Barrister Kayode Oduoye is a PDP chieftain in Osun State and he also contested for the reps seat of Boripe/Odo-Otin/Ifelodun federal constituency in the 2015 election. In this interview with AKINLOLU ABAYOMI, the legal practitioner speaks on the recent foiled attempted coup in Turkey and its implications, the relationship between the executive and the legislature and other issues. Excerpt…
The attempted military coup in Turkey was foiled through the support of the civilians; what would you say are the implications for the practice of democracy in developing countries?
It was a development that stands as watershed in political developments in Turkey and it also sent signal to the appropriate quarters in the international community. It no doubt comes with several implications, one, it is a confirmation that the citizenry of the concerned country have preference for democracy as a system of government, it shows that the people are in support of the government and it meant that the voice of the people must henceforth be recognized and no longer coerced through the power of the gun. What should be our concern, however, is its relevance to us as a nation and as a developing country and as a country where democracy is still being strengthened. What should exercise our minds is how do we get to the level where the people would rise in defense of a government in a scenario devoid of monetary inducement or sponsored protests? The gap between the people in government and the governed is too wide and over time too, the people have lost confidence and trust in the leaders, what we need to do is to therefore ensure those in government cater conscientiously for the best interests of the governed.
The legislative arm and the executive have practically been locked in a battle for relevance since the inception of the present administration, what does this portend for the nation’s democracy?
To me, there is nothing unusual or strange about it; the only thing is that Nigerian politicians are not showing good signs of learning and mastering the rope when it comes to developing the nation’s democracy. There are three distinctive arms of government, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, the framers and the originators of the system known as democracy in their logical reasoning came up with the idea of checks and balances and it was to prevent the idea of having power concentrated in the hands of members of an arm of government to the disadvantage of the others, the idea of democracy as a system of government apparently gained acceptance over other systems because it presents features that ensure freedom for all and the protection of rights of individuals. But people fail to accept the fact that it is the legislative arm that represents democracy, without it there is no democracy. We all know that even under military administrations, the executive and the judiciary are kept intact while the structures housing the legislature is under key and lock, the reopening of the doors of such structures for activities naturally signal the resumption of democracy. The main challenge in this clime is that the executive controls the funds and people fear and respect the person in charge of funds above the person directly involved in making laws. The other point is that the executive is in control of state institutions for supervisory roles but as typical of developing countries, the supervisory roles are made to grow into direct control and since the power to hire and fire rests on those in power the head of the sensitive state institutions turn to waiting for instruction from the political office holders before acting. And because the state institutions are under the executive, many consider it a dangerous venture going against the wish of the ruling government and it has turned almost everybody to AGIP and year in year out we produce new set of AGIP’s. What we need to do is to strengthen the sensitive state institutions and make them earn semi-independence that would make them discharge their function only in national interest and to also work towards true independence for each of the three arms of government. Once this is done gradually, people would accord due respect and recognition for the three arms of government. Back to the main issue, the truth is that the government is operating on a platform known as democracy which has its dictates and rules, there is no way the government can truly function without the involvement and the input of the legislative arm; so what the APC led government needs to do is to accept this reality and work towards securing a good working relationship with the National Assembly. Where the two elephants fight, the grass will suffer, the delay in releasing the names of ministers, presentation and passing of the budget were resultant from the cold treatment from the executive and it is the ordinary people on the road that would feel the brunt. Things are getting worse by the day and for some of us, who have simply refused to get detached from the people at the grassroots level we know the kind of pressure we face, people are really suffering and there is the need for the rich to reach out to the poor.
But it is said that Nigerians don’t really embark on charity efforts unless such acts has a hidden purpose or an intended gain?
No, I don’t think that is correct, Africans are naturally imbued with giving spirit, helping people and offering assistance to people. However, one important thing we must do is to work towards demonetization of our political system, the political system is money-driven and propelled and that is why those who spent with good intention are categorized as ones doing that because of a hidden agenda. People already have wrong orientation as a result of the political system that is highly monetized. Ability to empower people and show kindness to others is above human comprehension or control, but once you are divinely endowed with such traits, it becomes part of you but if you are merely acting it, there is no way the difference won’t be clear.
The story of your philanthropic activities is everywhere in Osun State but many are quick to say it is because of your political aspiration and the fact that you are dispensing from a particular pool of fund?
I have heard a lot of stories and insinuations but I have developed thick skin to such because I regard them as irrelevant, I would not have even made comment at all on it but I just felt my answer could assist in getting true position stated and it could also help in preventing many people with good hearts from being misinformed or misled. Let me start by saying I am appreciative of God’s mercies and I thank Him for blessing me with the best parents in the world, whatever I am today are results of the good mentorship, solid support, training and guidance I got through them and I owe everything to God and my loving parents.
The philanthropic nature in me is inborn; it is not by acting or pretence, it is just by coincidence that such natural traits are inherent in me and I am also a politician and definitely, a politician must have aspiration, mine is no exception. But the truth is that it is the natural thing in me and the obvious challenge of staying unconcerned when it comes to the welfare of the people around me is overwhelming. It isn’t because I am a politician I am just myself and I act according to my conscience. As for the other issue, they have said so many things to discredit the good intention and the act of giving to those in need. All I know is that I have been into business since I left the university and I have not been a lazy man and I thank God for blessing my hustles. I also ventured into politics way back in 2001 but later switched my activities to a silent mode since my beloved dad was also an active participant. Indeed, he was one of the leading governorship aspirants in 2002 and if he was doing that, would I also say I was going for elective position? Definitely, my dad had colleague administrators and colleague senators, take a look around and assess those who even spent two terms as a senator and are not holding positions and check out their current financial strengths, he left as a senator in 2011 and I have maintained my lifestyles and have been myself for more than two decades now; so if there is a pool somewhere, it must have got weakened in strength. They mischievously spread such tales when I contested the reps election and to them I was spending for people because of my ambition and they say he would get tired after dispensing all he has from the pool, but to the Glory of God my efforts towards touching people’s lives got re-doubled after the election and I have never looked back. I know am facing the masters in propaganda. I am more than encouraged because when you have things being said about you, it means your activities are unsettling some people in certain quarters.
However, it is instructive to say that even if there is pool of fund somewhere and the security and virility of the imaginary pool is retained for more than two decades then the managers of the pool deserve a thumb up and it is clear only such people can successfully manage public fund, a discerning mind would therefore appreciate me as a reliable person who can be entrusted with public funds, they actually don’t know they are indirectly marketing me because our people are intelligent and not fools.
