state where we have the second oldest Methodist Church in Ijebu land established in 1894. I started my primary education at our village, Ako Wesley Model School, my father later took me to Omo Edumare Model School where I finished my primary education. I later went to Ago Iwoye Secondary School from 1975-1980. This was the time we were given Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 certificate but because my result wasn’t good enough I went back to St Timothy College, Onike, Yaba, Lagos for a re-sit. Precisely on August 17, 1981, I started working with Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry around Lagos Island. After seven years at this bank, I moved to Eko International Bank which later became Skye Bank and now Polaris Bank. However, during the military annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election believed to have been widely won by Late M K O Abiola, many of us who were quite jolted by this unreasonable act just find ourselves on the street protesting this grave injustice. We find ourselves among the NADECO group championing the enthronement of democracy and asking the military to recognise the mandate freely given to Chief MKO Abiola. As a banker, that was how I found myself on the field of politics without any prior intention. I was to later become Chairman of Community Development Association, Isheri Olowora, Omole Phase I I. In 1994, the military proposed the constitutional conference but despite the insistence that we won’t have anything to do with the military except it reverted itself over the annulment of June 12 Presidential election, I was unanimously picked to represent the people at the conference. Before we know what was happening, the era of zero party came and I was elected as Councillor to represent Ward F2 under Shomolu local government, Lagos State. later became Vice Chairman of Shomolu local government. However in December, 1996 Kosofe local government was carved out of Shomolu and when the election came, I contested and won, thus becoming the pioneer Chairman of the local government on March 24, 1997 when I was just 36 years and three days old. We did our best and was even adjudged the best local government Chairman of Lagos State and was sent to America to represent Nigeria as the best Council Chairman. Later this regime was truncated with the death of the then Military President, Gen Sanni Abacha. We were later in UNCP and then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). So, in 1999 when the country returned to civil rule, I became Personal Assistant to the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Sen (Dr) Jubril Martins Kuye, OFR . When we were done with this assignment, the good government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel which people have continue to remember for good began in 2003 and I was made the Commissioner 1 in the Local Government Service Commission. I later became the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. After cabinet reshufflement, I became the Commissioner for Works. However, in 2015 I was elected into the House of Representatives being the first ever from Ago Iwoye to represent our federal constituency; Ijebu North/Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside. To the glory of God, in 2019, I was returned to continue with my good work for my people at the House of Representatives. Let me also add that I am the only surviving son of my mother who died at the ripe age of 99. My mother gave birth to 14 children but only two of us lived to be adult. Though, I am a Muslim just like my Dad but my mother was a Christian, Chief Mrs Abigail Efunseke Adekoya, she was born a Muslim but got converted to Christianity and when she died, she was buried inside the Methodist Cathedral, Ago Iwoye. So, as far as I am concerned, I don’t discriminate base on tribe or religion.
In the last 19 months or so that you have been returned to the House of Representatives, can you please highlights some of your achievements, the deliverables for the people?
We thank God for our modest achievements since we have been opportuned to return to the green chamber for the second time. In December, 400 market women across the state were empowered with N25,000. Just recently, I also donated 200 window10 laptops that came with N10,000 worth of Data to the 13 government owned tertiary institutions in the state. Eight laptops were given to each of the higher institution while Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago Iwoye got 16 being the biggest of them all. The students and beneficiaries of this kind gesture were quite appreciative because it came at a time when many institutions are going virtual to teach the students because of the challenges of Covid-19, these laptops would really be useful for the students here.
We have also trained 109 youths on the art of rearing snails while another 110 youths were trained on cosmetology which basically include tying of headgear (gele) the art of make up and things like that. We gave them N6,000 each for their feeding and transportation for the three days spent for the training. After the training, we gave them standard make up kit that contains all their working tools, in fact, many have told me that the make up kit is the same that you will find in China. We gave the beneficiaries of this training additional N17,000 for them to take off and I am happy that some of them are already making money from this business. We also trained over a 100 on tye and dye which we locally call Adire and on completion of their training, we gave them all that they needed to start off the business like two big bowls, chemicals, 15 yards of clothes with N25,000. The 109 youths who came for snail rearing were also given N20,000 at the end of the training with every other tools that they needed to start off such as wheel barrow, watering can etc. The people were really excited about this training because rather than giving them fish, they have been taught how to fish and they can now begin to contribute meaningfully to the economy. They are so happy and I am also happy seeing my people bubbling with joy. For the 200 students that got the laptops, I never nominated anyone of them, they did it themselves and one was even telling me that he never thought he could own a laptop because he doesn’t even have the android phone. He said if he should insist on getting one from his parents, it means the education of his younger ones would have to be put on hold.. our intention is to do more because I am happy when my people are happy too
Can you please put a price to all these empowerment programmes?
