WHY I WANT TO BE IKOSI-ISHERI COUNCIL BOSS -Fatoki 

Honourable Kehinde Fatoki is one of the few people that hopes professionals should emerge at the helms of affairs when it comes to anchoring the of Local government administration. He is a trained banker, asset management expert, a contractor and a politician who has got himself engaged in many social, community and humanitarian activities. 

I was born in Massey children Hospital, Lagos island  in the 70’s, I had part of my growing up on Lagos island as well. I had my tertiary institution in Zaria and Lagos state, and my Career and working experience span through different sectors of the industries: Banking, Insurance, Advertising/Marketing and public service. Acquired skills and knowledge in the area of Administration, Financial management, Asset Portfolio management (Treasury), Marketing/Advertising, Banking software, Business Acumen and politics. Through trainings  from different institutions i.e. IBFC Agustos, Universal Anchor Limited, Tom Associate, Expert Edge, And Political Associates. I have been in the political scene from my days of unionism to party politics ; a card carry member of Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress of Nigeria and now All progressive congress in different capacity .

A trained Banker by profession, an asset management expert, now a proud entrepreneur, I am the CEO of Louise & Jacobs Resources .I was Special Assistant to the immediate past Executive Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, member of media committee of Ambode Support Group, an administrator of a tweeter handle for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (Ambode_2015)

According to John Moyers, “Ideas are great arrows but there has to be a bow, politics is the bow of political idealism” I HAVE IDEAS. Failure is inevitable when one sits down and does nothing with what you have while moaning about what you don’t have, I always tell my party people that If politics/governance to your definition is deceit; then you know it better than me, but if politics/governance is service to the community then I think I can do better than you claimed to have done. 

More so politics has been left in the hand of those who do not know what governance is all about, a lot of us can not define the difference between Politics and Governance, what majority of our politicians knows is Politics, that is, the social relations involving intrigues to gain authority or power, the act of maneuvering the people to vote and not Governance; the act of governing! Administration of people and available resources. This calls for professional intervention in politics, the act of accountability, project management and human management goes a long way in the act of governing and delivering the dividend of Democracy to the electorate. Politic and governance go hand in hand to give selfless leadership and service to the people. That’s why people like us got involved in politics. 

My experience in the private sector will help me achieve that. By virtue of my portfolio as a Treasurer, I managed liquid asset of about N15billion through Trading , and finances real estate worth billions of naira in Lagos, Abuja and Portharcourt while i worked intelligent people in different departments/organizations. All these together settles it, it’s just for me to share my wealth of privilege experiences acquired with the council, the community and my fellow politicians.

Constitutionally; am qualified. Ideologically; I have ideas, vision and programs for my people. Democratically; I can vote and be voted for; and politically it’s our time, the youth!

More so, I have the temperament, competence and capacity to deliver, I am ready to challenge the incompetency of any government that cannot add value to its constituency, we need people that can inculcate leadership values and training in youths as a sustainable way of grooming future leaders,because the only way people’s  votes can count is by getting values for it. More importantly, my ambition is not by all means, but by Gods  means!

No, I am not an Awori man but a Nigerian

‘Aworis’ are agitating that they have being marginalised as council executives, “Awori lo kan” like they have been saying, what is your take on this?

Awori ki ti gbe ooo? I will like to appreciate the whole Awori indigene, especially our own Onikosi of Ikosi land, the Alaketu of Ketu and the Baales around in the community. They are very accommodating, I have many of their children as political colleagues and friends. It’s been a peaceful coexistence between the Aworis and other people in the community. 

In as much as I sincerely appreciate their agitation, which is democratic as well allowed under the law as freedom of expression and association, that is the beauty of Democracy, but we have to be very careful here, we must do things according to the rules of the game, the game here is politics and the question here is how has it been done? Has the game been rotational?

Is the game by selection or election? What does the rules say?

Personally, If the Aworis felt “sidelined” or marginalised, just like the Biafra agitators let them communicate to the party leadership and express their feelings. It is all about Democracy , it’s all about people ,It’s all about good governance. 

Yes, I am coming with a visionary leadership. We need to CHANGE the notion that ,there is nothing to show for the free flow of cash that goes to the Local Government councils treasury. We need to learn how to create values. We need to reduce the over dependence on transfers from the centre for our expenditures. We need to improve the local economy of the people through infrastructural development, building and rehabilitation of infrastructures, investments in access roads, and renovating/upgrading of schools facilities, health centres, motor parks and markets. We need to remove our youth from the net of redundancy. We need to challenge the incompetence in local government administration. All these have been hindering our development as a local council, as a business, an household and as individuals, while a lot of our collective resources have been mismanaged.

