INTERVIEW: Sen Folarin, Others Should Be Given Maximum Supports • Asiwaju Tinubu Is The Best Man for The Job – CLTC DG, Chief Soji Eniade
INTERVIEW: Sen Folarin, Others Should Be Given Maximum Supports • Asiwaju Tinubu Is The Best Man for The Job – CLTC DG, Chief Soji Eniade.
Chief Soji Eniade is a seasoned technocrat in politics. He is an erstwhile Head of Service (HoS) in Oyo-State and former Executive Assistant (EA) on Administration to late Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
Eniade hails from Ibadan Northeast Local Government Area(LGA) of the State.
He is the Director General (DG), Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre(CLTC), Nigeria.
In an exclusive interview with Africano Trumpeters’ Monsuru Adeyemo, the staunch supporter of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential bid and former governorship Aspirant in the pacesetter state, Chief Eniade charged gladiators and members of his party, the All Progressives Congress(APC), to come together as a formidable front, so as to reclaim Oyo-State state from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and mobilise en mass for the electoral victory of the party’s presidential Standardbearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT).
Eniade also analysed the tripedal mandates of CLTC, journey so far and his visions for the Centre.
Can We Meet You?
My name is Adesoji Eniade,
The Director-General(DG),
Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre(CLTC), Nigeria. CLTC is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
Sir, as the helmsman of “Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre”, please, can you, briefly, tell us the functions of the centre and achievements, so far?
The Centre has three mandates. The first mandate is “Training”, the second mandate is “Supervision of Man-O-War’s activities in Nigeria” and the third mandate is “Research”.
With regards to the first mandate, our responsibility at the Centre is to impact the youth population with qualities expected of good citizens – Honesty, Patriotism, Nationalism, Dedication, Teamwork, Team play among others. All these are taught in our schools here in Nigeria and we have the schools at different 9 locations. The first one is in the North Central: Mountain School, Shere Hills, Jos, Plateau State. It is the most popular. Here in Southwest, we have Sea School, in Apapa, Lagos State. We have the Valley School, in Owode Egba, in Ogun State. In South South, we have Forest School, in Aluu, Port Harcourt, River State. We have the Women School, Otu-Jeremi, in Delta State. In Southeast, we have Hill Top School, Awgu, in Enugu State. In Northeast, we have a Desert School, Fika-Yobe State. In Northwest, we have Savannah School, Kudan Zaria, in Kaduna State and then, we have Sahel School, Batagarawa, in Katsina State. Here in FCT, Abuja, we have Mobile school (Unit). And of course, in compliance with the modern day technology, we have an online school, (Online Academy- www.cltcacademy.com ). If you look at the first 9 schools, you can see that they’re named after the peculiarities of the environments where they’re located. Like when you go to Jos now, the Mountain School is just around that place, so that the youths that go there for training are taken out. We call it,”Outward Training Activities”. They climb the mountains. They face the obstacles. They face the challenges in the mountainous environments. As par the Sea School in Apapa, Lagos, which is on Snake Island. It is all about water activities and survival within that kind of environments. The same things with other schools. The names of the schools reflect the peculiarities of the environments where they are situated. Like in Aluu Portharcout, it is a Forest School. The Forest environments are where the students are taken to. They’re taken to where they’re trained(skilled) on how to overcome challenges either, individually or collectively. That is the training aspect.
The Man-O-War’s supervision is another mandate of CLTC. Man-O-War is a volunteer organisation, populated, mostly, by youths and the organisation is gender-sensitive. It accommodates both the male and female populations. When you look at the population of Nigeria, it is over 200 Millions of people. About 50 to 60 percent of the population is made up of youths. We’re talking about almost 130 to 140Million population of youths. Meanwhile, the spirit of volunteerism has dropped drastically among the youths of the nation. Our challenge in this area is that we want to revive that culture of volunteerism among youth population. In the good old days, youths have the choices of what club should I join? Is the Boys Scouts, is the Boys Brigade , Is the Girls Brigade …? All these volunteer organisations are no longer functioning. So, we now want to revive it. One of the visions I have for this Centre is revival of Man-O-War’s clubs in public secondary schools, in Nigeria and we are already reaching out to donor agencies and philanthropists, because government alone can not do it. And we need to instill that spirit of volunteerism, that spirit of patriotism, that spirit of nationalism, and that spirit of peaceful coexistence into the youth population, so, that when these people leave their school environments, they will remain responsible citizens. In actual facts, it is to maintain discipline within the school environments and after school hours. It is to carry it back to their various communities, in a way, that they will help community building, too. When you look at the pillars of the peace building as propounded by United Nations, community peace is one of it and we are lagging behind, on that. So, our targets are youths within the bracket of ages of 10 to 18. We have taken this mission to United Nations and we are hopeful that we are going to receive solid support from United Nations to revive Man-O-War’s club volunteerism among the youth population in Nigeria. Look at vices happening all over the place among the youth population – Cultism, Internet Fraud, Kidnapping and others. All these vices are there and a popular adage says,”an idle man is a playground for the devil”. When these children are meaningfully engaged in these kinds of activities, they will not have time for all these social vices and those that are immediately trained would be “change agents” within their school environments and in the communities where they live, and where they come from.