No, I can’t because I am not the contractor but facilitator of all these empowerment programmes. In continuation of other projects that I have facilitated to my constituency, there is an ongoing Ako Community Centre, Ago Iwoye. It’s being built opposite Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago Iwoye, and aside being an event centre, it will also have other recreational facilities as well other facilities that could support students’ learning among others. It’s going to be one of it’s kind when completed. There is another Ago Iwoye City Stadium as appropriated for in 2021 budget. There is also a Cardiovascular Center at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta. I may be representing a part of Ijebu land but the development of the whole state is my pride and moreover, if I am sick (God forbid) do I know where I can be taken to for medical care? When the former governor of Oyo State, the Late Sen Abiola Ajimobi was sick, was he not taken to Lagos State for treatment? Since we are there and the opportunity is there, I think it is just patriotic enough we use whatever privileges we have to develop our dear state. There is another ecological project at Isheri/Magodo area, it is part of the project that we appropriated for in 2021 budget. Others are construction of Ijebu Igbo Heritage Centre, International Fertility and Maternity Centre of Federal Medical Center (FMC) Ako Matoole. The centre will mainly focus on helping people overcome problem of infertility and childlessness. The management of FMC, Abeokuta has come around to take possession of 36 acres of land the villagers provided for the execution of this project.
So, you want to say that you have been walking all the talks of your electoral promises
By the grace of God I have not lost track of my electoral promises to the people. Before I conceived the Ijebu Igbo Heritage Centre, I consulted far and wide with the leaders of thought and they came up with a draft we are currently working on. When I noticed that in the proposed Heritage Centre which will also house an ultramodern Orimolusi Palace, the room for the king will be at the second floor, I said by the time this king is 70 years old, he won’t find it easy climbing the stairs up and down, so I said there is need to include elevator in the project such that during old age the king could find it easy coming down to the ground floor to hold meeting with his subjects. You will also notice numerous ongoing road projects with street light. Work is ongoing at Fidigbade road, Igan road, Isamuro road all in Ago Iwoye. If you go to Ijebu Igbo, Molusi College road, Obada road, Anaye road to Oke Agbo, Japara to Idode, Haruna Ishola road, Motara road, etc. Some of these roads are already being asphalted. I just got approval for Oke Agbo-Oke Sopen-West End road, Oru-Awa-Ilaporu road and Efire-Makun Omi in Ogun Waterside local government for . For my people at Ijebu East, I have gotten approval for construction of Ogbe bridge at Ijebu Ife which has for some years been of great challenge for the people. The contractor is moving to site any moment from now. I have installed solar powered street light at Ijebu Igbo, the first set were 80 poles, the second set were 21 poles and the third set were 25 poles. In Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside, we have done several of them to ensure that all the dark places are lightened up. And these solar powered street lights are not those that will only work for a month and go off, they are standard with three years warranty. If anything should happen to them, the contractors are back on site to fix the fault…
What is the spirit behind all these array of achievements?
The fear of God, I fear God a lot and I also have conscience, I battle my conscience everyday. That’s my prayer room, that’s the bedroom for me and my wife, that’s the kitchen, what else do I need? There are several of my mates who are still living in their father’s house, so what should they do? When I am in Abuja, I am in my house. The foundation of my first house was laid in 1992 when I was just 31 working with Eko International Bank. The first land I bought in 1988 was for N4000, it is still there in Ago Iwoye. I know of someone who complained to me that if only he had just a plot of land at Ago Iwoye, his mother wouldn’t have been buried at public cemetery. My mother gave birth to 14 children, only two of us survived and I am the only surviving son. I am called Attacker, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke…
But why the name Attacker?
