“Our people must feel the impact of governance”, says EPF leader,Femi Adefolaju
Mr Olufemi Adefolaju is the Co-ordinator of Ekiti Patriotic Forum (EPF); a UK based Human Rights and Socio Cultural group. In this interview Femi Adefolaju talked to our correspondent on the role of EPF and their plans for the future of Ekiti State.
Excerpts.
Q. What motivated you and other members in forming the EPF?
Ekiti like the rest of Nigeria is besieged with ‘cancer’ which has destroyed every good legacies we had. I think only Lagos and recently Edo states are lucky.
EPF is very concerned about the stagnation in Ekiti which has denied her of her full potentials and functioning capacity.
In April 2009, the whole world witnessed the shameful and disgraceful rerun election that took place in some parts of Ekiti State thereby putting our state in a wrong side of history.
There were strange people who invaded Ekitiland to do weird things. They should be reminded that Ekiti remained unconquered in history.
Ekiti people has paid supreme price in building Nigeria.
We are always proud of the gallant and brave role played by late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi in the 1960s (is there any army officer in Nigerian history that deserves more national honors more than late Col. Fajuyi?) We also cherish the achievements and progress other Ekiti sons and daughters have made over the years in their different fields.
Many of them motivated us not to sit on the fence but stand for the truth and stand alone if needs be. EPF is not interested in who rule Ekiti state but much interested in the process of election or selection based on fairness and justice.
Q. What has been your achievements so far?
EPF has played many prominent roles in rebranding Ekiti in particular and Nigeria image in general in diaspora.
This we embarked on by playing public roles, granting interviews and making presentations on Radio and Television debates, sharing information and giving advice and counselling to service users. EPF make representation and give advocacy services to Ekiti people. We are an active partner with local and international organisation providing humanitarian services. EPF has become point of reference to the international community seeking accurate, balanced and unbiased information and provide consultancy services to major organisation on policy and strategic issues on African affairs. EPF organised a successful International Day of Prayer & Service for Ekiti last December and despite the severe bad weather conditions experienced that day in Europe and America, it was well observed in lager number world wide.
EPF has grown beyond boarders with wider outlook and membership in all the world continents making it more interactive especially among the youths.
Perhaps our major achievement is that members of EPF plays leading role in redeeming the bad image of our nation especially in their role in groups like “Nigerian Against Fraud”, “Say No To Anti Social Behaviours”, “Ambassador of Peace”, “Nigeria is not Terrorist Nation” etc and now serves as role model and standard that every one wants to associate with.
Q. How does your organisation intend to assist in the development of Ekiti people?
The Ekiti people are known for their passion for education, honorability, honesty and integrity. Right now we have moved away from these values and we do not want the Ekiti people to fold their arms and watch the legacy of our fore fathers being destroyed.
If Papa Obafemi Awolowo could see what is happening in present day corrupt Nigeria, he would weep in his grave.
He has a vision. He was not selfish, but was very sensitive and caring for our future. EPF will always be on the side of the masses we are encouraging them not only to know their rights but to also ask and go for them. EPF play host to Ekiti people in the Diaspora and will continue to represent Ekiti people who need support. Information is power.
We need to create more awareness programme and empower our people.
Ekiti has been put on the wrong side of history through election violence, kidnapping and assassinations and needs rebranding.
Let me say here that Ekiti will rise again and we urge our people not to look back in pain and anger, nor look forward in fear of intimidation but look around in awareness of hope and believe that the Almighty God will not cut off our expectations as a united people.
Ekitiland needs healing and unification efforts needs to take place. Ekiti state is the only state in Nigeria who speaks one dialect with same culture and traditional history. United we stand.
Q You said your organisation is not partisan but you invited Mrs Funmi Olayinka to your last anniversary celebration which demonstrates your partisanship?
EPF is a neutral organisation who has engaged many well meaning Ekiti sons and daughters like Barrister Femi Falana, Prof Sam Aluko etc. EPF has participated in teleconference with Senator Ayo arise, Mr Ajetunmobi, Ayo Fayose, Chief Afe Babalola, Hon.
Femi Odeyemi Speaker Ekiti House of Assembly etc. These people are all Ekiti people who cut across all political parties in the land. It is not about political parties but it is all about Ekiti people.
It is about meeting every Ekiti people and ensure in making Ekitiland consistently progressive. Where is NPN, UPN, GNPP, NPP, SDP, NRC etc today? Remember Parties come and go but Ekiti people remain forever.
EPF is committed to meet, serve and have meaningful interaction with all Ekiti people, and as lovers of good things and progressive people, it was nice to celebrate Mrs. Funmi Olayinka who is another illustrious daughter of Ekiti to grace our anniversary on the 7th of March 2010 as Special Guest.
Femi Adefolaju during the protest
Q It is being rumoured that your organisation is being sponsored by a political party in Nigeria, what is your comment and which party is sponsoring your organisation?
Here we go again. Thousands of our members cuts across many political organisations so which of the parties will be responsible for its sponsorship? Consequent to the negative news coming from Ekiti since the state of emergency was declared, group of concerned people came together to see what they could do to give Ekiti a face lift and that was how EPF was formed.
Like I said earlier on we have members who are from outside Ekiti. One of our founding members is from Ogun State.
Our patriotism was borne out of genuine love for Ekiti and that is why even in far away Europe, we are very concerned about the plight of Ekiti people in particular and Nigerians in general. To answer your question, no group of person or political party is responsible for sponsoring EPF. Infact we do not have a sponsor.
Q As an activist, do you intend to partake in politics in the near future?
There should be no short cut to any place worth going. The truth about service is that a time will come you will not sit on the fence, because those who stand for nothing fall for everything. That does not mean you want to be a politician but I believe we all have a role to play in the development of Ekitiland.