Then, the third mandate of the Centre is “Research”. We’re not well entrenched in that for now. Our focuses for now are mainly the first two mandates. That is training and propagation of the activities of Man-O-War in Nigeria, and the research will now come forth. The research will be targeted on how do we improve on the first two mandates. That is essence of research. It is to add values to what we are presently doing and take it to future. The main target is good governance in all sectors – Health, Oil and Gas, Power, Education among others. Everything is working together towards good governance and citizens must play their roles. Leadership must play its roles too. One of the expectations of citizens is payment of tax. One of the expectations of citizens is participation in elections. It is to get registered, and cast votes when the time of elections comes. A group of citizens that has apathy towards elections will not get the best. The best of leaders would not emerge. Moreso, democracy is a game of numbers. Therefore, citizens’ apathy during elections is a negative attribute that is not expected from good citizens, if we want to build a good nation, and specifically, if we want to have a good governance. So, in a nutshell, the three mandates are the tasks that we are expected to carry out at CLTC. Presently, when you look at the lists of the schools we have, we are present only in 9 states and FCT, but our mandate is nationwide. My vision is that by God’s grace, before, I end my tenure here, in the next three years, at least, we should have covered 50-60 per cent of the states in Nigeria. That’s, we move from our presence in 9 states to at least, 20 states of the federation. We are working towards that and I use this opportunity to solicit for supports from philanthropists, and donor agencies that can help us to champion the cause. The propagation of citizens’ training on being good leaders and good citizens, and also, the reintroductions of the Man-O-War’s clubs in our public secondary schools in Nigeria. Thank you.
Sir, what are your viewpoints on 35 years of age as youth classification in Nigeria?
You see, it’s an internationally acceptable standard, that the demarcation, so to say of the age between the old and the youth populations should be 35 years. I don’t see anything wrong in it. For example, I got married at the age of 24. I had earlier graduated at the age of 21 and I joined the public service of Oyo-State at the age of 22. Before I became 60 years of age, I had already attained 35 years in service and I had retired from public service, before I was given this appointment. So, it is not the age limit that matters but what the youth population can achieve or attain within the age bracket. You know, it is not the fixed or fixated idea, so to say, because as a group of people is moving out of that bracket, another set of people would move in. So, for me, I don’t see anything bad in that policy. It’s a good one and it should be respected too, and it should be applied when issues are being discussed like the choice of youth leader for political parties. So, people at 50 years of age, would not be coming out to say they want to contest as a youth leader. Let’s leave that positions for those who are genuinely within that age bracket, to enable us to build them for the future.
If you condemn it, you know, it will have repercussion. Back then, during most of these football competitions. Though, that unpalatable incidence has passed. Most African countries, did cheat when they went for this age group competition. They did field players that were well above that age bracket and after two to three years when such players were expected to graduate to the senior team, they would discover that they were even well above the age within which they participated in the competition. What I’m saying in effect is that let us allow that policy to stand. Let us encourage Nigerian population of youths within the age bracket to play the expected roles, it is all about the future of those young ones and nation building.
…..(Cut in) thanks, but sir, the existing reality today is that there are particular age groups that are already hanging due to this policy, and they still remain youth and there are no social security programmes that cater for them, despite their zeal and activeness. The existing realities during your era then, are not the same with the one now and I think that was why your party, APC faced reality, charged the age limit to contest as a National Youth Leader, from 35 years and pegged it at 40 years of age.