I did street lights from the beginning of Ago Iwoye to where it ended, my younger brother in the US, Murphy Adekoya heard about it and said I heard what you did for them at Ago Iwoye, do I also do something for further development of the town and I said please go ahead. He started the electrification project from Itamerin to OOU erecting about 75 poles of solar powered light. I just told some of my people that the last village in Ago Iwoye will have their light switched on before the end of this month. There are several ongoing road projects too. These are what people see that make them call me Attacker, we are always attacking underdevelopment and ensuring our people are having quality lives to enjoy. Something happened recently, the contractor that was handling the Community Centre I just told you was being built at my village called to say that some group of boys came to him and collected N105,000 from him. I said to myself, what nonsense is this, so I started making calls telling all the boys to return the money collected to the man. I told them it’s either they comply with my directive or not set their feet again on the soil of Ago Iwoye. The boys returned the money and after the concerned contractor had confirmed that he had received the alert for the money. I gathered the boys again, reprimanded them for such silly act or how can we be making efforts on how to develop our community and some people are constituting themselves into obstacles. So I told them to take one cow, give them N50,000 for the ingredients, N50,000 for the drinks and another N25,000 for them to enjoy themselves. These are some of the reasons people call me Attacker….I am ready to use all the resources at my disposal for the betterment of the people and the progress of all but I don’t condone nonsense
There is this Igan road project brewing controversy between you and the State government and while coming here, I saw it under construction. Has the state government allow you to go ahead with the project?
No, I wasn’t allowed to continue with the project, what you saw while coming this morning was the state government demolishing the drainages and some of the things that had already been put in place before taking over the project.
But the belief out there is that you and Gov Dapo Abiodun are very good friends and that this kind of controversy ought not to have arisen at all..
You are very right, recently we felt that the those of us at the House of Representatives, nine of us should come around to visit the governor but only three of us; myself from PDP, one ADC member and Hon Adewunmi from APC representing Remo federal constituency turned up for the visit, the remaining five APC members stayed away. The governor received us very warmly and we were lavishly entertained. During this visit, the governor told us of his intention to work on Ago Iwoye-Oru-Ijebu Igbo road and Oru-Ijebu Igbo phase one. I thanked the governor for his decision to work on these roads but I said what will make the people of Ago Iwoye more happy is to see that Ilisan-Ago Iwoye road is done because of its economic importance to them. I also told the governor that if according to him, the Ilisan-Ago Iwoye road is under litigation and the government may not be able to work on it, he can as well help with the major road that lead to Ago Iwoye. So, I am surprised too to now see what is happening and this I am sure is the handiwork of some fifth columnist who are ill advising the governor. As a genuine friend of the governor, I don’t begrudge him over whatever might have happened even though I may not be happy because I am of the opinion that we should see ourselves as complementing efforts of one another, there is so much to be done to make life more comfortable for our people.
I am however surprised that as close as we are, the governor will not try to hear me out even with a phone call. I have since moved out of the project site. My own work as a legislator stops at appropriation, the Presidency approved the fund and domiciled it with Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority for the execution of the project. Honestly, I don’t begrudge the state government over this unnecessary misunderstanding but economically, I will advise that the state government has not done well. You go around scouting for developers, partners that will help the state, you now get this cheap one from your friend and you rejected it. I don’t belong to former Gov Amosun’s camp, we all worked assiduously to ensure your success at the poll, so what is the problem? We are all looking for the development of our dear state, if I have gotten federal government fund for Igan road, can’t the state government move elsewhere or have we finished all the roads in Ago Iwoye or Ijebu land? Even former Gov Amosun did not behave this way because it was during his tenure in 2018 that I facilitated construction of 600 kilometers of this same Igan road. When some people tried to whisper what is not into his ear, Amosun told them to let me be. He said if someone in a place is doing what I am supposed to do, should I not be happy? Honestly, as someone I loved very dearly, Mr governor has not been fair to me…
Have you tried reaching out personally to the governor?
Yes, I called him but he did not pick my call. My intention was to go to his house and say my governor, we are together, this is what I am doing to support your good government but….
…(cuts in) Some are even reading politics of 2023 to this controversies, how true is the rumour that you have your eyes on the governorship seat come 2023?
I don’t have such dreams, where will I even get the money? My only intention is to complement the efforts of the governor all in the interest of developing our dear state.
