As the national vice-president of NULGE, how have you been coping?

It is highly cumbersome, tasking and very, very strenuous for one to combine the primary assignment with that of the union. You know it would bring more energy. So, I have been coping but it has not been too easy. But I take joy in doing the job and I have never in any way been found wanting in discharging my responsibilities as the national vice president and at the same time as a local government functionary.

What are the obstacles or challenges you have been facing in office?

Yes, precisely, it is much in line with what you have said. You see, the challenges, in quote, is such that the primary assignment should come before NULGE, I must discharge that adequately to meet the interest of the people in my local government area. I must make sure that I advance the course of the entire workforce to meet their aspirations and yearnings. So, the challenges have been very tasking, but I have taken joy in doing it, like I have rightly said, without any problem and there have never been lapses on my part.

As the national officer of NULGE and equally a top official of the local government, what are the changes you will like to see effected in local government administration in the country?

The local government administration, by my experience since I started working and vis-a-vis my present experience of the system, there should be changes in the system. The government should be able to see that local government is conspicuously entrenched in the Constitution of Nigeria and make the system autonomous so that the council will be alive to its responsibilities. So, I want to say that if this is done, there would be tremendous changes in the system. That would make everybody see the essence of local government administration in Nigeria.

If they are autonomous as you are calling sir, would that not remove them from being supervised by the state governor?

Of course, yes. This is because by the constitution, there are three tiers of government; the federal, the state and local government. Local government is not supposed to be under the excessive supervision of the state. If only for council to carry out its fundamental responsibilities; there should be autonomy and that will make the council to be off state supervision; because council administration, as we all know, is a clear system entirely from the state. If the council is given autonomy, it will be out of state supervision and its finances would be monitored by the local government system. But I am not saying that government is spending its money, but ordinarily, the council should be able to oversee the funding of the system.

Many people have been calling for the scrapping of local government system in the country. What is your opinion?

Those people are wicked; they are enemies of the entire people of this country. This is because local government administration is an administration that is overseeing the responsibility of people in the rural areas. Apart from the traditional council, without the local government service, which I consider to be the bottom of democracy in Nigeria, there will be no democracy, because there is nobody, no single individual that is not from local government. So, if government should make such mistake, it will crumble the democracy. No government will even do it. So, scrapping of local government will make the entire system in Nigeria a shambles.

So, if the council is autonomous, will that make it more efficient and effective?

Yes. You see, if an autonomy is given, just like your person, if you are given free hand to operate, you know within yourself, you know what is right. You know what to do, so is the local government administration. If local government is giving autonomy, it would be able to perform, be more aggressive in its responsibility and it will enhance more development. Its operation would not be narrowed down and would be able to do much for the people.

Do you support the clamour for the creation of more local governments in the country, particularly in Ekiti State?

It is a welcome development. There is nothing bad in it. It will only enhance development in those areas particularly in Ekiti State. I want to pray that if this administration could create more local governments, it will be to our joy and it is welcome.

There was this insinuation that local Government system is very corrupt and that is why it was put under the state government for effective supervision. Do you subscribe to that kind of allegation?

It is not true; it is just a ploy to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it: I don’t foresee any fraudulent act in the local government and we are not fraudsters, we have been doing our jobs. You know, it is not easy and that is why we are calling for the autonomy of the local government. This is because people go about to talk ills of the local government system. And while you are there, you will note that the task to run a local government is much more than what one can just be saying that we are corrupt. There is no corruption in the system; it is just a mere calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

Do you subscribe to the idea that tenure of the local government elected officials be extended to be at par with their counterparts at the Federal level?

It is okay if the government can make it part of the Constitution review. I support it. Local government is supposed to be a separate tier of government, but in this country, it has been subjugated and this is wrong because of the roles it played in the lives of the people. What is sauce for the goose should also be a sauce for the gander.

As you are celebrating your golden jubilee, would you say you are a fulfilled man?

Of course, I am a fulfilled man because, I thank God that I am still living, I am in the midst of the living souls and I thank God for the days that I have spent so much on earth and that I am able to find my place in the midst of people that really matters in this country today. So, I am well fulfilled and I thank God who is really doing wonders in my life and I have been very happy that I have Him behind me. I am well fulfilled, well fulfilled.

What next after the expiration of your term as National Vice-President of NULGE?

You know, by common saying: "Man proposes, God disposes". No one can predict what would happen in a moment, but I have intuition that even after retirement, I know that I am going places if going by my record of excellence in the midst of people. So, and if I am called again to serve my state, well, I have no choice than to come and serve my state.

Do you have any political ambition?

For now, not really, but one cannot tell what future would bring.

You were honoured by so many communities in Ekiti with various chieftaincy titles. Is this an indication that you may one day be called upon to serve?

So interesting. Ordinarily, the chieftaincy titles being given by the Obas in Ekiti are not as a result of looking for one thing or the other from them. It is the love they have for me and they are quite aware of my contributions to the towns and villages and not only that, to the entire youths. So, it may be in view of any record of excellence that warranted that. It is not because I want to contest for political office, or rather, I want to be involved in politics. It is because of the love and maybe having seen my records in so many other areas that informed the honours being given to me by the Obas.