Thank you. We call it policy flexibility. You know, policies are not expected to be so rigid, so as to make it working and that is why I always tell people that organizations are organic in nature. You live to meet the dictates and peculiarities of the moment you find yourself. You live and operate within the dictates of the environments you find yourself. So, the policy is there actually but there could be flexibility just as APC as party did. They said, Okay it is 35 years of age but for the purpose of our immediate needs, for now, we will adjust that age band to 40 years. There is nothing wrong in doing that but it doesn’t change the policy at all.
Let’s delve into politics, a little bit. There is this saying that,”The people united can never be defeated. Meanwhile, your party, Oyo APC, is facing series of post primary election crises. Sir, what are your contributions towards the ongoing reconciliatory efforts, in the party, Sir?
My voice, and opinion is party first. In whatever we do, and in whatever decision we will take, that should be our guiding principle. Party first. Party loyalty should be our guiding principle as I said earlier. Whatever action we want to take, whatever decision we want to make as an individual in the party, as groups within the party, or as pressure groups within the party, please, let that be our guiding principles. Party first. And when we say party first, it means the survival of the party. It means the success of the party, especially, at the polls. This should be our concerns. Right, the issues of primary elections have come and gone. Whether we like it or not, primary election has come and gone, and the candidates have emerged. Irrespective of who has emerged as our flagbearer at the state level, we should give that person our full support. We should let the concept of the “Party First” be our guiding principle and the implication of that is that whoever that has emerged should be given the “maximum support”. All the candidates should be given maximum supports. Our gubernatorial candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin should be given maximum support and all other candidates, too – be it senatorial, house of reps and state assembly candidates, they should be given maximum supports. As at today, they’re the flagbearers of the party. We need to give them maximum supports because the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the target of all of us now, and by God’s grace, he shall emerge but if we work at cross purposes to the emergence of BAT at the state level, it could affect our performances as a party during the presidential election. Please, let’s all bury our hatchets and forget the past. Let the bygone be bygone and let’s look into the future, together. Within the next four years, there will be another cycle. Once again, I appeal to us all, let’s give our candidates maximum supports.
What are your pieces of advice for APC Leadership, and the party’s faithful in Oyo-State?
My advice is that we should prioritise the spirit of togetherness. Politics is a game of numbers. It’s the party with the highest numbers of followership, and it is the party with highest numbers of votes cast during the elections that will emerge. We should not be saying this man is not with us. We should do everything humanly possible to bring back members that are aggrieved, and members that are not happy. We need to bring them back to the fold, explain situations of things to them and if possible, appeal to them. Let them see reasons we should be and work together as a party. You know, it’s not a once and for all affair. Like I said earlier, in the next four years, there will be another cycle. So, may be, those who are aggrieved now would have the opportunities to be the party’s flagbearers in the next four year. Let’s all just sheath our swords and come together. Let’s support our candidates, to be victorious at the polls. The taste of democracy is to be in government. If you continue to be party men without being in government, the roles and benefits, expected, will not be there. Therefore, the leadership of the party in the state should beg all those that they suppose to beg. Let the leadership do that. Let the leadership visit aggrieved people and appeal to them. Those that should be given promises of positions and promises of offices should be promised. So, they will feel secured that by His Grace, when we win the election, they are going to be appreciated. You know, all these things should be done, so that it shouldn’t be a winner takes all affair.
On the parts of the aggrieved, the spirit of forgiveness should be there, too. The spirit of forgiveness is important. Let them come back and let’s form a united house, to build a party of our dream at the state level. Those are my appeals to the leadership at the state level and to the aggrieved members, (and the followership, generally).
What can you say about the administration of President Muhammad Buhari?
It has has been fair and rewarding, so to say. You see, public service delivery is a very tough job. So many sectors to be faced. Security challenges, health challenges, infrastructural development, transportation, power supply, education and so on. The challenges are actually there. But overall, the present administration, has tried its best. Especially, in the area of security, the situation has improved. In the area of power supply, the situation has improved, too. As par infrastructural development, infact, the government has done well, almost 100 percent, there.
I use to tell people, look at Lagos – Ibadan Express Way, it was more or less a death trap, for years but this administration ensured that the road is nearing completion, bow. Look at Lagos – Ibadan rail lines. Look at the third Niger bridge and others. So all these are tangible and visible infrastructural developments that can be credited to present administration. It has tremendously improved the level of rating Nigeria in international community, because Nigeria as a nation in the West Africa subregion is a critical stakeholder that is acting like a leader for all other states (countries) within the subregion. Even, on this African continent, Nigeria is still playing that roles. In all, I think the present administration has really tried. Though, there is still room for improvement but the present administration has tried, tremendously.
