Awosika:. Our Leaders Have Not Done a Good Job at Bridging the Gaps in the Nation

Dr Tola Awosika who is seeking the Ondo Senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress is  passionate about giving back. His most recent project is a  medical factory 
Additionally, he is on the board of the Christian Benevolence Foundation. With a Master’s degree holder in Marketing from the University of Coventry, it makes him a well-rounded asset to any company and team. Awosika is a serial entrepreneur, economist, political enthusiiast who owns 355 Group, which has interests in Power, Oil & gas, Marine services, Construction, Pharmaceuticals 
restaurant and lounge. He spoke with Nseobong Okon-Ekong

Why do you think Nigeria’s leadership is still wobbly?

I think it is important for us to look at history and look at where Nigeria is coming from and look at where we are today. What we have been able to establish is post-independence and post-military rule to democracy; what our previous leaders have been able to do is take us from Phase 1 to Phase 2 , Phase 1 being giving us a democratic system of government and then stabilizing democracy. I think those things have been achieved by previous governments and we are grateful to people like President Olusegun Obasanjo who sacrificed a lot to achieve that stability. What we now have is trying to sustain our democracy. The reason I say our current government has been on wobbly ground is because we have not quite gotten the system of government correct-a system of government that works for us, a system of government that is not as expensive or as complex. I think the idea of federalism is good, but we are in such a complex country, with so many different tribes and languages and religious divides. We see that reflect in our political system.
There is a need to take a closer look at our system of government and see how best we can restructure our system as a country. How do we share our resources? How are we executing this system of government. The current system of government creates a lot of confusion and that is why there’s several meetings and discussions on restructuring. We are going to continue to be on wobbly grounds until we are able to restructure our entire system. Once we are able to do that any government that comes into power will be successful in terms of governance and executing true democracy and true federalism. Until we get some of those restructuring principles correct, it will be very difficult for us not to constantly take two steps forward and five steps back. I think that is one of the major issues for the inconsistencies we find in our country today.

Why is there so much hopelessness in Nigeria today?

Ironically, Nigerians are very resilient, tough and hopeful people. We strive for our daily bread. We strive for survival. It is the nature of Nigerians. It is the nature of Africans to always look for something that can make them survive; something that can make them a better life. We are naturally hard working people dedicated and devoted people, but we tend to get demotivated and tend to get a bit hopeless when we feel that our system of government, our leaders are not encouraging us. We put in so much into development, trying to give our families and our loved ones a better life and then the government keeps coming back with things that are just discouraging. 
People work tirelessly on three, four or five jobs and they have to deal with transportation issues, bad power infrastructure, bad telecommunications, poor health care and more recently diesel, cost of food-all those things are going up and it almost feels like every single time you feel the bucket, the bucket leaks and all the waters drains out; so, that is what gives people this sense of, “we are never going to get to the point where are are comfortable and we are not scared about tomorrow.” I think what the government needs to do now is to try and close the gap as far as some of those basic that can help society gain confidence in it’s government and its people-the infrastructure, benefits of being a citizen, good health care, education, access to clean water, good road network, welfare, minimum wage. These are the basic things that create hope. It will be very easy for Nigerians to feel comfortable and a lot more motivated when some of those things are put in place. As it is now, none of those things exist and people still get up every morning, go to work. People still go to churches, pray for our country and pray for our leaders. These are not hopeless people, it is just the situation they find themselves with the lack of a helping hand or the lack of drive or motivation from government that has caused people to feel like no matter what they do, they (people in authority) are going to keep doing the same thing and they will never get the results.

 How can we get Nigerians to focus on nationalism and patriotism, rather than having so much  conversations around ethnicity?

First of all we have to embrace our cultures in our multi-religious environment and unify it. Our leaders have not done a very good job at bridging the gap, in terms of those divisions. In fact, they have done the opposite. Nigeria is split into multiple countries and that is a result of leadership. What we need is to get leaders that unify this country. Leaders that will see a Nigerian as a Nigerian and not see a Nigerian as Yoruba-Nigerian or Hausa-Nigerian; a Christian-Nigerian or Moslem-Nigerian. We need to have that leader who will ensure that these divides are closed. Some of those things are the reasons we are where we are today. We have to unify. Unity is what leads to patriotism. When you are unified as a country, you are patriotic to the flag.
When there is no sense of unity that flag is already divided which means you are not going to get a lot of patriotic people. Our system of government, our current situation hasn’t really allowed people to be as patriotic as they want to be because they like government has not done its own part to secure the future of its citizens so it is not worth fighting for. If you look at the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine, you saw how citizens-billionaires, businessmen, ex-politicians stood up grabbed an AK-47 and put on a bulletproof vest to fight for their country. This can only happen when a country is united and it’s people are on the same page and the country’s government has done what it needs to do to ensure that the people are secure and the people’s interest comes as Number One. Unfortunately, we don’t have that in Nigeria. We are not there yet. Until we become more servant-leasers as opposed to the people serving the leaders; until that narrative changes where true service is about the needs and the desires of the people; until that narrative changes where politicians don’t feel like they are doing people a favour, things are not going to change and we are not to be able to change any narrative. That narrative of divide and rule basically embodies what we are talking about. People don’t have that sense of patriotism because of the system of government. What our leaders have produced is segregated and one-sided leadership and until we are able to unite as a people; as one country.
People don’t have confidence in the system. They have segregated us as a people. Until we are able to unite and move as one country, we are never going to be able to get that patriotism to the flag. That is what needs to change and only genuine leaders, compassionate leaders, selfless leaders  are able to that.

