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State policing’ll solve most of Nigeria’s security problems –Moyosore Ogunlewe

Moyosore Ogunlewe, a son of a former Minister of works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, developed interest in politics, when he used to follow his father to political meetings at the age of 10. Today, Moyosore has become a political gladiator with interest in the affairs affecting his fatherland. In this interview with OLADIPUPO AWOJOBI, the trained lawyer bares his mind on politics, issues affecting youths and the way forward for Nigeria.

What attracted you to politics as a young man?

What attracted me to politics is that I had been part of politics from the age of 10, when my father, Prince Adeseye Ogunlewe, used to host political gladiators. I was always with him; I went to meetings with him. I remember the days of zero party, when we used to have meetings in the house of Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, he is late now. This attracted me because I enjoyed it then. We would be in the car, my father would be having meeting inside his friend’s house and they would buy me bread, groundnut and soft drink to keep me going. You would never tell when they would finish the meeting; it could last for hours; they would finish around 2am or even 3am, this became part of me and I enjoyed it.

What has been your experience in politics so far?

It’s been God all the way; the experience in politics is that you learn every day because there are a lot of intrigues in politics. That is why I say that you must go through the ranks like from being a junior officer to a General. It’s a lot of game plan within the political circle. A lot of people don’t understand, they just believe that once you get involved that is it, no. You must follow the steps, I have learnt so much in politics for over 20 years and you keep learning until you get what you want.

What has been keeping you going in politics all these years?

I’m a lawyer, I’m a legal practitioner and my advice to young people is that don’t be known as a politician alone; try and have something doing. I’m a lawyer and I work with Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) and it has been keeping me going. I don’t do politics alone, I’m a politician and I practise my profession.

What’s your next ambition politically?

I’m very ambitious and I just feel that I should take it step by step, I have not determined what I want to do, I just want to spend some time with my family and when I come back then I would know what is next for me.

There are issues in the country, especially in the area of politics and your party, the APC, is in power both at the federal and state levels, what is your advice to the Federal Government on these issues?

The most important thing is that every state should handle its security, that is the way out. State policing is the best. You cannot bring somebody from the North or Kano and expect him to know the people in Oworonsoki in Lagos, for instance, it is not possible. That is why we are having problems in this area, so it is clear that people in an area know themselves. As a policeman from Ibadan in Oyo State, you cannot know my people more than I do. That is what state policing is all about. The people that live within those areas should be part of the police system so that when there are issues, they know these people, they know the families they are from. That is how it is done all over the world. State policing would solve a lot of these problems.

Could we now say that you were attracted to politics by your experience as a child since you were born into a political family?

It’s not about that, it’s about interest, I’m interested in politics. I have brothers and sisters, why are they not interested in it. I’m interested in it because I enjoy it. I have lost election twice and it’s not easy, go and ask people that have run elections before. Losing an election can cause a lot of damages and I have lost twice, so it’s part of me. If you don’t lose, you cannot learn the intrigues of politics. What I learned in 2015 is different from what I learned in 2019. So, I understand the game totally, which is why I am keeping quiet and doing it the way it should be done.

Do you believe in the restructuring of the Nigeria?

That is the only thing that can solve the problems of the country. If you look at the exclusive list of the country, some of those things you don’t need them. Let’s look at power, for instance. How can you say you have to transmit power to the national grid before it is taken to wherever it is going? No! The state should be able to control power.

How would you describe the government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State?

I can categorically tell you that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State is doing well. I was on a television programme after Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was elected as Governor, I was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) then and I said that drainages should be one of the areas the government should focus on and he is already doing it. Go to Victoria Island today and see the drainages there, which is what we need. We need infrastructural development, which the man is doing. Environmental development is also there and you can see some drainage be-ing cleared; so the man is doing very well. He needs to do more, you cannot satisfy everybody, but he just has to continue to do his best.

Some few weeks ago, we had the #EndSARS protests, which later led to violence. Youths are saying that the older ones should give room for them in the country so that they would take over leadership positions. What’s your take on the protests?

I was part of the protest at the initial stage because we were driving a cause, which is about ending of Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) that was harassing everybody, which I think our parents also supported. But I went back, when youths started eating, drinking and doing all sorts of things on the roads. With free food, playing snookers on the roads, and drinking alcohol you were attracting hoodlums and the hoodlums later hijacked the protest. If we are driving a cause, let us know what we are doing. You are eating rice, playing snooker, drinking beer, romancing on the roads, this was no longer protest. Go and look at protests in France, Turkey and see what they achieved. At the end of the day, they were robbing, raping and doing so many things. At the initial stage, it was good. Many parents were involved, but when it was hijacked by hoodlums then some of us went back. That was where we got it wrong.

What’s your advice to young people like you who wish to go into politics?

My first advice is that any young person, who wants to go into politics should get a job. Don’t be involved in politics without getting a job. Politics is about up and down; you can never win every time. We just pray that we win more than we lose because if you lose more than you win that’s the end. Where do you want to start from? Get a job and join politics from your ward.

Will you support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for presidency in 2023?

If it’s zoned to the South West, I will support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for presidency.

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