WHY WE FORMED CHANGE AGENTS OF NIGERIA -Olukayode Salako

He is one Nigerian, who is passionate about his country. He does not mind what it would cost him financial and othewise to set the people free, what matters to him is their welfare. Olukayode Salako did not just develop this passion, the whole thing began from his childhood, when he had to fend for himself having lost his parents at a tender age. He suffered and laboured to succeed and today the man behind a socio-political organisation, Fasholamania Independent Support Movement is ready to fight poverty from all fronts. His Fasholamania Group was formed to promote the cause of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, who he said is his kind of politician. In the tough days of 'True Face of Lagos Group,' which came up to challenge Governor Fashola prior to the 2011 elections, Salako's Group came to the rescue and he spent money, time and energy to ensure the 'action' Governor did not lose the support of the masses and got the people's mandate to rule for a second term.

In this interview, which he granted to celebrate his 40th birthday, Salako speaks on his growing up years, why he is supporting Governor Fashola and why he formed another group, Change Agents of Nigeria (CAN), which platform is the entire country unlike Fasholamania, which was centred around Lagos.

You clocked 40 few days ago. How do you feel attaining this important age

Honestly, I feel very grateful to God for His grace, to clock 40 in Nigeria. Obviously, it is not easy or it is no longer a right to live long in Nigeria .So many things are frustrating us here! So many things are sending us to the hospitals here! So many things are killing Nigerians here! And so, for me to live in that same environment and be 40 in good health; sound mind and I can still optimally afford to survive economically here, is a rare privilege. At 40, I feel fulfilled and happy. I feel I am not a foolish man at 40! I am happy I am not a foolish Nigerian at 40! I feel I am not a foolish man to my wife at 40! I feel I am not a foolish father to my children at 40! And lastly, I feel I am not a foolish man to my life and conscience at 40!

Looking back how has your growing up been

My growing up years were filled with denials and challenges. That is why I have always said it that I am simply a product of God's grace. So far I have been a product of His grace, because I never thought I could be all I am today. I started very low in life. At age 7, I had known I had to work before I could meet my needs. So, I have engaged myself in creative thinking all my life. I have grown up never to depend on any uncle or aunty before can survive. So, I started with Kayus Art, drawing and making rubber stamps in Ile Ife, Osun State. And at the same time, would hawk anything in season for my late mother, including fire wood. A little above that age, I was a bus conductor in Ile Ife, assisting my mother to feed her children. All of these and few others I did while growing up, until my mother died in 1984. My mother then was like the bread winner of the family. So, after her departure, things became worse. So I still had to do so many things to survive and also to help my siblings to live and go to school .I came into Lagos to continue the same condition of life and today, it is the story of how God has delivered me from poverty and compensated me for all the denials of my growing up.

Your project, Fasholamania, brought you to limelight. Where is Fasholamania now

Fasholamania is still about the only pro-Governor Fashola project that is still surviving in Lagos today. I have always said it that Fasholamania will continue to exist for as long as Governor Fashola continues to govern well  for as long as he continues to do well in both his private and public activities. So, Fasholamania Independent Support Movement will continue to be thereto continue to appreciate, support and encourage Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola for as long as his government continues to impress Lagosians.

But, the activities of your movement have been silent since the Governor came back for second term. Why is it so

You are very correct, but that does not mean that Fasholamania does exist. The activities of Fasholamania were conspicuously loud during the first term and the second term election period all because that was the period Governor Fashola's government needed strong support and encouragement to survive. It was a face in the life of the government when the forces of destabilisation were strong and almost pulling the government down, if not for the help of God and the intervention of different agitators and pressure groups, which stood up at that time in strong support of the action governor. Fasholamania, like few other coordinated groups, mobilised and rose in support of the survival and continuity of the Governor's administration. Our strategies were very strong and effective and, at the same time, so civilised enough to convince any one that the conveners of the movements are not opportunists or political apologists, who were out to attract the attention of the governor to give them money. We did so many things to register our strong support for the fantastic job the administration of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola was and has still been doing in Lagos…