What premium do you place on your family name? Does it open does or you are confident to run on your own steam?

Growing up as a child, my parents always said one thing, “Anyone can make money. Anyone can be successful. There are certain principles that you follow in life and you will certainly get to that destination. However, not everyone understands the values behind having a good name and having a good reputation.” There are all kinds of businessmen. There are businessmen who do legal business. There are businessmen who do illegal businesses. What differentiates them is people who care about their name and reputation. I am grateful to God that I have imbibed this principle for as long as I have been able to conceive ideas and from a very young age-do not let anything supercede your reputation, what you stand for, your integrity and your name. I am very grateful to God that a foundation was laid as far as my family name is concerned. For generations to come that foundation is always going to remain strong. It’s been consistent. My family name, in my home state and across the country, it always rings a bell and when it does, by the Grace of God, it has been in a positive way and not in the negative. That is one major thing. As a businessman that opens doors for me. It gave me a lot of in-roads; a lot of listening ears. People are willing to what I have to say. It gives me a lot of leverage and I believe in politics, it is going to do the same. There are a lot of people who are willing to hear me out and give a chance, to give support and back me, based on the family name and I think it is extremely important. The reason we are given a name when we are born is because a name is an identity. 
When you ask if I am good enough to run on my own, I will say, ‘no.” I am not a nameless person. When I was born, I was given a name whether that name is a good or bad name, you were given a name. I am grateful to God I rose. The name that was given to me has a good representation and a good following and I am more than proud to run on that name and to use that name to best of my advantage. However, with all sense of humility, what a name does is it opens the door. It is up to you when you walk through those doors what impression are they going to have of you and what is going to happen when you leave that room? Are you going to leave the door open or is it going to be shut? By the special grace of God, everything I have learnt and everything the family has been able to achieve, I on the other hand have been able to create my own identity. I have able to build on what already exists and even propel it to greater heights in areas of business that the family was not able to touch in the different sectors that I have gone into I have been able to propel the family name and be home my own man as far as the Awosika brand, what I do and what I represent, which, of course, is one of the reasons I am in this race. I feel that my brand and what I represent that brand that character, that commitment, the bold ideas, the attitude to serve, to always want to give back and make society better is what has led me into this race and that is what is going to make me sustain those principle, because you can’t give what you don’t have and these are that I have built as a young businessman, as a young adult. This is what I have to bring to the table. I am going to be carrying all those different characteristics into the public sector as I have proven in the private sector that it can be done. I believe in the public sector, it won’t be a challenge to do so.

 Do you consider yourself sufficiently equipped to make a bid for the Senate?

I have spent well over one decade in the private sector establishing and identifying my biggest strength as a human being, as a young adult, as a businessman. With all sense of humility, I don’t think we have done a bad job in terms of job creation, creating structures which have multiplied itself going different sectors, penetrating sectors that ordinarily people will be scared of, establishing myself and becoming a force to reckon with, using the same principle, experience and combined with my exposure, it is more than enough for the job. What the Green and Red Chambers require is true representation and communication, by virtue of being compassionate, by virtue of being responsible to the people. This is a democracy. This is a job dedicated to serve the people both internally and externally. As a businessman and philanthropist, we have been doing this. This platform is only going to give us a more holistic view of how wide

What promise does your aspiration hold for your people?

I think for the first time in a very long time, the can look forward to true representation-someone you can relate to, someone you can talk to, someone you can have access to, someone you can communicate with. Sometimes you win election and you lose the people
 Other times you win the people and you lose election. It is also a unique time in our country’s history when we need to try some different. We need to bring fresh faces into mainstream politics. We need to bring bold ideas from courageous and bold people of a younger age bracket to ensure that there is true representation that actually matches with the desire of the electorate. We are a country that has over 70 percent of our population to be over 40 years. There is no reason why we should be governed by people who are almost double or three times their age. No harm intended people are a lot more open when they are with people closer to their age bracket.
In terms of culture as a nation we tend to have a lot of respect for our elders. The older you are it is a lot more difficult for you to communicate with your children. People have seen the hope in me. I don’t intend to disappoint them. I won’t disappoint them. We are going go the full nine yards on this journey and by the special grace of God, we are going to come our successful.

QUOTE

I feel that my brand and what I represent that brand that character, that commitment, the bold ideas, the attitude to serve, to always want to give back and make society better is what has led me into this race and that is what is going to make me sustain those principle, because you can’t give what you don’t have and these are that I have built as a young businessman, as a young adult. This is what I have to bring to the table. I am going to be carrying all those different characteristics into the public sector as I have proven in the private sector that it can be done. I believe in the public sector, it won’t be a challenge to do so.