Hon. Foluso Aminu was the Chief of Staff to former governor of Ondo State, Chief Adebayo Adefarati (1999-2003). He will, by the end of this month (May 31), join the septuagenarian club. In this interview with Weekend Hope, he examines how the political landscape of the state has evolved over the years, takes a look at some of the challenges facing Nigeria’s politics currently and possible way out. Excerpts:

You were the Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Adebayo Adefarati in Ondo State, how has life been since you left office?

It has been interesting. I thank God for everything. As long as one has the grace and mercy of God upon one’s life, and one is not lazy, life goes on. I mean, I’m trying to get one or two things doing, which I’m doing for a living.

I also learnt a lot from my experience when I was Chief of Staff. So, I put everything together, and that has been my guiding principle in life.

After leaving office, did you quit politics?

I didn’t. Sometimes around 2012 or 2013, I aspired for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent Akoko North-East/North-West on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). I contested in the primaries, but lost. I came third out of about seven aspirants. So, someone who has been that involved, getting into politics, campaigning, contesting, cannot be said to have quit politics. You have to go around, politicking, canvassing for votes from delegates. So, I’ve never quit politics. Never.

Do you still have the interest to contest for any elective position?

At what age? I’m going to be 70 by the end of this month. The only thing we’re praying for now is that those coming behind us do things the right way. Unfortunately, the political situation is changing every day. It is no longer what it used to be. But we are hopeful that a time will come when there will be a redirection, and peoples will return to doing the right kind of politicking.

Many people consider the period when Baba Adefarati was governor as one of the golden periods in Ondo State, particularly in terms of development. Can you remind us some of the legacies of his administration, and what values and principles made Baba to stand out?

Yes, you see, Baba was one of the core Awoists. And we all know what Chief Obafemi Awolowo stood for when he was alive. Awolowo had four cardinal programmes: free education, free healthcare, infrastructural development, and gainful employment. These were the foundations of governance during the days of the Action Group (AG), and the Unity Party of Nigeria ( UPN) and they were genuinely implemented. Baba Adefarati replicated those principles across Ondo State.

Till today, some people still say that many of the teachers and civil servants currently in the state’s civil service were employed during Baba Adefarati’s tenure. He believed that vacancies, especially in critical sectors like education, should not be left unfilled, because when you don’t have teachers in schools, how do you expect students to perform? How do you expect pupils to make any progress?

Beyond that, he prioritised infrastructure. He constructed roads like the Akure/Idanre road during his time. In the Southern part of the state, he also built roads, and in Akoko land, too, he did a lot in terms of road development.

But one of the most remarkable things he did was the establishment of OSOPADEC, the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission. Many people may not know this. Baba Adefarati founded OSOPADEC to ensure that riverine areas, especially those producing oil, got special attention and development. Other states, like Delta, copied the idea and established their own, like DESOPADEC.

He also made a lasting impact in the health sector. Within his first 100 days in office, he established an eye clinic at the State Specialists Hospital to address various eye-related issues, including glaucoma and cataracts. There was also free healthcare for the people.

Education was free up to the secondary and even tertiary levels. He also ensured that bursaries were regularly paid to students in tertiary institutions. Student unions from various tertiary institutions in the country helped to identify students of Ondo State origin, and the Ministry of Education would verify those names through the registries of each school. Once confirmed, students received their bursaries.

Law School students got even more support. At that time, there were only two Nigerian Law Schools, one in Lagos and the other in Abuja. Recognising the financial burden of attending Law School, including the high cost of books, Baba government gave Law students N50,000 each. It was a lot of money at that time.

He did all of these with very limited resources. You might not believe it, but his total federal allocation over four years was just N48 billion, averaging N12 billion per year, or N1 billion per month. Compare that to what states are earning now, and you’ll appreciate his prudent management.

