I am aspiring to help Lagos invest in human capital development – Ogunbiyi

By Banji Ayoola

Mr. Ogunbiyi Olatunde Davies (Tuye), a Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, is coming up with a burning zeal for sponsoring new bills which would shift government focus to human capital development and other new innovative programmes which would tremendously impact the lives of the people especially at the grassroots. He wishes to represent the Ikeja 2 Constituency in the assembly.

Ogunbiyi, who is the the Youth President of Aguda – Ogba Community, a successful businessman and entrepreneur, the Chairman/Chief Executive of Cachet Labels and Entertainment Limited and Perpetual Bond Integrated Network, has personally executed many infrastructural projects to enhance the living condition of the people of his Aguda – Ogba, near Ikeja, Lagos community.

In this interview, he reels out his unique programmes for his entire constituency, which he believes when executed, would also positively rub on other constituencies to transform the entire state in line with the ‘change’ mantra of his party. Besides, he speaks on other issues. He spoke with The Radiance. Excerpts:

Why are you aspiring to represent the people of your constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly?

I am aspiring because I discovered over the years that the conventional ways politics is played has been giving same result. And you cannot be doing things the same way and expect different result.

Going by the APC ‘change’ slogan, till that change can happen, we have to do things differently.

Why I am aspiring is that I have lots of programmes that are different from the ones on ground that I want to introduce into my constituency so that the word ‘change’ can be achieved.

Then another reason is because of my interest in serving my constituents. When I look around, a lot of things are wrong here that need to be corrected; and I feel strongly that if I am in the House of Assembly, I would be able to effect a change.

What are these changes?

I believe that the greatest investment in life is in human development; human capital development which is also known as capacity building.

If you look at countries like the US, UK and Germany, they do not campaign about bridges anymore because they have them; they do not campaign about infrastructure anymore because they have them.

What they talk about is research, climate change, human capital development – capacity building. The bulk of their budget is spent majorly on research. The reason they do so is that when you develop a man in a way he should live his life, you would discover that such a man would be able to manage infrastructure and other things around him judiciously.

But when you fail to develop a man in a way that he should live his life, you would discover that such a man would not be able to manage the infrastructure around him optimally.

So when I get to the House of Assembly, I would make sure that I do everything possible at my disposal to sponsor bills on human capital development both in the private and public sectors. That is my main agenda in the House.

Apart from human capital development, do you have any other areas of focus?

Youths and Sports. The rate at which interest in Sports is declining these days is alarming because government is not doing enough in the area of Sports.

In the Western world, it would be so hard to see a community without a Sports or recreation centre. But in Nigeria, you would be surprised to see a whole local government without a Sports centre.

If I have the opportunity to be in the House as a legislator, I would seriously look into that.

Also as regards Youths and Sports, most schools in Lagos especially private schools, do not have enough room for sporting activities for their pupils. It is not supposed to be like that.

I would sponsor a bill that would create enough space for sporting activities in a school proposed plan before the building permit can be granted.

What are the other problems confronting the people which would also be part of your area of helping activities in the House?

What I observe is that most times people are disconnected. There is total disconnection between the leaders and the led. Accessibility becomes a problem between public office holders and their constituents. This is a big problem.

I would make sure that I make myself accessible and organise quarterly town hall meetings to give account of my stewardship to my constituents so that I can be well connected to their pains and agitation. When you cannot access the person representing you, how can he help?

What qualifies you to represent your constituency in the House of Assembly?

What qualifies me is my passion to serve.

In my community, eight years ago in the community where I live, there was a particular street that the road became so bad and inaccessible. Erosion had washed off most parts of the surface and made the road inaccessible. On my own, I worked on the street to make it accessible and motorable. It is Amudatu Street, behind County Hospital, Aguda – Ogba.

At the same time four years ago, in the street where I live, because of the nature of the environment, PHCN could not electrify the area when they were planning. There was no direct electricity.

