Hon Razaq Olatunde Owolabi is a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly. AKINLOLU ABAYOMI had a period of interview with the state lawmaker who represents Share / Oke-Ode state constituency and it was not a ‘usual’ interview as it has revealing moments.
Read On:
Your name has become a singsong on the lips of many in the state. What has actually made you to stand out?
It has been God and only God. Almighty Allah is my strength and I want to use this medium to thank Almighty Allah because prayers can change things. I know prayers have changed many things in my life and you asked about what makes me stand out.
It’s about being focused and being resilient and you will get things done, I say ‘Alhamdulillah robbil alamin’.
You became a member of Kwara State House of Assembly in June 2019. Have you done anything for your people in terms of empowerment?
I’ve done a lot for my people in my constituency and I’m still ready to do more.
If you’re holding an elective or appointive position, the best thing for you is to make your people happy and it will eventually be mutually beneficial.
It should not be about you getting money and using it only for yourself and your family.
We were elected by the people and there is nothing you can do to show appreciation than being accessible and being available to attend to their needs and that is what has been my selling point.
In specific terms, tell us what you have done for your constituents?
Well, as a legislator, I am expected to join colleagues to review and make new laws, pass bills and carry out legislative activities but let me tell you one thing, I don’t believe that as lawmakers, we are only here to make laws. No, I believe I must do something for you because you have voted for me.
I have grassroots projects which were captured in the budget, we don’t have access to the money but we brought the contractors. The one I did was motorized boreholes. Three motorized boreholes. I’ve done three before and I’ve done another three, making six and I will try as much as possible to touch all my wards because there are 10 wards in my constituency.
So those are the grassroots projects. Using part of my salary, I’ve renovated a hospital at Agejunle in Oro-Ago ward . I have renovated four classrooms at Agbee in Oke-Ode also in my constituency.
If you’re a politician, you just have to encourage people to vote for you during future elections, you must not discourage people and make them not to vote for you. When we talk about touching people’s lives, God has done it and we have done so many things.
I have a programme called ‘Owo isowo’, it provided start-up capital for widows in my constituency. They need just a token to make them happy and start petty trading.
In the health sector, I’ve organized medical outreach that had my people undergoing free eye surgeries while old men and women also got free medical care.
In the education sector, I have obtained WASCE forms for more than 50 students in the 10 wards that I represent ditto JAMB forms.
I was at the Muslim Community School, Share and I paid the PTA and other charges for all the students from JS1 to SS3.
I did same thing in Babanloma; I also distributed 5,000 exercise books to students in all the wards in my constituency.
The welfare of our people is very important. They prefer that you empower them. They love getting empowered and I have so far distributed 45 sewing machines, 45 grinding machines, eight cars, 10 refrigerators, generators, clippers and sprayers to my constituents.
The one I did this month was 25 motorcycles and one bus while N2 million was distributed to those who got cash assistance.
I discovered that in our rural areas, many young people are jobless and they have NCE, HND, OND certificates. So we have organized training for them on shoe making, cream, air freshener, liquid soap and bathing soap and when I asked the trainer the amount she used to get the materials and she said N16,000, I gave each of the participants N20,000.
You are actually changing the narrative because before this time, members of the House of Assembly hardly venture into empowerment programmes in a big way like you have done. Where are you getting funding for all these?
Let me tell you one thing, people have asked me that question. We are getting money here. This is 9th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon Yakub Salihu Danladi and not 8th Assembly. Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the executive governor of Kwara State has done wonderfully well to us in the House of Assembly. We are just like father and sons. We are getting money here; don’t ask me where I get money. I’m collecting salary. Out of this salary, you must set aside some amount, I call it ‘oronro ninu eran’ because if you don’t remove oronro ninu eran, the meat will taste bitter.
So you must remove this ‘oronro out of the eran’. I can tell you today that we are getting money and I’m going to make use of it; so far Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq ensures our salary and all the allowances are paid, so why won’t I get money?
Don’t you think this may make colleagues and others have strong dislike for you?
I don’t care. I am Honourable Owolabi Olatunde Razaq. I’m representing Share/Oke-Ode constituency. I need to change people’s opinion about me. Let me tell you one thing, many people did not believe in me, especially in my constituency.
When many people wanted to vote me, they only said let me just vote for this guy because we know he’s a crazy guy. I need to change that wrong opinion. I need to let people know that I’m a good politician.
I need to let people know that we must change the narrative; we must make our people happy. So this is what I’m doing and today, people have changed their opinion and they now say ‘Owolabi is a good man’ and I thank God for that. So we are getting money
You are the Chairman, House Committee on Health, what has been the experience so far? How would you assess the Kwara State health sector under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq?
There has been a lot of improvements in the health sector. Yesterday, the governor commissioned 120-bed hospital at Eiyenkorin. It’s a MDGs project but it was facilitated by this administration.
Go to hospitals in Kwara State and see things for yourself, many renovations have been done, even when you go to the general hospital in Ilorin now there is another project that is ongoing.
In the health sector, I will not deceive you, this administration has done creditably well and I thank God that we are moving to the next level.
You are a powerful dresser, who helps to choose your outfits?
Let me say Omobolanle. When you go to Babanloma, my hometown, if you ask people about Iya Salewa, Alhaja Asiawu Owolabi. She’s a very popular person in the community.
I have always been conscious of what I wear before I became a member of the house of assembly. I’m a fashionista so I make looking good a priority.
I wear jewellery, I wear designers all the time. So, it was not when I came to the assembly that I began to take care of my looks because I believe that the assembly cannot change me. It can only change me for good because it’s just four years. So I used to do all these things before getting here.
