Gboyega Akosile, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State is an experienced and skilled journalist with a demonstrated history of excellence in the media and communication industry. Akosile, a business development professional with a MBA in Business Administration from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, a thespian-writer and producer with a Master degree in Theater Arts from University of Lagos, spoke to the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT in his office about his first love, journalism; as reporter and news producer, his current job, lifestyle and more. Excerpts…
Tell us the difference between your former job as chief press secretary and your new job as Special Adviser to the governor on media and publicity.
It’s not very different from the previous designation. The only addition to it is that you have more tasks and you’re also a little more elevated than before. For example, the previous position, one was on Level 15 or 16 or thereabout. And now you’re on Level 17, that’s about two levels above where I was before. It also gives me the opportunity to be at the table where some key decisions are made, unlike before when those decisions would have been made and they would just hand them to me. Now, I am part of those who make decisions and my inputs are well recognized. That’s basically the difference between then and now. However, the two of them are interrelated in such a way that they work in the same capacity for the projection of Mr Governor’s works and image and what Lagos State stands for and what the government is doing to elevate the standards of living of people of Lagos State.
You went into journalism practice hoping to get to the peak and probably retire. Did you expect to find yourself in government?
To be honest with you, my default person has always been speaking truth to power. By the way, I’m a product of creative arts. I am a student of the Wole Soyinkas of this world, Chinua Achebes of this world, I am a student of the J.P Clark’s of this world,; the Felas of this world, the Bongos Ikwes of this world, all of the great artists that you can think of. Those are the people that I was following. You’d found out that, coming from that background, there was a bit of a radical side of me. Those people that I was following want one thing in common; they want a functional society, they want a good country. That’s what really led me into broadcast journalism. When I left the drama school, I veered into journalism. I never thought of working with the government. In 1999, I had an opportunity to join the government when an uncle who was then the chief of staff to the former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lai Muhammed asked us to join the government. I declined. I said being part of the government was not for me. I just wanted to be a reporter. I was very happy reporting, doing stories on a daily basis. I loved my job. I rose through the ranks in journalism and I was beginning to see the world in a different way. Then I left the newsroom and started my own media consultancy business before the opportunity to serve in government came. So, I wasn’t really expecting to be in government. It’s something that came along the line. I saw it as a calling and I also saw it as an opportunity to do something different. And it has been a very wonderful experience. I’ve learned new things, I’ve unlearned as well. I am not regretting it because it has been very rewarding.
How would you compare your view about the government now that you’re part of it and when you have not joined the government?
I used to be one of the critics of the government. But I am different from others. I would seek to clarify any news item or any story. But I was very critical of the government. Let’s be honest with ourselves; successive governments in the past have failed Nigerians. And you cannot as a Nigerian citizen avoid being critical of the government. There’s that love deficit between the citizens and those in government. So, when I came on board I found out that in reality, those in government are not magicians. I found out that they are actually doing a lot of work to make the state and the country function. Do you know that sometimes they don’t even sleep? They don’t sleep just to ensure that the state functions well. It’s a lot of work that they do. It’s when I came on board that I realized that it’s not easy. Now I’m better equipped. That’s why I told you earlier that I have learned new things and I have unlearned old things. So, when I leave the government I am better equipped than someone who has never really worked with the government and doesn’t know how things really work in the government. I can better report with clarity of mind and purpose when I go back to journalism, given my background both in journalism and the public sector.
There’s the notion that people don’t like to leave once they’ve tasted public office; why are you considering going back to private life?
Work is work. I see this as work. This government work has an expiration date. Once it expires I have to go to another job. My initial work is broadcast journalism. I still have to continue to work because I would be in my mid-50s then. So I have to continue working till I’m 65, then I’ll retire (laughs).
You want to leave behind the perks and go back to hustle…?
General laughter… Well, if you mean all those perks of office, I want to tell you that there’s no place where you don’t have good sides. You may not have all the money in the world, but in broadcast journalism where I was coming from, we had a good life. I may not have all the money; in fact even right now I still don’t have all the money. But there’s something about happiness, about joy. If you find joy in what you do, you would want to be there. The question you should ask me is, do I miss the newsroom? I would say yes, I miss the newsroom. There are times I see stories and I wish I was in the newsroom. Look at what is going on today where fake news is the order of the day; where we don’t have too many strong, aggressive reporters again. For example, there are some television stations that do not have any reason being on air. When I watch them I say to myself that ‘ah, where Gboyega Akosile is, this kind of person should not be talking’. when I watch some of them I say to myself, ‘these guys are killing broadcast journalism’. Without being immodest, and to the best of my ability, I think I know that job very well. At such times I miss my journalism. But I have a job at hand and I still have to complete what I’m doing before I decide on my next line of action.
What would be your response if your principal, Governor Sanwo-Olu asks you to move with him in politics after the expiration of his terms as governor?
We have to wait for that time. I’m not one of those who say with certainty that this is what is happening tomorrow. Let’s leave everything in the hand of God. But one thing is certain; if we have life, we’re still surviving and we’re still living, whatever my boss wants me to do, I would always oblige him. He’s someone I love and respect so much. Under normal circumstances I won’t say no to him.
Do you still relate with your friends the same way you were to them before you rose to your new status?
I believe this is just a workplace. It’s just an office. Why would I change as a person because I’m occupying a political office? It doesn’t make any sense. I still use the only phone line that I’ve been using for years, that you too know. I have a second line but I don’t use that regularly. I don’t even know the number in my head. I hardly use it and it’s strange when someone calls me on it. I drive myself except we’re on official assignments. I’m practically very down-to-earth. I refuse to cultivate new friends in exclusive places like the Island. All of my friends are still on the Mainland, including you (laughter). with my current status I could have gone to the Island to make new friends. If I have any friends on the Island, they’re probably some of my friends on the Mainland who just made money and decided to live on the Island. I don’t know any clubs on the Island. If I have to do anything on the Island and it’s not an official matter or business related, I don’t go there. For me, my old friends are better than the new friends. The new friends, I think, are just there because of your office. The moment you leave the office you won’t find them again. It is the friends who have been with you that will see. That’s why I still make sure that we roll together so that there’s no vacuum by the time we leave office (laughter). It’s just wise enough for one not to change because you’re in office.
Tell us what you know about the personality of your principal, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
I am very lucky to have worked with a very humble, very humane and deeply wise gentleman called Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. I’m saying this not because he’s my principal. I’m saying it, God bears me witness, because he has those qualities. He’s a fantastic human being. He’s a very deep thinker and God has really been kind to him. I think it’s because of the kind of person he is that God has been blessing him. His actual appearance is not different from what he is in private. He listens when you talk to him. He doesn’t pretend. And he doesn’t like you pretending in front of him. He doesn’t keep secrets. If you want to say something to him in whispers where there are others, he would tell you to say what you want to say in the presence of others. He would say ‘say it nah, all of us are the same thing’. that means, if you’re not sure of what you want to say, don’t go to him. Except that matter is strictly private and confidential. Otherwise, don’t go to him to gossip about somebody else; he doesn’t entertain gossip. He is that kind of a personality. Lagos State is blessed to have him.
