in Wuse , Tudun Wada and then I went into politics to serve the interests of my people . I was later appointed to serve as the Nigerian High Commissioner to the Gambia , where I served for four years . I have served as a member of the board and trustees of several cultural development organizations . I am presently the Executive Director , Commercial Services , of The National Electricity Management Services Agency with a statutory function of enforcement and providing commercial opportunities to the organizations in Nigeria ’ s power sector .
POLITICS
I was lucky enough to have been developed in leadership from a very early age , throughout my school days I was always in leadership positions and that prepared me for politics . The opportunity had always been there , but I had always resisted the opportunity , until the right time . For example after my secondary school , in the second republic I was asked to come and contest for elective office , but I refused and chose instead to go to the university for higher education and I have no regrets whatsoever because the education has enabled me to go as far as representing my country abroad .
OPPORTUNITY FOR ENTRY IN TODAY ’ S POLITICAL CLIMATE
There is always an opening for everything in life , if the time is right . There is absolutely no limit to achieving our destiny . Know why you have been called ; have passion , purpose and be persistent no matter how difficult things may seem . Persistence makes faith to work .
DID YOU FORESEE ABUJA DEVELOPING SO RAPIDLY ?
Nobody was consulted , so no one was prepared for such rapid development . In the entire 8,000 square kilometres of Abuja , there was no school in those days . There were no hospitals , only dispensaries . Now the indigenes are feeling deprived of the opportunity for self-actualization , federal government must be well guided as there are agitations among the indigenes . We must not wait for agitations to degenerate into violence before we take action .
ARE INDIGENES LEFT BEHIND IN DEVELOPMENT ?
Yes ; there is no accountability to the people . Ministers are appointed from other parts of the country to manage the Federal Capital Territory and the people don ’ t really have a say in their affairs . There are signs and the federal government must take action early to address the imbalance .
HOW CAN THIS BE CORRECTED ?
There were suggestions at the last National Conference , organized by the administration of H . E . Dr . Goodluck E . Jonathan , such as the creation of additional local governments and additional Federal House of Representatives slots for Abuja , the Federal Capital Commission and the election of a Mayor for the city as is the practice in major cities across the world .
EXPERIENCE SERVING IN THE GAMBIA
My basic principle is that it is not how long I stay in a place but how much impact I make . When I went to the Gambia , we had just come out of military rule & it wasn ’ t easy repairing Nigeria ’ s battered image in the international community . We had to start from scratch in the task of building relationships . We tried to inculcate Nigerian culture in the Gambia and this led us to establish the Nigerian International School in the Gambia through mobilization of Nigerians in that country . I also served as the dean of the Diplomatic Community in the Gambia .
HOW CAN NIGERIA PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN AFRICA ?
We must redefine the aims and objectives of our international relations without focus . We must now begin to look at diplomacy as a business , therefore wherever we don ’ t get a return on investment , we must review such relationship . Nigerian diplomacy must pay attention to early warnings in Africa before crises escalate .
ADVICE TO THE YOUTH OF AFRICA
If there is a problem with your parents ’ foundation , you shouldn ’ t have the problem of developing yourself to have competence . We have a disconnected generation in Africa today because the youth do not seek out the right mentors . They should get mentors , because if nothing is done in this regard by the time development turns to Africa , as the trends suggest , we will be taken by surprise .
38 | PRTIMES AFRICA MARCH 2016