A leadership that involves serving others and adding value to the community, A leadership that is full of innovativeness and creativity, A leadership that is all inclusive ,A leadership of good governance, community involvement and youth participation.

Interesting!! My manifesto has a constructive relationship with the party, the state and its policy environment as it supports local economies and development ,which will enables us to make a difference in our community.

According to a US writer Alvin Toffer “A corporation without a strategy is like an airplane weaving through stormy skies, hurled up and down, slammed by the wind, lost in the thunder. If lighting or crushing wind don’t destroy it, it will simply run out of gas”.

 I realize that a lot of our people that aspires at the level of local government don’t have an action plans and programs for their Government, it is very sadden, and that is why they don’t achieve anything after their tenure expires.

It is very impossible for me to exhaustively deal with my manifestos content through this interview segment, but watch out for it in print, it covers area like Servant Leadership, Security, Health and Wellness, Education, Community involvement ,Infrastructure, Transportation, Youth and Sport, Local Government Administration, Job creation, Poverty Alleviation programs ,Market and Civil abuse desk. Much of the content of all these are in black and white in my Manifestos which will be in circulation soon. Yes, very soon I said! 

More so in my manifestos is this project on Okada and Marwa operators; which is all inclusive and beneficial to all parties i.e the Unions ,the Community and the local government, the project thrust aimed at improving security, enhancing service delivery, improving income generation and job creation. I believe it is sellable in all local governments.

It is an awesome idea. That is what I call the real government. As a member and an Auditor of one of the CDA’s – Aiyedere Community Development Association in Ikosi-Isheri I believe it is a way of connecting the government with the real people, this is how governance can be felt at the grassroot. It is a good check on the Local Government administration and a way of hearing the plight of the people. I personally respect that good idea.

Kosofe is a very strong political constituency in Lagos state. I will first salute the crops of leaders we have among us, we respect them so much and they as well extend the servant leadership attitude to us their followers. One of our leaders has been the engine room of the Lagos state House of Assembly, so the others on the party executives and leadership role. They are leaders to mentor in a way. They have not disappointed us for once and I believe they will keep it up with the CHANGE mantra in the society now. 

In my LCDA, Ikosi-Isheri, we have very enlightened set of people that spread across Magodo phase1and 2, Omole phase 2, Unilag Estate ,Ikosi GRA, Ikosi community, Isheri-Olowora, Mile 12, Ajegunle, Idera, Shangisha and others, the residents in these communities are well read, politically exposed and experienced. We have high level of political awareness in all these communities now, it is all about who? What? Are you a visionary leader? What are your deliverables? Who are you on your street? What are your antecedents in the community? 

Very importantly, I will appeal to our leaders to be very diplomatic in the area of choice of candidates to represent the people; personally, I am concerned, because it is our party! It is not  business as usual. The era of CHANGE has come; competency, transparency and accountability is the order of the day.

A selfless service government. A proactive government. A servant leadership government. A listening government. A government that gives back to the society ,we need to give back to the community, it is not about we the politicians alone, community first.

Hmm! There is no perfection anywhere, but a listening government achieves more, some of our political office holders lack the will to listen! One of such thing is thinking you are superior to the masses that voted you or appoints you , No! You ought to be a servant leader .They deserve your attention, regular town-hall meetings is essential for the growth of the community and the government.

Secondly, our political office holders at the local government level tend towards revenue collections than been service driven to the community, meanwhile understanding of the immediate needs of the community I.e – avoidable healthcare system, infrastructure development, improved environmental sanitation and a reasonable level of security is very germane, addressing these needs in a demonstrable and visible way before generating your revenue to provide more services is key.

Role models? I appreciate the fact that you pluralize the “Models”. To pick a role model, it means there are characters, Attitude, Values, Moral in such a person you choose as your model….my Main role model is my creator; God Almighty, thou i have not really model him fully. 

In the area of politics, hmmmm! No one but, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu; in the area of Values & Morals, Chief Adebisi Bamidele Akande; in the area of Governance, Babatunde Raji Fashola; and more governance /selfless service ;Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode; The consolidator and when it come to CHANGE,” Sai Baba” President Mohammed Buhari.