The feeling around town is that Governor Fashola's performance rating has dropped drastically in this second term. What then is your own assessment of his government so far

To those of us who can be realistic enough, Lagos is still working progressively and satisfactorily well. This is definitely not the way Lagos State was handed over to Governor Fashola. This is not the way Lagos city was before now. The present government has changed so many things. The present government has indeed transformed Lagos. And I believe the process of reforming and transforming the socio-economic environment of Lagos for better is still on going and will continue to be a process of progressive governance in Lagos State. Many of us still know and agree that Governor Fashola is still performing and moving Lagos faster forward every day. The evidence of his good efforts is still manifested in all the beautiful things we see evolving in the Lagos environment every day. I have not yet seen any sector of the Lagos economy that is still not adequately receiving the attention of the government. Many more roads are still been constructed everyday, while the existing ones are been repaired and beautified constantly. Infrastructurally, Lagos is getting better and becoming more and more attractive. That Ikeja city mall that has just been opened is simply an evidence of Western life in Nigeria. It is a proof that jungle life has disappeared from Lagos. We now see more and more foreign nationals trooping into Lagos to comfortably live and invest in Lagos. That more foreign nationals can feel secured to come to Lagos is evidence that there is still ideal governance in Lagos. That so many beautiful things we see when we travel to Western countries are now manifesting in the Lagos environment is evidence that the government of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola is still working to improve the lot of Lagos.

You are talking as if this government has solved all the problems of Lagos

There is no government that can solve the problem of any society completely. I am not an uneducated person. So, I know what I am talking about. Governor Fashola, governing Lagos permanently cannot solve all the problems of his family let alone Lagos State. The human society is dynamic, so it is not static. New challenges, problems, evolve every day that must always need solutions. New human beings are being born every day, coming with needs. That in itself is a problem. So, there is no government in the world, who can completely solve the problems or provide the needs of his people. The needs of providing security, employment and material needs of the people completely will always be a challenge to any government anywhere in the world. So, for anybody to expect Mr. Fashola to solve all the problems of Lagos within the life of his government are sheer mental illiteracy. He can't do it; he can only alleviate it.

Now, let us talk about your new project, Change Agents of Nigeria. What is the idea about and what does Nigeria stands to benefit from the activities of this project

 Change Agents of Nigeria (CAN) is our new project and it has a national appeal unlike Fasholamania that seeks to support only Governor Fashola and his government. We are passionately developing and promoting CAN to start championing the call for the course of the change our nation deserves. The reality around this period is that Nigeria critically needs change and development now never than before and there should be a movement of the Nigerian people that must be positioned to incessantly call for that change. What I have observed is that various pressure groups have been making different calls and demands in Nigeria that evidently are not sinking into the consciousness of the country's political leadership. The Federal government appears never in tune with these demands. The MASSOB in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria has been desperately asking for an Igbo nation. The Niger Delta Millitants, MEND and co. are calling for resource control and the equitable distribution of the resources of the wealth of their region. The OPC in the South West are stubbornly positioned to defend the survival of the Yoruba region and also calling for regional autonomous governments. The Boko Haram is calling for an Islamic Northern region and political domination of Nigeria. The Civil and Human Rights community in Nigeria have been frustratingly calling for the urgent conveyance of the Sovereign National Conference (SNC). Others have been calling for the practice of True Federalism as the right Federal government system for the country and many more on the demands of calls and agitations like that. But the Nigerian political leadership seems not comfortable with all these demand. We now feel we should then start asking them to change and develop the country. The feeling is, if you don't like all the demands Nigerians are making, then develop the country! Then, change the country so that Nigerians can continue to enjoy their country! Then, change Nigeria so that Nigerians can start making 'unrealistic' demands and asking 'foolish' questions. This is the idea. Nigerians now, like never before, under a co-ordinated formal arrangement, an effort and strategy want to start asking for change in Nigeria. We want to start singing for change in Nigeria. We want to start drumming for change in Nigeria! And Change Agents of Nigeria will always be ready and well positioned to champion the cause of this demand of necessity.

May 08, 2012