•LG Boss, Hon. SULEIMAN BAMIDELE
Honourable Bamidele Suleiman Yusuf is the Executive Chairman of Surulere Local Government. He is a very hardworking and resourceful administrator. He is a man that has paid his dues in politics and is poised to even give more than he has already done for his people. Within his first two years of being in office, he has done quite a few significant things already, showing signs that there is still a whole lot more he has in store for the good people of Surulere. Once you engage Hon. Suleiman in a discussion that revolves around politics and his responsibilities as the administrator of the local government, you will realise that he is extremely passionate about his job.
Not long ago, City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) spoke with the very likeable LG Chairman and got him to share his thoughts on his political trajectory and his accomplishments so far in office.
I have noticed that you share a very good relationship your people here at the constituency, you know almost everyone by their first names and they also relate very well with you, how have you been able to do this?
It all boils down to my background in politics. I have been around for a very long time. I first contested for councillorship in 1994 under SDP. Some months to the primary election before the military dissolved the two political parties, so we went back to the drawing board. In 1995, zero party came and I also contested but because God had said it was not yet my time, I lost with just one vote. I later joined UNC that merged with UNP and which became UNCP and to God be the glory I won my election as a Councilor. At that point in time, out of the councilors they would also appoint a supervisor, so I was the supervisor for education. After the death of Abiola and Abacha, the then head of state dissolved the political parties and asked us to form new political parties and I contested for Councillorship under APP. That was the only time I would lose an election in my polling booth. The leaders in my area asked me to join AD and I said no, so they refused to vote for me. They voted for my friend but the youths were behind me. That was how I lost the election.
After the presidential election, I went back to AD. I was there when my leader, my boss, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, came and contested for the House of Representatives in 2003. Since then, I have been with him. I was one of the pillars of his campaign group, myself, the former NGA chairman who also happens to be a two time councilor in this local government, the secretary of the campaign organization of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is seated here beside me, he is now my Chief of Staff. He also was the candidate of APP House of Assembly, so most of us that were with him are notable politicians within the local government. Later I served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of AD before I was appointed as Supervisor for Health under Dr. Razaq Olusegun Folami from 2008 to 2011. In 2011, in conjunction with my former Chairman, Hon. Tajudeen Ajide, I was the vice chairman from 2011 to 2014. When our tenures ended, they appointed Executive secretaries. I returned as deputy executive secretary in 2014 to 2015. In 2017, I came back to the council as the running mate of Hon. Tajudeen Ajide as second term Vice Chairman, that was 2017 to 2021. I became the Chairman in 2021. And ever since I got here, I have been trying my best to meet the demands of my people as best as I can. I have always advised my colleagues, councilors and others that, whatever you can give to the people, give to them, don’t say it is for you alone, no, it is for the people at home. You must carry them along them along. I have a good relationship with the councilors and supervisors. When you see me and my vice, you know we are always together. My prayer always is that when I leave this position, God should bring him in to occupy the office when I leave.
Surulere is a massive local government. It is also cosmopolitan in nature, how do you plan to bring all the different ethnic groups together, now that elections are around the corner?
During our campaign with Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, we carried all interest groups along. At that time, we already had relationship with the Arewas, with the Igbos, and where I was trained and brought up, beside my house, a Deltan stays there. And when I was staying with my mum at Lawanson, you could see that constituency was virtually dominated by non Yoruba speaking people and both the Igbos and Yoruba, all of us lived together in harmony. Before I assumed office, I went to the South-South people and promised them that if they vote for me and I assume that office, I will make sure I carry them along and to God be the glory, when we assumed office, we have also included them and created their own platform. So, all ethnic groups are with us because we have always had that relationship with them even before I assumed office. Everyone in Surulere is politically inclined. You must carry everybody along. The CDC comprises of representatives of each of the CDs and when you look at Surulere, presently we have 54 CDs. So, three persons per CD, altogether that’s about 172. It’s a lot but we will have to find a way to put together an all inclusive administration that will ensure no one is alienated.
There are renovations going on at the council, some people are wondering if you intend to move the council here permanently and abandon the original vision of this place which is to transform it into an ultra modern hospital by the former chairman?