On my own, I bought eight poles with 50mm Reclin cable spanning over 200 metres to electrify the community.
Four years ago also, the major culvert connecting County Community got damaged to the extent that motorists could no longer ply the road. I single handedly constructed a culvert for the community use.

This is a culvert that connects over 26 streets to the main road. The repair and reconstruction of the culvert was single handedly handled by me.

Three years ago, Isale Adini Street, behind County Hospital, Aguda – Ogba used to be a gully. I single handedly constructed the drainage of over 100 metres, to channel the erosion in the street.

As the Youth President of Aguda Community, a year and three months ago, I single handedly supervised the fumigation of the entire Aguda Community; that is about 39 streets, to kick out malaria in the community.

For the past one year, I have been paying 70 percent of the security fee (owo olode) for the main gate of the County Community.

As Youth President, I have organised free medical check-up for the community.

Could these be extended to your whole constituency?

If I can do these to my community with my hard earned money without being in government, I am sure I can do better to my constituency at large when I get to office.

I would facilitate government presence and dividends of democracy to my constituency, the Ikeja 2 Constituency.
What in your view is wrong with politics as being practiced in Nigeria?

Politics of money, calumny, character assassination, of corruption.

And if you are elected into the House of Assembly as a representative of the people, what would be your contributions towards addressing these wrongs?

I would sponsor a bill against calumny and character assassination in politics. I would also sponsor bill against vote-buying during elections.

Why should the APC be returned both at the federal and Lagos State levels?

It is for continuity in good service to the nation. You can see that when PDP was there, even when oil was being sold at over a hundred dollars per barrel, they could not manage the resources well. A lot of states were owing workers. Foreign investors were not coming. Security became a big issue for the entire nation.

But since the coming of APC, foreign investors have started coming in; a lot of bilateral relations have been created; the economy is stronger compared to what it used to be. Above all, security has become stable to some extent.

At the state level in Lagos, everybody can attest to the fact that APC is performing exceedingly in Lagos; starting from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State.

Recall that he took over from the military. Then Lagos was in shambles in 1999 when he took off. And he created a wonderful road plan for the transformation of Lagos State which was followed by Governor Raji Fashola and consolidated by Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

You can see the kind of transformation we are having in Lagos which cannot be found in any other state in Nigeria. The transformation has made Lagos a beehive of activities increasing the economic and cultural strength of Lagos.

What have been the reactions of your constituents to your aspiration to represent them in the state assembly?

They were the ones who sponsored the purchase of my nomination form to show their level of commitment and support for my aspiration. They were the ones who raised the N850, 000 cost of my nomination form.

Since then, they have been organising meetings even in my absence sensitising people on the need to have someone like me as their representative in the state House of Assembly.

Some youths also in Ojodu Community contributed money for the purchase of campaign materials like fez caps to support me. Oftentimes, I have been attending general meetings organised by different groups in my constituency late into the night.

Who is Ogunbiyi Olatunde Davies?

Ogunbiyi Olatunde Davies was born in mid 70s in Ikeja, Lagos. I attended Ona Ara Prismony Nursery and Primary School, Ojodu; after which I proceeded to African Church Primary School, Ifako, Agege, where I obtained my First School Leaving Certificate in 1986.

From there, I left for my secondary education at Sanmori Comprehensive High School, Ifako, Agege, to obtain my Senior Secondary School Certificte in 1993.

From there, I proceeded to Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin for my IJMB Advanced Level in 1995. It was a year programme. That same 1995, I was readmitted to Kwara State Polytechnic, where I studied Accounting. I graduated in 2001 with HND in Accounting.

For my NYSC, I served in the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano in 2002 after my HND. I am married with children.
Work experience?

I am a businessman, a successful entrepreneur. I am into Entertainment, Properties and Printing. I am the Chairman/Chief Executive of Cachet Labels and Entertainment Limited and Perpetual Bond Integrated Network.
Are there any further comments?

No. Thank you.