There is this also government’s side that for such project to be done, you must seek for approval from the state government, how do you react to this?
In fact, we have to be careful of making saint out of former Gov Amosun because when we did part of the same Igan road project during his tenure, we were never asked to seek for any approval and if at all there will be any procedure to be done, it is the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, the executing agency that ought to dot their T’s and cross the I’s. I got two letters from the Special Adviser to the governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Akeem Adesina who incidentally was Chairman of Obafemi Owode local government while I was the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state during the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel. The first letter was asking us to stop the project, the person who brought the letter was yet to get to Abeokuta, when I got another letter where the state government commended us for the good job we are doing and told us to send all the drawings for prompt approval. I had thought probably the governor had intervened, so, I put pen to paper appreciating the governor for his magnanimity but I never knew that I was only being fooled and deceived. If I were the governor
and someone is doing what I am doing right now, I will personally write to thank the person. I did same when I was the Chairman of Kosofe local government, Lagos State. Once, my Councilor tells me that someone is doing something, patching the road or adding values to what we are doing, I will write such person to thank him or her because It wouldn’t be good to play politics with our development. Dr Tai Solarin of blessed memory during his visit to our school told us that if Satan wants to give you education, take it and divorce Satan after your education because if you don’t get educated you will be more satanic than Satan. Dr Solarin said anytime they want to worship Ogun, the god of iron, did you see Professor or is it the school Principal that will be seen cutting the head of the dog that they want to use in appeasing Ogun, no, it is those who were not educated
What is your honest assessment of administration President Muhammadu Buhari?
President Muhammadu Buhari as a person is fantastic but his government is colossal failure. Buhari as an individual is incorruptible but I pity the man because he is old. If Buhari had been 10 years younger, the government would not be like this, the man only see what they allow him to see now. If Buhari were still to be in his elements, someone would not have been caught on camera stuffing his pockets with dollars and he would not have done something if it were to be Buhari of 1984/85 where is the fight against corruption?
What you promised is change but where is the change now?
Boko Haram has killed triple of people who died during PDP’s government. We have continue to observe several one minute silence for these people at the House of Representatives such that we are even tired, it is sad. Our colleagues in the north always show us gory pictures of people being killed almost on daily basis. The bandits too have overrun several villages in the north.
How much is a dollar to naira under PDP, one dollar to N200 at most, how much is it now?
N480.
What of Pound?
It’s now one pound to N630 whereas it was N400 or so during PDP’s regime. The university students have been at home for over 10 months as we speak. What of freedom, you can speak out your mind under PDP’s government but this government will turn it to something else. Buhari as a person is a good man but those who surround him are something else. In America, the man that carried the mace was promptly arrested but the one who did it here has been rewarded with higher political office.
What is the way out of all these concerns?
First and foremost, Nigerians should begin to vote for competent hands and not moneybags. We must be ready to vote for the right person, those that we know have the mind to serve the people but by the time our people see money, you will see them doing another thing. Now, people sell their votes for N5000, N10,000, it is so shameful. How can there ever be development? I have resolved to serve my people and ensure that whatever the federal government gives get to them. I am concerned about leaving behind good legacies.
When will there be peace and unity in Ogun PDP?
Our major challenge is that we have many people with divergent reasons of coming into politics and another thing is that we have too many leaders. Name any big shot in Ogun politics that did not have his or her root in PDP. Sen Ibikunle Amosun was once in PDP, same goes for Prince Dapo Abiodun among others. Remember that OGD, the former two term governor is there, Hon Dimeji Bankole, former Speaker of the House of Representatives is there likewise, Baba Obasanjo, the former President is there too. There are too many powerful men in Ogun PDP and we just have to allow wisdom to prevail. We are talking and I believe that very soon reason will prevail.
What are the challenges?
The way and manner our people make demand for money from the politician could be very annoying and sometimes, very frustrating. Sometimes our people go as far as saying their children are suffering from one big ailment and therefore needed money for surgery only for such information to be false. There is someone who told me her daughter was suffering from one terrible sickness and therefore needed money but when I got to the hospital, it was all lies. She said she decided to concoct the lies so that she could get the money from me. The untruthfulness of our people is one major challenge.