JONATHAN SHOULD BE MORE PRO-ACTIVE TO TACKLE BOKO HARAM -Lagos Lawmaker, Tobun Abiodun

The menace of Boko Haram sect, which has been wrecking havoc on the nation through bombings and senseless killings, has practically got to its peak. For that, Hon. Tobun Abiodun, who is representing Epe Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, has advised the Federal Government of Nigeria to be more pro-active in handling the problem, as according to him, the situation is too bad.

The amiable lawmaker is also supporting the much pronounced Sovereign National Conference, but his own suggestion is that it should be done through the representatives of the people from the nation's six geo-political zones.

The grassroots politician is also in support of state police being canvassed by his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which he said would handle criminals in the localities.

Hon. Tobun, who was recently honoured with the chieftaincy title of Alakoso of Epe in Lagos, speaks on other issues of interest in this interview.

There are some issues that have come up like the Boko Haram attacks on many areas of the country; do you see the Federal Government tackling this issue effectively and do you see them coming to the south west?

I sincerely believe that the issue of Boko Haram is a national issue, it is taking a new dimension and portraying the Federal Government and Nigeria in a bad light among the comity of nations. I believe the Federal Government should be more proactive and look inward with a view of solving the problem. I think it is political and it requires a political solution. The government should be more proactive and responsive where necessary. If they feel it is not political and it is terrorism, they should be ready to nip it in the bud. If such a thing is happening internally and we cannot stop it, what happens if it is an external aggression on the nation? That means we are operating under a bad situation. The Federal Government should look into the problem and do something because of the volume of lives that have been lost through Boko Haram attacks on a daily basis. On the issue of coming to the South West, I think we don't have any quarrel with them. I sincerely believe they are not coming to the south or south west. It is within the northern part of the country, and I believe God will solve it.

So, do you see it as a northern or national issue?

It's a northern issue sincerely, but we should adopt it as a national calamity because the international world cannot separate the north from the south, Nigeria is Nigeria. That is why we should see it as a national calamity.

Do you see this as a pointer to the need for a sovereign national conference since it is believed that we are having Boko Haram problem because a south-southerner is in power?

Sincerely speaking, I don't want to believe it is because we have a south-southerner that we are having the problem, it is all about agitation. The ruling party, PDP should not shy away from what is going on in the north. I don't think it is because of that, I feel the Federal Government should be more pro-active. Well, talking about a national conference, we have the national assembly there; but we may call a conference of stakeholders representing all the six geo-political zones in the country, where the people can meet. It could be speakers of all the states houses of assembly, the governors. They can come together with some elder statesmen and determine our co-existence, where we will be able to operate on the basis of mutual understanding and respect for one another so that one would not be treated like a majority or minority, where whoever wants to lead us would be given an opportunity as a Nigerian. Take for example, Barak Obama is a black American and he was given the opportunity to lead the nation as president and I don't think there has been any problem whatsoever, it is just based on peaceful co-existence and respect for one another and the rule of law. Where rule of law, respect for one another and peaceful co-existence exists in any nation, such a thing would not happen. But once some people are aggrieved, you will have this kind of problem and it is going out of hands, taking another dimension. That is why the Federal Government must see it as a national calamity and act promptly.

Still talking about national security, we discovered that we have been having problems in some states like the situation in Edo State and your party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is calling for state police, do you see this as the solution?

The regular police may not tell you, they cannot do it; we need state police as a matter of urgency. We have Metropolitan police and conventional police in London. The state police is important because they know the terrain, that was the idea that brought about the Neighbourhood Watch because they are within the community, they live in the community, they know those in the community and when they see a strange person, they can easily ask him what he is doing there. But where you now bring somebody from Anambra State to come and work in Alimosho area of Lagos, where he knows nobody, he would be afraid to move here and there and freely too and he would not be able to carry out that job of policing the environment effectively. He would only do it to the best of his ability and leave the rest because he does not want to endanger his life. But if we have community police or state police, the job of policing would be easier and effective and I am telling you, criminality will reduced to the barest minimum because if you go to an area, there is tendency for you to know if marauders come into the place, you can identify them easily. This is unlike somebody who is not familiar with an area, he does not know the terrain, he does not speak their language, you are chasing a criminal and he can easily enter one area and escape, but if you know the area, he will not escape. So, we should not politicize it, we should allow the rule of law to operate and we should allow state police to operate so that Nigeria would be safer.

You are the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment and rainy season is coming, what do you think is the solution to the problem of environmental challenges in the state?

Presently, the state is preparing heavily to ensure that the environmental challenges are solved through clearing of drains, canals, expanding the existing ones and building more just to ensure that flood is reduced to the barest minimum. Most of our systems are being upgraded and the state is campaigning and educating the people on the way they handle their environment, they should not block their drainages, the people should be more educated, they should be more involved so that they would not drop their waste in drains. Also, we should not patronize cat pushers because the refuse they collect, they dump them inside the drains and they block waterways and water will always find its level, which is why when rain falls, water moves into a new area and cause havoc. The state is ready and we are doing our best to curtail erosion problem in the state.

We want you to talk about your new chieftaincy title in Epe area and what do you think informed it?

The chieftaincy title given to me as the Alakoso of Epeland by the Oba of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun is just a mark of honour to appreciate my contribution to the community. I am a grassroots man, I've been involved in development activities in Epe area. I have been the secretary of Epe Day for about seven to eight years, I am the Chairman of Ojude Oba Day, I've been doing the 'akoso' co-ordinating activities and as their representative in the state house of assembly, I've been doing what I can and as a mark of honour, just to appreciate me, they gave me the title. I feel highly honoured to be given the title, though I celebrated it in a low key for reasons best known to me, I feel honoured with the title.

May 21, 2012