Prince Adedoyin Eniola Ogunbiyi-Oyeneye Jokotex, known by his friends as PAJ, is a dedicated youth who embodies the spirit of Lagos. Hardworking, self-motivated and generous. An expert in public health, and currently pursuing a PhD in public health, Prince Adedoyin tenaciously engages in community service in his Ikorodu hometown. He believes that we have had enough of people castigating the president, it is time to examine the president’s policies on development. In this brief interview with Ramson Acheme, Prince Adedoyin Jokotex shares his views on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s local government blueprint, he reasons that President Tinubu’s plans for the local government are helping development trickle down to the grassroots, what he considers a win for the masses. His observations are captured herein.
Q: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been a senator, governor and generalissimo of major political parties, what would you say has been his best public policy?
Jokotex: Honestly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a consummate enigma whose political activities needs to be studied. If you follow his career trajectory from his days in the corporate world to the present that he is president, you will see excellence, diligence and vision in his persona. His days as a senator, governor, party leader, and now as a president all resonate positive public policies. President Tinubu created additional LCDAs in Lagos at a time even the then president couldn’t fathom the idea. He was way ahead of his time and people often misunderstood his policies until they begin to see the results. The president means business and he is laying the groundwork to a development that will cut across all corners of Nigeria. A turn from the status quo where only some capital cities enjoys all the attention and resources. Before he became president, the Nigerian local government system had been dormant for decades, but being a visionary who has laid a foundation for the effective local government system in Lagos, he knows that for true development to flow through to the Nigerian people at the grassroots, the local governments need a functional autonomy. He is re-engineering the economics of this great country which I know, soon shall yield positive results and Nigerians would be proud of this Nation again.
Q: How important is local government system to a democratic state?
Jokotex: Local government is known to be the third tier of government and the closest to the people which literally means if we want the people to feel the effect of governance then the foundation has to be solid. Democracy is all about the people and they must get a good representation so as to enjoy the dividends of democracy. So, it is very important that local government becomes more efficient and this is what makes democracy more interesting.
Q: How has President Tinubu’s approach towards local government shaping Nigerian democracy?
Jokotex: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approach is the best for our federating system. Every tier of government must adhere to their responsibility so that there would be no need for our people to be running to Abuja for everything. The grassroots must be able to provide basic amenities for their people. The financial autonomy the president has granted the local governments would lead to the liberation of our people from retrogression and foster rapid development across Nigeria. Agriculture, local security, sanitation, road infrastructures, primary health care and many more would be activated for the benefit of our people and this can only be done if there is a sustainable autonomy at the local government level. The President has this figured out but some may take a while to see the big picture.
Q: Under President Tinubu’s directive, the third tier of government (local governments) are now to receive direct budget allocation, how is that going to facilitate governance at the grassroots level?
Jokotex: The fund would help local government administrators meet their obligations as they would no longer complain of paucity of fund to meet up with the yearnings of their people at the grassroots level. The governors would no longer determine what the chairmen get anymore and this would bring about rapid development in our areas. The LGA financial autonomy will foster healthy competition among our chairmen, there would be no room for excuses. I am personally delighted that we eventually have a president who is committed to overhauling our local government administration in this country and I pray that God Almighty continue to guide and strengthen the President and his entire cabinets.
Q: Any advice for Nigerians?
Jokotex: Any group who wants positive development in Nigerian should encourage their governors to adopt President Tinubu’s local government blueprint. They should take advantage of the president’s local government policy to establish LCDAs in their states. With adequate funding for the third tier of government, there should be even development across Nigeria.
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