Even the derivation funds due to oil-producing states were not released to Ondo State during his tenure, due to ongoing political disputes over the state’s oil-producing status. That money only began to come in after he left office, despite his efforts to secure it.

Still, we thank God for all he was able to achieve in such a short time. He brought a different style of governance; he was transparent, people-oriented, and accountable.

The bursary system he sustained had been introduced by Baba Adekunle Ajasin, another progressive leader under the UPN, but it wasn’t as consistent then. Baba Adefarati, an ideological successor of Ajasin, improved on and institutionalised it.

In summary, Baba was known for integrity, simplicity, prudence and service. He governed with the principles of true progressivism.

 Baba Adefarati was popularly referred to as Baba Peace when he was in power. It’s been twenty two years you left government. Can you share your fond memories of Baba Adefarati?

I think I’ve mentioned almost everything before, but I’ll still try to say something. He was called Baba Peace because he was a man who didn’t want wahala; he always stood for peace. I remember during the 2003 elections, we had a lot of evidence against the results. Many people wanted to go out and start protesting or even fight.

But he said, “No. What do we know? Don’t shed your blood because of me. Let it be.” Even when he was in government, any time there was trouble here and there, he would always say, “No, no, no, no. I want peace.” He didn’t want crisis. He stood by that and made peace with everyone.

That’s why it was very easy for him to resolve the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis. That was when the conflict was at its peak; they were killing each other. I don’t know if you’ve heard about it, but there was a serious conflict between the Ijaw and the Ilaje people. When he came into office, he was the one who brought peace.

He invited the Ijaw leaders and the Ilaje leaders to a roundtable conference, and they resolved and settled everything. After that, he formed the board that led to the establishment of OSOPADEC.

But before then, he set up a committee headed by the current Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick Akinruntan—he wasn’t an Oba at that time. The committee was for reconstruction, because many communities were destroyed during the conflict.

He built houses for them and provided other amenities to help them to recover. That’s what he did.

 Do you still have a close link with Baba’s family?

Of course. Anytime, any day. I share his ideology; so I’ve never distanced myself from the family, even up to this very moment.

 Despite Baba Adefarati’s achievements in office, he contested for a second term but lost. What do you think led to his defeat?

There were many factors, and I can’t start listing all of them now. But politics is more complex nowadays. I remember when he contested under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in his first term, the total amount he spent, I still have the records, was just N6.67 million. A councillor can’t even win an election with that amount today.

It was a government of the people. The people were ready to support him. But unfortunately, former President Obasanjo was in power then, and the influence of the Federal Government played a big role. They made sure they got what they wanted. It wasn’t just Baba Adefarati who lost. Out of the six AD governors in the South-West, only the current President, Bola Tinubu, was re-elected as governor in Lagos State. And I won’t go into how that happened.

What are your thoughts about Nigeria’s elections after that episode, and lessons you learnt after?

What I’ve realised, and which is getting worse every day, is that politics has become heavily monetised. Back in the day when we were growing up, I participated in the campaigns of the UPN because I was part of the UPN youths wing. We were very aware of what was going on then. People were genuinely interested in party manifestos. But nowadays, nobody talks about manifestos anymore. Tell me, what does the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stands for today? Even my own party, the APC, what does it stand for? Back then, the NPN said they stood for the Green Revolution and housing for all. The UPN said they stood for free education, free healthcare, gainful employment and infrastructural development. So, you could clearly choose where you belonged based on ideology. But that’s no longer the case today. Politics, the way it’s going now, needs a redirection. I really pray that happens.

What do you think is the way out of monetisation of politics?

That’s a very big question. Big in the sense that people have become used to the way things are. Unfortunately, most of our youths today don’t have jobs. Many of them lack creativity or opportunities, yet they want to survive. So they assume that once you’re a politician, you become their employer. They start asking for money as a means of livelihood. And as long as that persists, their conscience is already bought. It becomes a case of “he who pays the piper dictates the tune.” When your conscience is bought, what can you really do? I don’t want to go too far into that. But you know the way elections are conducted today.