That is true, we are supposed to equip this place and make it a modern health, but because of the renovation going on at the council, we had to move here temporarily so that the business of governance can go on smoothly. The contractor gave us 5 months. Immediately they are done with the renovation, we move back to the secretariat and this place will be equipped. Presently, we have some of our staff at the customary court. Soon, everyone will move back here, with the resident apartment of the doctors right inside here. When we are done, we move back to the main Secretariat. That is our main secretariat, number 24 A, Alhaji Masha, you can’t take that away from us. You can’t compare the space there with what we have here. That is the seat of power. You cannot be doing things outside wile your secretariat is looking bd. They say charity begins at home.
We came in July 27, last year. A week after, the schools went on holiday. We now decided that we cannot leave our children at home doing nothing, so we organized a summer coaching. It was the first of its kind in Surulere, from JSS1 to SS3. Over 2,000 students benefitted from the free summer coaching. At the end of the coaching, assessment tests were done and the best 50 students were given free GCE forms. Then, there was skill acquisition programme in which we trained over 360 people in Surulere in different skills. It was a week’s training. And after the training, we empowered them. Usually, after such trainings, they just let the people go back home. But we said no. What is the essence of the training if they have no means to buy equipments and practice what they have learnt. So, we gave them start up capitals to enable them start something. There were about 360 participants. After that, we often give financial assistance every month, to both the civil servants and the community at large. We have been doing this since I assumed office. Some just picked up theirs today. With the contractors we engage, we follow due process. We advertised it in daily newspapers and there was transparency in the final selection. We also make sure we seek government’s approval because any project that is above 35 million naira we seek governor’s approval. Eventually, two companies won the bid for the renovation and construction of the legislative block and they started the job with their own funds. Then, we moved to the Spelling Bee competition which was started by Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The girl that won the Spelling Bee competition was also given the honour to be a one day chairman of the Local Government. She was in SS2. Surulere also participated in the governor’s cup and won it. The first prize was N1.5m and we added N1m to it to support the players. We lodged the players and gave them a great time. We also came first in other football competitions and talent hunt contests.
How do you feel about the prospects of an Asiwaju presidency? What are your expectations?
Let me tell you, my brother, many people don’t know the real qualities of the man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Many don’t even know the capabilities of the man. Perhaps we should start by asking the anti-Asiwaju people, do you know what Asiwaju did in Lagos while he was governor? All that we are enjoying in Lagos right now, Asiwaju is the brain behind it. He drew up the blue print and set the process in motion. This has made it easy for every governor to follow. Look at how he moved the IGR of the state from about N600m to N7b. When he left office, he had the opportunity to go back to the senate, but instead, he stepped down and gave Senator Ganiu Solomon the chance to run. That shows he is the kind of leader that considers the desires and feelings of his followers. We are talking about a man that is widely experienced and extremely brilliant. Obasanjo seized Lagos State’s allocation for years, because Asiwaju set up new LCDAs. Those LCDAs did not die, they are all still there today. Do you know the number of people he has made through these LCDAs he created? Asiwaju is one of those people that come only once in a generation. Go to his house around 4 am. He is still attending to people. Even now that people are shouting he is old, how many of them can sty up from morning till 4am attending to people? There is no way I won’t stand and fight for Asiwaju because he’s a patriot, a democrat to the core,
What is the one thing you love about Asiwaju the most out of all his qualities?
He is an extremely committed leader. He is extremely focused as well. And he can also be extremely loyal to his followers and he expects the same level of loyalty to come from you, his follower as well. Another thing about him that I cherish so much is the fact if Asiwaju meets you today, and he spends just a few minutes speaking with you, he already knows your capabilities and how best he can use you by putting you in a position where you will be most suitable. He is blessed with the ability to know how to put the square pegs in square holes. Let me tell you something, even as Asiwaju has not been elected president yet, he already has in his head how he will set up his cabinet. He already knows who will be in what position. It took president Buhari more than six months before he could put his team together, not Asiwaju. He already has that in his head. And trust me, he will select the best brains that will bring transformation to the country in just a matter of months, the same way he did as governor of Lagos. His track records ate there for all to see. He is a brilliant man. I just pray Nigerian don’t lose the opportunity of having Asiwaju as president because, I can bet you, he will transform this country and take us to the next level that we have been praying for.
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