As political activities gather momentum ahead of the next electoral cycle in Ondo State, new voices continue to emerge with fresh ideas and strong grassroots appeal. One of such aspirants is Folusola Afolabi, a town planning professional, entrepreneur, and former student leader, seeking to represent Owo Constituency II in the Ondo State House of Assembly.
In this interview, he speaks on his background, political journey, vision for effective representation, and strategies for addressing key challenges facing his constituency and the state.
Excerpt
Give a brief profile of yourself and your political journey so far?
I began my education at St. James Anglican Primary School before moving to Adeolu Public Primary School, Owo. I later attended Imade College for my secondary education. Thereafter, I proceeded to Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, where I studied Geography and Planning.
As a student, I was actively involved in unionism, serving as a student union leader for three consecutive years. I was also a member of the Student Representative Council and served as the caucus leader of my faculty, which gave me valuable legislative experience early in life.
After my degree, I completed my NYSC in Kogi State and subsequently worked with a political appointee under the administration of former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, where I served as a Special Assistant for several years.
I later obtained a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Beyond academics and politics, I have also served my community as the chairman of my estate for four years, recording notable achievements.
Having lived all my life in Ondo State and observed governance since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, I believe it is time for my generation to step forward. With my academic background and experience, I am confident that I have what it takes to represent my people effectively.
What inspired your ambition despite the challenges in Nigerian politics—such as incumbency advantage, financial influence and reliance on elite connections rather than grassroots support? In a system where candidates are sometimes imposed on the people, how do you plan to navigate these obstacles and successfully achieve your ambition?
From the beginning of life, I have seen myself as self-motivated and target-oriented. I mentioned places where I have worked. But I didn’t mention to you that in 2012, I joined some partners to incorporate the business, Jobs A17 Investment Nigeria Ltd.. We are into building contracts, real and personal properties. We do automobile business. And I’m the managing director of that corporate body.
By the grace of God, I’ve been driving this body from scratch. And today, we have recognition even abroad. I have what it takes to move people forward.
I’m a team player. And I know for sure, one thing about legislation is teamwork. There is no unilateral decision on the floor of the parliament except for a unanimous decision.
And when you are coming with any drive, you must be a team player. I’m sure I have the positive mind to influence others positively to achieve their goal. I have seen that some people are in the House of Assembly
A good number of people have been to the assembly without knowing the legislative functions of the assembly. Some, by virtue of politics, were picked and positioned. Getting to the office, they forgot that they are representative of the people. They are only there representing themselves. I have seen at the level of our constituency, for years, a good number of them have come on board. I can only say that one of them tried to reach out across the board.
People are complaining because of neglect. A good number of legislators who just leave Akure for their base. No recourse to the people they tend to represent.
And when you talk of legislation and legislative role, it’s not about an individual’s idea. There is no way you can plan for people without getting the stakeholders involved in your planning process. So I know that a good number of people out there are aspiring for this position. As a person, I have been to the Student Legislative Council, which is far different from public policies. And the public policies as well, I have been in politics for years. I know how things run.
The influence of money cannot be undermined. But the good influence of an individual, the good name an individual has, speaks volumes, more than money. Our people are not foolish enough to believe so much in what money can do.
They know it takes a man to drive the influence of money. People’s conscience cannot be bought, as people always believe or usually believe. This time I have seen my people craving and clamoring for a representation that has the intent and good mind of the people.
That person has the desire to drive and push for the growth of our society. A good number of things have come up in recent times.
I think I should give you a brief profile of Owo Constituency Two. It has six wards: Ipele, Iyere, Ijebu-1, Ijebu-2, Isaipen and USO-Emure-Ile. And as I speak with you, I have been to all six wards. I have related with the major traditional rulers and stakeholders in the areas.
From my findings, I realize that a good number of people, the moment they go to the assembly, never have recourse to the people. And by the grace of God, my interaction with these traditional rulers and political leaders in these wards has given me a clear path on where to go. It is a fact that representation goes beyond my ward.
It’s about Ondo State per se. An individual is coming from the constituency to represent our ward in the Ondo Assembly. It is about the growth of Ondo State. It’s about development in Ondo State. It’s about governance in Ondo State. No legislature can formulate policy. They only legislate to back up policies. And the governor, no individual is an island of knowledge. The governor needs creative people, innovative people. Somebody who can motivate ideas and drive points on the board, convincing the populace. I believe that I have what it takes to represent my people and I’m coming on board to do just that. Support Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa with creative ideas that will move Ondo State forward.
