Restructuring, not secession way out of our many challenges — Hon. (Princess) Ronke Ogunremi
In this interview by BANKOLE TAIWO, Hon. (Dr) Princess Ronke Ogunremi, Ogun PDP leader and former General Manager of Eko Hotels and defunct Gateway Hotels, Abeokuta speaks on varied national issues declaring among other things that rather than secession, the agitation should be about restructuring the country for greater efficiency.
What do you make of the APC government in the last six years?
You mean this government of change? When they started the whole brouhaha during the build up to 2015 elections, they came up with all manners of lies and propaganda because they just wanted our President then, Dr Goodluck Jonathan out of power and some Nigerians being so gullible, they believed all the lies and booted the PDP out of power. However, it is very clear now that it was all sakamaje meaning outright falsehood. Unfortunately, many of those who were carrying placards then against the government of President Jonathan have all gone quiet, they are really ashamed of their roles in bringing this government to power. It’s been tales of woes, it’s really unfortunate the situation we have found ourselves and it can’t get any better because this government lacks what it takes to move this country forward. How much is a bag of rice now? How much is garri? Beans is now practically untouchable, if some of us who by the grace of God are a bit privileged are complaining, how much more several Nigerians that are just striving to survive. What is dollar exchange rate to naira? This government has really made life so difficult for Nigerians. I really don’t want to talk much about this but everyone knows that this APC government has failed and that is the incontrovertible truth. Rather than attending to the challenges facing the country, they will keep on finding unpardonable excuses blaming PDP for everything. It’s all nauseating, for how long will they pass the buck? Are they not same things you promised Nigerians you were coming to fix?
Their interim Chairman, Mai Mala Bunni just said that APC will rule for another 25 years, what is your take on this?
Anybody can say anything, talk is cheap. It also goes to show that they are not learning from history because PDP said they would rule for 60 years but did that happen? Are they God? nobody has power over tomorrow and as far as I am concerned, I hold tomorrow in greater respect because someone who you think you are greater than today can become your boss tomorrow and that is why I treat people around me equally.
Are you by extension saying APC is taking Nigerians for granted with such statement?
Absolutely, and it is because they are well aware that a lot of Nigerians are very gullible because as I speak I don’t know who still wants to hold high his or her head for bringing this party to power, with all we have seen, the EndSARS is there, see the way the younger ones were treated. Many of my friends who were great supporters of this government have since left and I always say “shebi I told you but you didn’t listen, now you know better.”
In as much as Nigerians may of a truth be yearning for alternatives as we journey towards 2023 but PDP is also not settled, full of crisis here and there…
..(cuts in) Yes, you may be right but PDP will settle whatever the differences may be, we are seriously learning from the mistakes of APC, unfortunately, APC did not learn from the mistakes of the past but rather deployed machinery of propaganda. I thought the incumbent Minister of Works and Power, Raji Fashola once said that electricity was not rocket science that they would fix the challenges in this sector under six months but has that happened? PDP still remains the better choice as of today, another one may come tomorrow but today PDP it is.
How true is the news that Ogun PDP is now one and united with the crisis of over 10 years done away with?
That’s the good news, the good Lord is working it out for us. In fact, I was part of the negotiating team that first went to Abuja for the amicable resolution. To God be the Glory. We are now one family. We will keep on getting stronger and take back our rightful place come 2023 because the APC has failed.
How do we tackle the problem of money bag which many believed has been a major challenge in getting the leadership equation right in Nigeria?
That is left for the voters to decide, Nigerians are the ones creating the type of leaders they want. When they see people of integrity, people who can really deliver on their campaign promises, they won’t support them but if you are the money bag type throwing money here and there, you are supported as the better alternative and when these money bags get to office they forget about their promises to the people. The people should either chose people of integrity, people who are really ready to serve, give good governance above the N2000 which they will collect and then suffer for another four years. It’s left unto them.
The political offices must be made less attractive as well.
What do you make of the agitations for secession even in the South West?
I will rather go for restructuring than breaking the country into pieces. I believe strongly that with restructuring, many things making people to call for secession would take care of themselves. Restructuring will eliminate many injustices fuelling the agitations for secession and the country and everyone will be better for it. A situation where a particular ethnic group will think that it owns the country and could treat others as second class citizens would no longer arise.
What is your take on the insecurity challenges confronting the country and how could it be tackled?
It’s really unfortunate the situation we have found ourselves in this country. It’s just another confirmation to say this General Buhari led administration has failed woefully. It’s obvious now that President Buhari does not have answers to this challenge, he should therefore seek help to win this war, it is all we get to read on the pages of newspapers daily. They should please cry out and seek for help from wherever they think they could get one.
You are a politician, a business woman with interest in oil and gas and you are married to one of the senior leaders in Celestial Church of Christ, how do you juggle everything to strike a balance?
The credit goes to God and my ever supportive husband, if my husband has never supported me, it wouldn’t have been easy at all, my husband trusts and loves me and he supports what I do and I also reciprocate. I love him, trust him and very submissive. If he says No, then it is No. So, after the Almighty God, my husband comes next, sometimes, my husband will be the one to tell me to take it easy and rest and gladly I will take to his rich counsel. We are happily married. He is such a fantastic man of God and a very good husband.
What would you say made your marriage thick and enjoyable?
The Grace of God and of course we both love and trust ourselves, we have understanding for one another and I don’t joke with respecting and honouring my husband because aside scriptural injunction, that is what I saw my mother doing for my father. I don’t consider winning argument too as necessary and over the years that we have been married, no outsider has been invited into our home to help settle quarrel. If I come to this world again, I will search for him and gladly marry him.
As a major player in oil and gas sector, Nigerians are not finding it easy adjusting their pockets to the increase in fuel pump price every now and then, what is the way out?
It is part of the failure of this government, now the dollar which they promised would be one naira is now N485. The annoying part is the subsidy which they told us they stopped paying only for them to tell us that they can’t continue paying over N195bn monthly as subsidy, so much confusion, so many lies. There is no way petrol can be cheaper if we continue to import it, we must build new refineries and refine our crude oil here. It’s just sheer waste of resources the recent decision of the government to spend over a billion dollars in refurbishing the Port Harcourt refinery, what has such efforts yielded in the past? You see, when they increase pump price, it gives so many of us in the business sleepless nights because it means we need more capital for the business, it’s never an advantage at all, so I never welcome it.
Your message to the women out there?
Women should come out and play active roles in politics. I am looking forward to having a female governor in Ogun State, whenever that happens, it will gladden my heart and what is wrong in having a female president too? There’s nothing a woman handles that doesn’t come out better but the men have refused to give us space, they want us to remain in the clapping and singing group. This is now in the past, we should be allowed to be involved in governance and change things for good. The women too must remain united and stop ditching one another. It’s time we worked for our own progress too.
