As 2019 polls beckon, House of Representatives hopeful, Oshodi-Isolo 1 Federal Constituency, Bashiru Dawodu has tasked Nigerian politicians to always see the need to give back to the society as the primary drive in wanting to represent the people.
Dawodu, a medical practitioner turned politician said while fielding questions from journalists that he is gunning for the ticket of All Progressives Congress (APC) to represent his people due to how much value Oshodi and its people have added to his life as a son of the soil who knows the entire community like the palm of his hands.
“Everything that I’ve become is from this local government (ko kin se gbogbo awon eyan ni o ni mo ire). I feel that the people and this community have done a lot for me and I’m really motivated to serve them with my all.
“Governance is about helping the people. This entails ensuring that we have water, electricity, education and reducing the unemployment rate. So, when you look at the moral philosophy of governance, what God has told the people that are in a position is to help and take care of the needy in the society. So, once you have that kind of motivation especially for someone like me who’s a son of the community, you will want to give the people quality representation,” the aspirant stated.
Having practiced in the US for fifteen years, becoming Chief Medical Director of Mitchel County Paediatrics, Camilla, Georgia, Dawodu was a founding member of the APC in the Diaspora after becoming a pioneer member of AD and later the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before the party’s structure was collapsed into the APC.
Also, as a member of the then National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a broad coalition of Nigerian democrats, he was among diasporan Nigerians who sparked international outrage, protesting on the streets of New York City against the assassination of Kudirat Abiola and for the military government of the late maximum ruler, Gen Sani Abacha to step down in favour of the winner of the June 12, 1993 election, Chief M. K. O. Abiola.
Speaking further, the aspirant noted that to have a paradigm in the state of affairs in the country, Nigerians must learn how put forward their best people to represent them across various political strata. He said this will mitigate the system from throwing up wrong people in positions of authority.
In his words: “In Nigeria generally, the best of our people don’t govern us. But we are lucky in Lagos State, we have a good governor in Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.
“We run a system that is not an ideal democracy; there are still loopholes. Thankfully, INEC is continually reforming itself — same as our people — recognising that the process needs to be better and more transparent and we have to ensure that the party and the people are able to choose the leaders they want.
“Even when we think we’ve found the best person to represent us, it shouldn’t end there. There has to be a way to review the person’s performance, whether the person is representing us well. Abroad, if the person is found to be underperforming, his punishment is that he won’t come back. But we have a situation in Nigeria where people don’t do well, yet they are returned to office. Something is wrong with that system.” Dawodu lamented.
Highlighting how he has immensely contributed over the years to societal development through free health care provisions and other gestures, he said: “For about 10 years now, I’ve gone round identifying their needs and I’ve come to the conclusion that most of the things I’m doing now on my own are better done via the government. So, the government is better placed. But thank God that we have a great government in Lagos that is doing so much. We just need the best person to get there.
“I was also involved in a lot of non-governmental stuff; I established and planned programmes for the local government where I practiced. I designed policies, for instance, I designed asthma programmes, immunisation, sickle cell, teen health programmes etc. I also started Free Clinics, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). Free Clinics organised free medical missions and healthcare to several African countries including Ghana and Nigeria.
“We have to find a way to make things work Because you measure a society by the quality of life of its people.
“You measure your society by its infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, life expectancy, by how many youths are unemployed: those are the indices by which a regular, sane society is measured.”
After three failed attempts, Dawodu who is confident of getting the APC’s nod to be the party’s flagbear in next year’s House of Representatives election in Oshodi-Isolo 1 Federal Constituency stated: “My structure is stronger now, because I have my own group in every ward which is integrated in mainstream groups. So, my situation is different now, because basically it looks as if all the structures over here support me for this House of Reps in 2019.
“We don’t need to sit back because the more the best of us are not participating, the more the worst of us will continue to govern us. That’s why Nigeria is not moving forward, that is why Nigeria is behind and if Nigeria is behind, the black race is actually behind.” Dawodu said.