People crave for development, development is not a loan, but we need a development that is sustainable. And over time, over the years, I have seen that when an administration leaves office, the policy of that administration is almost abandoned or partly abandoned.
As a town planner, I know that when you want to develop a plan for a region or for an area, you need to bring the stakeholders on board. And 3I’s Initiative followed that pattern. Getting to the people, you cannot give a value to an adult without getting the consent of that adult.
Every individual faces differences, and so do our own desires. You need to bring people on board to know what their own desires are. What you prioritize may be different from what I prioritize.
You may desire to have a house first, while I desire to have a car first. So if you now come as a governor and you want to build a house for me, when I desire to have a car, you have done well, but you have not met my priority. So these are the things I believe that there is a need for legislation to back up policies that would go the way of reaching out to the masses and the grassroots.
And at the state level, the most influential arm is the legislative arm in reaching the grassroots.
Who is your political godfather or role model?
Almighty God. I have learned about individuals. Almighty God emerged as a political figure by principle, by terms. He made himself. I do not want to depend on an individual. I want to see God as my role model. I relate well with people but I see God as having the best standard that can be followed without missing the parts.
What are the major challenges facing your constituency?
I believe in Nigeria today, the problems or the challenges in my community are peculiar. And the same applies to my constituency. One thing I believe we can do, given the level of unemployment is very high. And as a town planner, right from my school days, I have discovered that that agency or that organ has been well sidelined. The urban and regional planning organ in a state has the capacity to generate IGR that is competitive. How do I mean? Through urban and regional planning, there is no building that is supposed to be developed without a building plan approval.
If this arm is well taken and well managed, well empowered and well overseen, there is one thing I want you to understand. There are numerous teams. It’s teamwork, it’s not an individual project.
When you want to get a building plan approved, you need a land surveyor to demarcate the land. To give you the survey plan, if it’s a mandate that an individual should have a building plan approver, for an individual to have a building plan approver, a surveyor will work. Definitely, there is employment for a surveyor or an engagement for a surveyor.
After that, an architect will develop a plan and bring it to the town planning office. An engineer, a civil engineer, is expected to work on such an architectural design.
If it’s a major project to develop structural drawings and all.
By the time you empower the town planning units, I am telling you, you will employ a good number of people. In town planning, there is a development control unit. (This is the department in the planning unit that goes about overseeing development in different areas.
I was going to Alagbaka just two days ago. I saw a development along this new road constructed behind SIB. It’s an ugly sight.
And thank God, I noticed it’s been mapped. There was no approver given. That structure was positioned very close to a junction.
That creates a natural visual intrusion. I believe if our people, if we are going to talk about employment, the town planning unit alone, empowering the planning authority is a way of improving employment.
Secondly, I mentioned 3I’s initiative. It’s about industry. It’s about reaching out to the grassroots. What is it that is peculiar to a particular environment? I’m coming from Owo constituency two, the assembly in Ondo. My representation is for Ondo State, not for the Owo constituency. I am just a representative from Owo constituency, who is coming to a pool of brains that will move Ondo State forward in the coming administration.
If you go to Akoko, most people are into farming. If you go to the riverine area, they are into fishing. And I learnt in economics in those days, the comparative advantage theory states that a country should specialize in the production of goods in which it has the greatest comparative advantage or the least comparative disadvantage.
If you know that farming is thriving in Akoko, why don’t you empower the Akoko people to mechanized farming? Why not set up a board, legislate that there should be a board that will buy their produce? (18:34) Because most times when they make production in a large quantity, they do not have a good market for it. By reason of the law of supply and demand. When the supply is high, prices fall.
And that does not reduce the cost of production. So there is a need for us to look into this. What policies do we make? We legislate, let there be a body that oversees the farming aspects.
When you are doing that, when you set up an agency, definitely people will be employed to handle that agency. When you set up an association, people will be assigned to represent, to stand as first among equals. So I believe there are numerous ways by which we can improve employment in those states.