Even, in the area of sports and youth development, the government has done well. For example, our performances at the last Commonwealth Games are highly impressive. It is highly unprecedented. These are indicators. These are indices of the achievements made so far. I think the administration should be commended for operating well above average.
What can you say about the leadership of Dr Sunday Akin Dare as Minister of Youth and Sports Development?
Chief Sunday Dare is a goal getter. He is the type that some Public Management experts do refer to as a manager who is being driven by set objectives, set goals, and set targets. He is not the usual arm chair ministers that dis sit in the office and read through files, only. He is always out there in the field. He’s performing excellently – be it in the area of sports and be it in the area of youth development. The scorecard of Chief Dare is all over the place. He is one of the best ministers to hold that portfolio in the recent time. Many people have attested to that and the evidence is all over the place.
As a former Head of Service (HoS) in Oyo-State, what are your comments on the present PDP led administration in the State?
(Laughing)…. Though, wouldn’t have loved to make any comment on it, but be that as it may, you see, governance is a continuum and the present administration is pulling its weight but there are some challenges, especially, in the area of environment. When you look at Ibadan city, now, the issue of solid waste management has become a greater challenge to the present administration and I wish solution is found to that challenge, soon.
I must confess, kudos to the present administration for their sensitivities to workers’ welfare. Salaries are being paid regularly, and it is because the financial challenges faced by the immediate past administration are not there for the present administration. They are are not facing such challenges. Governor Ajimobi, in 2011, was the one who started 13 month salary. That’s, in December workers were paid two month salaries (Second month salary). The Second salary is a bonus of the year. He did that for three years. Somebody who did that couldn’t have just turned back overnight and say I will start owing workers’ salary. The economic challenges were worldwide challenges, then. The resources, in Nigeria, dwindled then and it affected most of the states of the federation. Some states even went on half salary but that didn’t happen during Ajimobi’s administration. And late Governor Ajimobi made efforts before the expiration of his tenure and cleared all the salaries areas. Overall too, the administration has tried and I scored it (Engr Makinde Led Administration) average.
And for us as a party, APC, we need to be together and form a formidable front. Because, it has not been easy to unseat the party in government. Possibly, due to their power of Incumbency. We need to come together and record landslide victory, come 2023. Together, we can.
What are your comments on presidential ambition of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu?
Without fear or favour, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best candidate. He’s tested and trusted. You see, when you want to give leadership position to somebody, you have to look at that person. Where is he coming from, has he held position of responsibility before, or position of authority? BAT has been the governor of Lagos state, before. We are aware of his immortal legacies within the Lagos state. He’s the architect of modern Lagos State. He put everything in place, especially, the public sector and he reorganised even the private sector. He brought to the public sector the concept of “Public Private Partnership (PPP)” which worked well in Lagos state, and it is still working perfectly. He’s a team builder. He is a talent-hunter. The likes of Honourable Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, Chief Sunday Dare, and many other brilliant minds are identified by BAT and he brought them forth. He brought out brilliant minds of private sector and he injected them into the public sector of Lagos state, and the results are all there. For me and to the majority, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best man for the job and I believe strongly that Nigerians will make a right choice, in 2023, by electing him. It is not a personal issue now. We are talking about who can do it excellently and without bias. BAT is the chosen one.
Conclusively, what are your messages for Good people of Oyo-State and Nigerians, generally?
Let’s be good citizens. Let’s play our expected roles. Let’s cooperate with the government in power. Let’s play our roles as citizens and government should also play their roles. We need all these because without the two – good citizenship and good leadership, coming together, we can not have good governance. When we talk about good governance, we are talking about the future – the sustainability, and good socioeconomic environments, for the future of our children. These are the issues. Many people might be lamenting that there is no light in our area, there is no water in our area and so on. The question is that are they also paying tax, are they playing their expected roles ?
Government must also give citizens their rights. All these things should be taken into consideration. It is not good to focus on one side and leave the other side. The two legs of the nation building – Citizenship and Leadership, should, constantly, be examined and re examined. A concept of the dual responsibility is very important. The responsibility of the citizens, and the responsibility of the leadership is very important. One can not do it alone.