You are a very handsome and good-looking man and now that you have become a member of the house of assembly, how do you handle advances from women?
Before I became a state lawmaker, I was a womanizer. But the assembly has changed me for good because the Yoruba people say ‘Nkan ti won ba so e da ni won o fi bu e lola’.
You cannot see me at any joint in Ilorin. I don’t go to joints because I’m now a member of the house of assembly. I must avoid anything that can lead to situations that will taint my image.
About being a handsome man like you said, well I thank God for that. It is normal for people to admire you but you need to use common sense that you cannot be everywhere.
You were a LG lawmaker and now you’re a member of the House of Assembly, meaning that you’ve always been in the legislative arm of government.
Do you wish to retain that status or you’re thinking of porting to the executive arm of government?
There is nothing as good as being a lawmaker. If you are a legislator you can do so many things.
We have three arms of government; executive, judiciary and legislature. You can’t compare legislature with executive. The difference is quite clear, we make laws.
I became a councilor in Ifelodun local government in 2007. I was the first person that did second term in the history of Kwara State. I was a councilor between 2007 and 2010 and my community asked me to go for a 2nd term which I did from 2010 to 2013.
After that, I was a house of assembly candidate in 2015 but lost in the general election. I got elected four years later.
I am not thinking of 2nd term. It is only almighty God that knows the best. It is only almighty God that knows where I will go after completing my term But I am a politician and I will continue to be a politician.
Could you tell us about yourself?
Like I said earlier, Iam Owolabi Olatunde Razaq. I attended Muslim Primary School, Share. I later attended MCC Babanloma now Jamatul Nasirull’Islam.
I was at Oro Muslim High School, Oro where I completed my secondary education.
I later attended the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin where I studied Urban and Region Planning.
I ventured into politics and when I started I was just an errand boy because we used to carry bags for commissioners and Special Advisers.
Between 2001 and 2003 when the political war started between Late Admiral Muhammed Lawal and Baba Saraki, I joined Baba Saraki’s camp and I had a forum then; the Foresight Millennium Club. This club had members in Adewole ward, Ubandawaki, Badari, Alanamu, Ajikobi, Magaji ngeri, Oloje and Oju Ekun/Sarumi in Ilorin West LG.
This forum was so strong that I do have in-person meetings with Dr Bukola Saraki. So, after the election, which Bukola won, there was a local government election that produced Barrister Sikirulahi Sholagberu as Chairman.
So, my name was suggested for supervisory councilor position but some people objected to this and I was told that I am not from Ilorin West.
I had no option than to settle for my political mentor, Honourable Ambali Babatunde Subair’s Personal Assistant.
The appointment ended after three years and having seen the way the councilors were getting things done in Ilorin West then, I loved it; so I decided to go to Ifelodun local government to join the councillorship race.
Another one came up, the people in my ward in Babanloma said that I came from Ilorin and they were opposing me and I told them that I will use that Ilorin to get what I wanted. That was what I used then. I let them know that I’m a politician.
That was when I joined Baba Ogunshola’s camp in Babanloma because then we had two separate groups headed by Ajadi and Baba Ogunshola. I competed for the nomination along with 12 other candidates and I ultimately won.
Asking you to go for reelection in Ifelodun local government showed that they accepted you. What were the things that you did to get such level of support within three years?
These are the things I used to do then. I have continued to do it here. I’m a giver. I can spend any money for the people that need it at any point in time. And I know if one is a cheerful giver, he or she will never lack.
I went to tell our Speaker that people were asking me where and how I get money. The speaker laughed because he knows what we have collected so far in the 9th Assembly. As I’m talking to you, I have just one house in this government. I don’t have any other one and I don’t have any property. I sold my former house and I used the money for empowerment programmes. That is the reality.
We are paid salary and allowances. So, why won’t I get money?
Will you encourage your children to become politicians?
As at now, only one of my children has somewhat shown interest. I have three sons, one among them said he loves the way they hail me as ‘Owoooo’ and I asked him about his future ambition one day and he said he wants to become a politician. I laughed. They actually love football and all of them are playing football. I will support them to any level.
Are they also tall like you?
Amdulilah, they are tall and handsome.
So, they take after you or their mother?
They take after their father. For example, if someone comes to my house and gives them money, their mother cannot collect it from them, not until my arrival. They love me and I love them and they love their mother but I trust them.
Who are the people that have helped you to grow?
I want to pray for and appreciate the first mentor in my life, Honourable Babatunde Subair who served as Speaker of Ilorin West local government between 2004 and 2007.
Then there is one woman; Alhaja Amudat Onimago. I used to carry her bag at Saraki’s house. After that, I will like to appreciate late Prof. Hebert Folorunsho Ogunshola. If not for him, people may not know me in Ifelodun local government. He made me become a councilor. Today, people know me across Kwara State but Baba Ogunshola was my mentor before any other person and I appreciate him.
My current mentor is Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. I appreciate him deeply.
You are just too blunt. Some people will try to present their past as being rosy all the way. They will not also want to appreciate or acknowledge people who have impacted their lives?
That is what some people like about me and that is what some people hate about me. Owolabi Olatunde Razaq is a blunt person. I’m a straightforward person. Nobody is perfect but I do say the truth because I know it will lead me to where I’m going. Some people may say Owolabi is a very bad person. That is their view. While some may say Owolabi is a very good person, that’s also their opinion.
But who is Owolabi? He is a very straightforward person and they’ve given me a new name; ‘Oba of new generation in politics’.
You know we are young people and they have assessed me and they began to call me ‘Oba’. When I asked them that oba of what ? They said Oba of new generation in politics.
So as politicians we are bound to lie but we should promote truth over lies because doing this will take us to the next level.