Whose fault, and how did we get to that level of monetisation of politics?

I think the fault lies with all our political parties; the government, the politicians, and the electorate. Let me start with the government. If there were laws that effectively punish those who gave or accepted money during elections, monetisation would stop. It’s not that the law doesn’t exist, it does, but is it being enforced? No. That’s the government’s fault. Then there are the politicians, who are willing to give out money. Once a politician buys votes, you can’t hold him accountable for unfulfilled campaign promises. They’ll simply say, “I bought my way into this office.” As for the electorate, the poverty level is so high that people feel they have no choice but to sell their votes. In fact, many now demand money from politicians just to feed themselves.

How will you assess the current administration in Ondo State?

I’ll be frank. So far, so good. You see, government cannot do everything alone. A governor must work with his cabinet and other key stakeholders. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has picked up and completed some of the road projects left unfinished by his predecessor, the late governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. Recently, he also gave approval for and inaugurated the construction of the Akure/Idanre dual carriageway. Civil servants are getting their salaries as and when due, and the welfare of the people is being taken seriously.

That’s not to say he can’t do more, he definitely can. Bitumen-related and other major projects are also in the pipeline. It’s still too early to make a full judgment, but I can say that he has kick-started his tenure on a good note.

Many people believe Nigeria is drifting towards a one party state. What are your thoughts on this?

There is definitely room for opposition, because it is necessary to ensure that the party in power does the right thing. If there is no one to challenge the ruling party when there are lapses, you can imagine what could happen.

The only advantage we have now is that Mr. President has good intentions for the masses. However, the economic problems people are facing, this hardship is not his own making. These issues have been on ground for a long time, and some drastic steps have to be taken. If those steps are not taken, we will only keep postponing the evil day. But because of his boldness and courage, he has started doing what his predecessors should have done.

That is why people are making noise here and there. As for the issue of a one-party state, I don’t know. Those who are leaving their parties for the APC would have to explain why they are doing so. I cannot speak on their behalf, they must have their reasons.

But I strongly believe there is a need for opposition. The opposition plays a vital role in checking the government and ensuring it acts in the best interest of the people.

What is your opinion on the rotation of the governorship seat in Ondo State?

In Ondo State, the issue of rotating power among the senatorial districts has always been a key factor in maintaining peace and stability. Personally, I strongly believe that we must continue to uphold this rotational arrangement, especially when it comes to the governorship position.

As a politician, I believe it is essential to rotate the governorship among the three senatorial districts; Ondo North, Ondo Central, and Ondo South. When it comes to the quality of candidates, there is no senatorial district in the state that does not have capable and qualified individuals who can effectively handle the responsibilities of governance. Therefore, my advice is that we should continue to respect and adhere to the rotational system.

What is the benefit of the rotational system to the state?

One major benefit is that it limits the number of contestants in an election, making the process more manageable and less contentious. Additionally, it ensures that no part of the state feels marginalised or abandoned. Whether we like it or not, people still identify as being from Ondo North, Central or South, and it is important that each area feels included in the governance of the state. However, one crucial point is that rotation should not prevent us from choosing the best candidate for the job. Fortunately, as I mentioned earlier, every senatorial district has people who are capable and qualified to lead the state effectively.

What is your view on the involvement of youths in politics today?

Unfortunately, in many cases today, young people, after finishing secondary school, ND, HND, university or even a research institution, immediately start thinking about how to become politicians. Many of them are no longer creative or interested in learning trades or acquiring practical skills.

Instead of pursuing careers in farming, trading or artisanship, they prefer to attach themselves to political bigwigs, seeking financial favours without contributing meaningfully. If you visit mechanical workshops today, you rarely see experienced artisans anymore, only apprentices. The same goes for tailoring and other vocational trades. Everyone seems to be chasing quick and easy money rather than building sustainable careers.