Q I believe you came from Ekiti, for the past three years the tribunal have been sitting to settle the election dispute, what was wrong and how do you think we can resolve the problems for the future?
It is a known fact that people are worried that INEC failed woefully to conduct a rerun election in just few local governments in Ekiti state. The federal government who had never visited the state for meaningful engagement or for progressive adventure now suddenly invaded Ekiti making provocative utterances.
Ekitiland used to be the most peaceful state in Nigeria but lately has been portrayed as a violent land.
Ekiti people are no fools. Ekiti people are civilise and have their pride; they strongly believe in the power of their votes and waited patiently for the Election Day to exercise their civic right, however, before the glaring eyes of the international observers, civil societies, press media, their votes were stolen away from them.
There were shooting and killing, people’s legs were cut off yet Ekiti people defied them.
This shows the bravery, honesty, truthfulness and determination of Ekiti people who can not be intimidated.
The leadership of this great nation should start doing things as they are supposed to be and not as they selfishly want it to be. Nigeria belongs to all of us.
What concerns the president in visiting Ekiti just for a rerun election? Federal government failed to differentiate between national issues and party issues; hence suffice me to say that if you are not in the ruling party, PDP, you are a lesser Nigerian.
This is not in the spirit of federalism and certainly not right within a federal set up of government.
Yar Adua has more important issues of electoral reform, the Niger Delta issue, uninterrupted electricity supply, the lecturer’s strike etc where empty promises have been made, all these were ignored and unattended till today. A nation that conducts the worst election in Africa such as we saw in 2007 needs urgent electoral reforms.
Electoral body should truly be headed by an independent person; there should be a thorough voter’s registration; there should be other bodies responsible for monitoring electoral malpractices. In fact Justice Uwias Report did address these issues and should be passed into law and subsequently implemented.
Q What is your comment on the dissolution of the Executive council by the Acting President, do you think the newly selected members can perform in moving Nigeria forward?
The problem of leadership is hanging on our neck like an albatross. Over the years, our leaders who were constitutionally charged with the responsibility of providing services have failed us in all areas.
In Nigeria our leaders who are supposed to provide medical facilities and are allowed to go abroad for medical treatment every year.
It is only in our nation that a minister in charge of education would invite all his children studying abroad, spend millions of naira and throw a lavished party which was broadcasted on a national television while unpaid lecturers are on strikes fighting for our decayed educational system.
It is in our Nation that public officers will refuse to resign when glaring evidences of corruption and incompetence are staring them in the face. Looking at our health system, educational system, transportation system, employment, electoral system and power supply; we can only say that our leaders have consistently failed and these have brought abject poverty and untold hardship to Nigerians.
Recently hundreds of people were killed in Jos repeatedly and nothing tangible was done by the leaders to prevent the re – occurrence.
It was John F. Kennedy that says that if a society cannot help many who are poor and vulnerable, it can not save the few who are rich.
Nigeria is a country where leaders are not sensitive to the needs of the ordinary people and yet displayed an attitude of bullying, intimidation and become defensive when confronted to be accountable and this is raising serious concern to all Nigerians.
That is why some people believe Nigeria is showing indices of a failed state.
Q. The National Assembly recently amended some areas of the constitution; do you think the amended areas can have an effect on the electoral process n Nigeria?
Like I said earlier on, the problem of our leaders is that they do not see things as it ought to be seen but see thing from their own selfish angle. This selfish attitude is very dangerous and cannot move our country forward.
They have made themselves very powerful and because we can not control the wind now, the civil society and other concern groups are now planning on how they can adjust the sail.
Major attention should be honestly given to make sure decamped politician lose their position when cross carpeting while in service.
This is weakening our democracy. Stopping public officers from undergoing overseas medical check ups when under probe.
Why is it that it is when they are under probe that they fall ill and need to go abroad for medical treatment? PLEASE let us stop this escape route! They should make law to ban public officer who are saddled with the responsibility of making our hospital works from patronising private hospitals.
Moreover, public officers should not be allowed to send their children to private schools in Nigeria and abroad.
Every criminal offences should be investigated and offenders given deserving punishment to serve as deterrence.
Q Your organisation recently participated in the demonstration On Yar Adua must resign, what are the gains of such demonstration to an average Nigerian?
EPF is a member of Save Nigeria Group, Nigerian Liberty Forum, and other human right organisations. We do all these so that we can tell our children what role we played when things are going wrong in our land. Already, our own children are asking us embarrassing questions about the deplorable situation of things in Nigeria.
They could not understand why Nigeria is been govern the way is been govern.
Through our awareness programmes and demonstrations, we draw the attentions of the whole world into Nigerian affairs there by putting pressure on our obstinate leaders.
Over here if terrorists who kill and destroy people lives are demonstrating seeking to be relevant, what stops peaceful and progressive groups like EPF from demonstrating asking for better change?
Q. Do members of your organisation support the idea of completing all litigations on electoral dispute before the swearing in ceremony of the declared winner?
It was because elections were flawed that calls for litigations. If INEC could organise credible elections, then there will be few legal challenges.
But as things are now whereby it takes over three years to resolve electoral fraud as it is right now in Ekiti State, Osun State etc election petitions or tribunal are still on and another election is around the corner.
In the light of the above issues raised, every legal challenge should not last for more than three months and these three months should be before anybody is sworn in. Otherwise, we are in for another joke in 2011.
Q What are your personal aspirations for the future?
My future aspiration is simply to continue to play more public roles, representing vulnerable people and giving voices to the voiceless. We should bear in mind that those who bring sunshine to the lives of others can not keep it away from themselves.
I want to be happy and make other people happy as well. Thank you.
Source: Tribune Newspapers.
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