I will start with a quote by Bertolt Brecht who says :-

“The worst illiterate is the political illiterate. He hears nothing, sees nothing, takes no part in political life. He doesn’t seem to know that the cost of living, the price of beans, of flour, of rent, of medicines, all depend on political decisions. He even prides himself on his political ignorance, sticks out his chest and says he hates politics. He doesn’t know, the imbecile, that is from his political non-participation comes the prostitute, the abandoned child, the robber and, worst of all, 

Corrupt officials, the lackeys of exploitative multinational corporations”. 

The 2015 elections changed a lot of things about our democracy and elections. The political illiteracy in us led us all to ignore the power that belongs to us as a people, unfortunately, the harsh economy situation pushed us out ,opened our eyes, opened our hears to know that politics dictates everything and non participation is a problem.

We should give kudos to our party APC as opposition then, with the doggedity of our leaders towards the government in power and more also to the election umpire INEC, led by Professor Attahiru Jega. It is now glaring that free and fair election with right candidate can lead to good governance. This builds confidence in people that their votes count.

In Nigeria politics, we have inculcated the “baba sope” meaning godfatherism syndrome as part of our political ideology. In another school of thought, we refer to it as internal democracy; it is internal because, it is a practice within the party members only. What the people refer to as ‘Baba sope’ is what I will call Leader or Leadership. It is a way of the party leader(s) as the case may be, presenting a candidate to represent the party. This might be based on experience or competence.

In the scripture, The Bible, God anointed Jesus Christ as His beloved son in whom He is well pleased; in The family circle, we have the favorite child; even among many wives we still have the favorite one, for those that have more than one wife. So, it is in Politics!

The unfortunate part of it is when a wrong ‘godson’ is presented as party candidate, someone that does not have the capacity to govern, who is not ready to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people, instead he enriches himself or herself or his godfather at the detriment of the people’s resources.

The interesting part of Baba sope is when it is being done democratically, by way of godfather conducting a transparent opinion poll among members, community or ‘godsons’. It will reduce a lot of violence and chaos, but if it is by forcing an individual on the party, it is dangerous! The latter is better not tested in today’s politics. Therefore, ‘Baba sope’ has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on its application. I believe the next local government election will produce the people’s choice.

Admittedly, its trial time for the nation, for our President and our party ! CHANGE is a process and we have hope in the CHANGE that we advocate, believe in our mandate.

The new government met a lot of rot and institutional decay, more so the over dependent on oil which is our main source of revenue, is not yielding as it used to. I will say according to one of my mentor “This household has lost its bread winner.” Presently, we are developing a new set of bread winners i.e Agriculture and Mineral resources. But with or without oil, our government is working harder through dedicated ministers to tap into other areas of non oil revenue generation like Customs, Mineral resources, foreign investment, export promotion etc. It is a matter of time, It is quite unfortunate, as a nation we are too carried away with a lot of party politics. This has caused a lot of the people, whom I refer to as “doubting Thomases” to keep wailing.

Create value of course. …Eradicating poverty is not only by given wrong material to wrong people; they will still come back for wrong reasons! Improved infrastructure can lead to employment generation. Improved transportation system can create more jobs. Improved Education policies can change our mentality of issues; more so poverty of the mind can be tackle through good education of the people, teach them how to fish, stop given them fish to eat! Teach entrepreneurship and equip the trainees. All these will invariably reduce poverty.

CHANGE ! CHANGE !! CHANGE!!!, It is only a blind man that will say the change has not come, it’s here and it has come to stay. It is a gradual process, what has been destroyed for years can’t be fix in a day! A lot have changed.

Is it the institutional reforms? Is it the revenue leakages that has been blocked, TSA.? Is it the heavy recovery of out looted funds? Is it the wings of corruption that has been cut? Is the Budget padding that has been discovered? Is it the numbers of Ghost workers discovered? Is it the looted funds that are about to be repatriated? When you check the effect of all these on the nation, then you will appreciate the CHANGE we preach.

I Fatoki Ayobode Kehinde do solemnly promise the people of Ikosi-Isheri and my leaders that if given the party ticket in the forth coming Local Government election, I will CHANGE the Mind, Value and views of the people on governance. My Aspiration is not by all means but by God’s means.

I am so passionate about my community…Ikosi Isheri LCDA

Itesiwaju Eko…l’oje wa l’ogun.