Nigeria appears to be experiencing a growing housing deficit, with fewer reports of new housing developments in recent times. In the past, initiatives like the Shagari low-cost housing units in Akure provided affordable options for many citizens. Given the central role of urban planning in addressing this issue, what concrete steps would you take to improve housing availability, particularly for low-income earners, artisans and emerging entrepreneurs?
Thank you. Through my study in those states over the years, and even from the general study, I have understood that there is this perceived opportunity in urban areas that attracts people from rural areas into the urban centers, which makes housing a more challenging issue in urban areas. Addressing it should be holistic, not specific, because if we are to address housing issues in Akure, we may not be able to achieve that if we do not address it in the rural areas.
The people in the rural area, they are migrating out of the rural area to the urban center. That moment you are experiencing rural decay, and the people who move to the urban area are causing the issue of urban deterioration. A room that should accommodate like three, maximum, is accommodating like six.
When you have six in a room, the utilities in that premises are pressurized. There will be an outburst when there is pressure. This outburst is what we see, the rift effect all over.
Presently in Akure, a two-bedroom flat is going for over 1.2, 1.5, 2 million.. Yes, in good locations, in good buildings. I think the best way to address this issue is to create growth centers across those states.
When you have activities that are very interesting to people, that catch the attention of people, you know what people really do. In other areas. Like having a farm center outside Akure, where there is a good expanse of land to farm. A large population will move towards that area to oversee the farming aspects.
By that, you make low-cost housing in that farm settlement, and you have reduced the pressure in the city center. Coming to the city center, there is no way the government can single-handedly undo the housing challenges. And now you see that people have been going into public-private partnerships, engaging developers. The government has authority over the land, bringing them in. Let investors invest their money to develop the properties and have a turn.
Why did you choose your political party?
By the grace of God, I have been a strong member of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. That’s where I started life from.
When former governor Mimiko moved to the Labour Party, I was on the train that joined the Labour Party. When he moved back to PDP, I returned to PDP.
Over the years, I have seen the way things have gone. There is no way you have a large house that you won’t have your challenges. Over the years, when the All Progressive Party APC came, there was nothing like APC from the inception of this fourth republic.
We had AD that changed to AC, from AC to ACN, from ACN to APC. When people were gathering, forming this party, they came with a lofty policy, lofty ideas. In fact, they had a lofty symbol, the broom.
But unfortunately, I have observed over the years that a great number of followers don’t know the significance of the broom model. We are all here, and we know the uses of a broom. A broom can be used for sanitation, it can be used for sanctification. A broom can be used for security. In the olden days, when you had your stuff, you didn’t want people to tamper with it, you placed a broom on it. Yes! And a broom is even a symbol of unity.
There is no way you can stand as a community without being united. There is a saying, ” United we stand, divided we fall. If we can build a formidable team, if we are united, the only thing that can unite us is when there is justice. Injustice cannot unite any house. For unity to stand, you must embrace justice. And if you look at my campaign so far, or my introduction, what I use is ‘SOLUTION’.
Solution is an acronym I coined by myself. I sat down, I looked into the terrain, and I said to myself, there is something I can do. And how do I go about it? I have to christen a name for my idea. My campaign philosophy is captured in the acronym “SOLUTION,” which represents my vision for purposeful and people-driven leadership. The S in the acronym stands for Sui generis. Sui generis is a Latin word for unique. O is for orientation. Our people are in the midst of plenty, yet we are suffering. Why? Because there is no proper information, there is no proper orientation.
People believe that if you go into politics, what you go there to do is to siphon. No, it’s not about embezzling things. Politics is an arena, and by the simplest definition is the authoritative allocation of resources.
How do you assess Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration?
Yeah, there is no way you assess a government that every day we work as individuals, as the head of the state, the government is working, but there can be improvements, depending on its foot soldiers. There is always, and there has always been room for improvement. So I see that the kind of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa who is ready to work, if he has a ready mind like mine in his administration, he will be able to do more and he will see more to benefit Ondo State.
What’s your stance on the educational development in the state?
Educational development in Ondo State is not perfect, and I believe the Governor and the government are working on that. While progress has been made, there is still room for improvement. I believe the Mega School concept can be optimized by making such facilities shared resource centres where students from different schools can access advanced learning facilities on scheduled days.
Why should your people vote for you?
By the grace of God, my people have over the years seen me grow in their midst. I’ve been saddled with certain responsibilities and they were well discharged.