Tunde Eso, was 2018 Osun State governorship aspirant under Peoples Democratic Party, he is the founder of Youthocracy, a new system of government; president of Fix Nigeria Group, author of Vision for Africa and African Security Solution. He is a media, mining and project management consultant. He talks about his experience in the just concluded primaries in Osun State and his plans for future elections. Excerpt.
QUE: Can you tell us what your experience has being as the youngest candidate in the 2018 Osun State governorship bid under the umbrella of Peoples Democratic Party?
ESO: I'm grateful to God for granting me wisdom and strength to be able to participate. It's wasn't easy for me in the midst of many gerontocrats (old democrats). Politics in Nigeria is still very immature because the old brigades who have been there for decades see the youths as ordinary citizens especially when you don't have enough money to throw around. The present Nigerian style of politics makes mockery of any aspiring politician if you don’t have enough money to throw around. No one appreciates or reckons with any politician who does not have a big pocket. When I made my intention known to contest for Osun State governorship election, nobody believed or gave me a chance. Their main emphasis was the fact that I don't have
billions of naira to throw around despite the brilliant proposal I presented. So I believe we still have a long way to go in this country in our political disposition.
QUE: We noticed that you did not make it to the primaries. What must have been responsible for that?
ESO: I couldn't make it because there was no provision for young contestants or those who can lead our state intelligently. You can imagine a situation why the nomination form was sold for N9 million. I learnt the second runner-up to Senator Ademola Adeleke spent about N10 billion in less than two months that he fully joined the race; so how much do you think the winner would have spent? I will not be surprised when the eventual winner gets to office and becomes a demi-god in order to be able to recoup the funds he has invested to get to the position. Even in my little way, I spent millions of naira in terms of logistics and other expenses.
Nobody wants to see your beautiful face if you don’t have money to spend. We just have to change politics of moneybags if we really want the right people at the helm of affairs in this country. That is the truth.
QUE: What propelled your clamour for youthocracy instead of ensuring that
democratic principles work in Nigeria?
ESO: The term ‘democracy’ has been abused by those who feel they are specialists in the art of governance especially by those who have been recycled over the years to rule us. They have refused to nurture the young ones who should take over when they are gone. Unfortunately they believe the wisdom to rule our country only belongs to them. Contemporary issues on democratic governance make no meaning to them and they keep repeating the same mistakes over and over.
Bringing the youths into governance has no place in their hearts. Therefore youths have to take their destiny in their hands if they want to be relevant in Nigerian politics. Hence, there is a need for youths to identify with another system of government that will be all-inclusive and that was why the concept of Youthocracy came about in 2013. It is defined as government of the people, by the youth and for the people. That was why I wrote the book 'Vision for Africa'. You can get copy online. Before now, we used to have hand fans; later standing fans came into our homes; ceiling fans followed; right now we have automatic air conditioners. You can see the gradual improvement in the technology of creating a means to make us comfortable when we experience heat. Therefore I do not think it is wrong if we modify our democratic principles that will give the youth a space to participate in governance. So, Youthocracy is here to take over from democracy.
QUE: Now that you are no longer in the race, what next?
ESO: I stand on Youthocracy and I maintain that I will only vote for a young aspirant in this election who is credible. People have been asking to know my next plan since I didn't pick the governorship ticket of another party though there is no party in Osun State that didn't approach me to run under their umbrella. I had to stand on the advice of Osun State PDP state party chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo even though I'm not too happy with his body language towards youth inclusion in politics lately. I'm a youthocrat, hence I will stand on my principles. The old ones think they can do it without us; let’s wait and see. If they get it right this time, I can assure them that it will be the last time of their rule in this country.
QUE: What is your advice to other young aspirants in Africa?
ESO: My advice is to encourage them to vote for younger aspirants who are credible. My vote will always be for a youthocrat. I stand with the youths anywhere and anytime as the founder of youthocracy. If the old ones need us, they must reckon with us. The youths are alive in Africa, so we are not going back on entrenching youthocracy and its principles in our political space.
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