Why I Want to Represent Ijumu in the State House of Assembly – Comrade Ojo Bidemi

Comrade Ojo Bidemi Jerry (OBJ) hails from Egdea –Egga in Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State. He is the National Secretary of Ebgeda –Egga Development Union, the apex cultural-social organization in the community. Comrade Jerry is currently the Sales Manager of Flour Mills Nigeria plc in Kogi.

In an Interview with the Samuel Enimola, he bared his mind on his foray into politics and his aspiration to represent Ijumu constituency at the Kogi State House Assembly. Excepts;

My name is Comrade Ojo Bidemi Jerry. I was born little above three decades ago. I attended St. John Nursery and primary school,Oke-oyi, Ilorin, Kwara State. From there, I proceeded to Community Secondary School,Egbeda -Egga in Ijumu Local Government Area. After that, I attended Kogi State University, Ayingba where I studied Political Science and graduated in 2008. I have worked differently in Lagos, Akure and Lokoja.I had my first stint with the Cadury Nigeria Plc from 2010 to 2011. I left for Guinness Nigeria Plc from there I came back to Cadbury Plc, Lokoja. In 2012, I went back to Lagos to work in Inbisco Nigeria Plc. It was there I left for Flour Mills Nigeria Plc as the Sales Manager covering Lokoja Territory. This is where I have been since 2013.

I have been a student of politics. Remember I studied Political Science so and from there activism and community development services have been part of me. When I was in Kogi State University, I was the National Vice-President Of Egbeda Egga Students Union. After that in 2006, I was elected as the National President of the same Union. I served my two years in that capacity. In 2016, my community found me worthy to serve as the National Secretary of Egbeda-Egga Development Union which I am still holding to date. In partisan politics, this is my first shot at contesting for an elective post. However, in grassroots politics, I have also been fully and actively involved.

When you look at the whole political scenario in Nigeria, you will know that there is a lot of gap, we are probably  where we should not be. Every four years, people come to make promises and go back without impacting positively on the lives of the people. And if men of goodwill refuse to join politics, then governance will be run by inferior people who do not mean well for the people. Some of them are in politics for personal enrichment. Politics is about service to the people. So by the time you are in politics for selfish reasons, the essence of politics have been defeated. See, my political aspiration means or equate service to the people. There is one thing I have noticed in my career as a person is that ,when you build human capital  and institutions, these institutions will outlive you but when you are in politics to enrich yourself, these wealth will fade away and then you have no legacy after you. In other words, I am coming with this mindset that whatever we have to do we have to carry the people along. Service is what I owe Ijumu people.

By my background, I have been a political actor for a very long time now and more recently, I have decided to render my service to my people. It is not just  that I woke up and said to myself that I want to contest. A lot of people came up to me and said that it is high time I take a shot at the state House of Assembly based on their secret assessment of my activities in the community, Ijumu and Kogi in general. And I said to myself that though it is sacrificial, it is a worthy cause. I am bringing on board a commitment to serve the people, I am bringing on board a legislative framework that will work for the betterment of Ijumu people. It is not about being young, if you are young and you have the capacity to deliver on your promises, then the people will greatly benefit from ones intervention. It is high time  we look  at qualities like capacity, the zeal and ability to serve the people. I am sure I possess these qualities. I will make sure that I consult with Ijumu Elders and leaders in my day to day activities in my bid to take Ijumu and Okunland to the promise land. Needs assessment will be conducted round ijumu to know the needs of our people and ensure that our interventions will be tailored around this.

Well, if I want to be modest, I have directly helped in giving gainful employment in the last five year to nothing less than fifteen indigenes of Ijumu Kingdom and even beyond. And when you talk of those that I have indirectly helped through my friend in other blue chip companies they are quite many. What I do is simply talk to my friends in other companies for any vacant posts.Through this, I have facilitated full employment to Ijumu sons and daughters in Nigeria Nestle Plc, Cadbury plc, Baywaters and so many .To the grace of God they are doing well.

The word god-fathers in politics is just being polluted. I think what people call god-fatherism is mentorship. My confidence is on God first. However, God will not come down to help one but  place people in your life to help you and fast track your ambition. So I thank God for placing great sons and daughters of Ijumu Kingdom and even beyond the kingdom in my life who have positively affected my life. People like His Excellency Abiodun Faleke, Senator Smart Adeyemi, Chief Abiodun Ojo, Chief J. O. Fatoba, Chief Malomo Omonuwa, Mr Joseph Funsho Ojo, Mr Josiah Ojo, Engr Sanmi Ibitoye and so on. I have vast number of leaders who I have met in the course of this aspiration that have impacted me so much. I am assuring these leaders that I will never let them down. They have positively impacted on my political life. I am looking unto them as people I should emulate their explemlary leadership qualities. I have learnt a lot from His Excellency James Faleke in terms of principles, comportment and philanthropy. He is indeed a rare and uncommon political figure.

The zoning arrangement in Ijumu Kingdom is an aged long system and our people have been following that for a long time. With this, I am from Ijumu –Oke, Egbed-Egga precisely. This town has not produced any representation to the State House of Assembly. This is one of the advantages I have.

Equally, I am very young and know that I have the capacity to deliver. If I can help some of our people to get jobs in companies, then it will be a lot easier in political position. I am very close to the people. For the past five years, there is no weekend that I do not go home except I travel out of the state. So I feel the pulse of my people, I know what they do and how to they manage to survive in this hard times. Many of our politicians just come home during election, make noise and promises and go back till another election. I am fully on ground.

People have been asking me this question. I am a member of All Progressive Congress (APC). Although, the party is confronted with so many challenges , I believe that reconciliation is what we need now. We are better united than divided. In APC, if it is the present situation we found ourselves during the last election, we would not have won both at the state and federal levels. But God in his wisdom changed the direction of victory and Alhaji Yahaya Bello became the state governor. I urge him to play the role of Father to all. I am a member of the All Progressive Congress. People are just speculating as regards my membership of Advance Peoples Democratic Alliance. My membership of APDA is just a mere speculation. If the problem is APC seems intractable, then we shall look for a credible platform to realize our ambitions. I believed the ultimate power relies with the people and we shall listen to them in arriving at our final decision.

I am not too religious but I believe in the supremacy of God and the efficacy of prayers.  Whatever I want I say it and it happens without being a church person. I do not struggle much. I am not a desperado. I believe in God. When I was in the school, a lot of my colleagues said they wanted graduate with second class upper. I just said to myself that I would try and do my best and leave God to do the rest. And most of my colleagues who said they would graduate with second class upper did not make it. To the glory of God I graduated with second class upper. You have to be hard working in life and be committed to whatever you have chosen to do. For instance, a lot of places I have worked  they keep scouting for me. When you are hardworking and trustworthy, you will make it in life. You need to be careful about the people that you relate with. They have influence on you. You have to choose your friends very well. These are some of the driving forces behind whatever modest success God has endowed me in life.

My message is that in 2019, we should ensure that we get it right. The past representatives have tried their best probably their best is not where we should be. I urge my people to vote a young, competent, and intelligent personality to represent Ijumu Kingdom at the State House of Assembly. And one of the advantages of having a youth, is that they are mindful of the life after office. As a young man I will be leaving my job to contest, so what happens after four years, these are some of things that should be guiding you not to abdicate your responsibilities. I do not have any option or alternative to serve the people of Ijumu I have said it time without number that if my aspiration will not be a benefit to the people of Ijumu kingdom God will not allow me be there but If it will add value and impact lives of the people of the kingdom, God will make my aspiration to come to pass. Social and natural justice are my watchwords.