Makinde Should Create Ministry of Innovation and Technology-Timi Olagunju

Timi Olagunju is a lawyer, books author, founder of Youths in Motion; member of the International Association of Information Technology Lawyers, Nigerian Bar Association, a fellow of the Presidential Precinct, and founding member of Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs (CAYE) – West Africa; board member, Feed to Grow Africa

and a professional in the intersection of policy, law, technology/AI, and innovation. In this interview with Tunde Eso of Findout Newspaper, he advise Oyo State Governor and Federal Government to step up on
their duties to ensure dividend of democracy is dispense well.

Tell us about you and your academic background
I am lawyer and policy practitioner with expertise in the intersection of innovation, technology, and public policy.
I attended Our Lady of Fatima, Akoka; St. Finbarrs' College; and then went on to study Law at the University of Ibadan and the Nigerian Law School (Enugu campus), after which I also attended executive leadership and policy training at University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, as well as the College of Williams and Mary.

How was your growing up?
I was raised by my mother, and we didn't have all but we had love. I remember at age 10 when things were rough, I had to sell ice-cream on the streets of Akoka, while attending St. Finbarrs' College Akoka.

Despite all this ongoing, I was made Ag. Editor-in-Chief of the School's editorial board and also became Ag. Library Prefect for a brief period.

On attending the University of Ibadan to study law, I became the Vice President Literary and Debating Society in my 200 level. I ran for Students' Union President, but election couldn't hold, so in 300 level, I ran for Chairman, Nnamdi Azikiwe hall, University of Ibadan, and the first news that came out from the campus press was that I was too young to lead the largest undergraduate hostel and consequently provide leadership for the University. In fact, the exact title was "Timi is Timid". Stereotyping me because of my so-called "chronic youth" compared to those who led before me. Despite all that, I emerged in that election winning with a landslide victory, and eventually nominated for the UI 'JCI' award for outstanding leadership of Halls and Faculties, as well as awarded the Hon. Chris Asoluka
Award for Most Politically Productive Student in the University of Ibadan and the Professor H.O. Nottidge Award for Selfless Leadership,
after my tenure. All these experiences and more built a consciousness in me that has informed my path these 33 years.

How long have you been in politics?
I have been in passive politics for over 15 years, but got active 10 years ago, engaging in campaigns for candidates and also vying for Federal House of Representatives, Ibadan North in the 2019 elections.

However, over the 28 years, I have had the rare privilege of observing two sides of the political leadership pendulum; military leadership and democratic leadership. I remember June 12, 1992, when below our
house, I saw people standing on a lengthy queue in front of SDP (Social Democratic Party) to exercise their fundamental human rights to vote. I grew up listening to my grandfather talking about his political life during Obafemi Awolowo when he served as Constituency
Party Secretary. But like many of my peers, I never really had the opportunities my grandfather had, and never really saw democracy practiced fully for until 1999.

Are you satisfied with the crop of people working with president Buhari?
No. We can do better than recycling Governors and Senators, who are politically tainted. Can we appoint more professionals even from the
Civil service itself or from the private and non-profit sectors? To balance my scale, there are a few new people in the administration who are square pegs in square holes in the administration such as the Minister of Youth and Sports, and the Minister of Communication.

What is your take on insecurity in the country?
The Federal Government working with state governments need to declare a state of emergence on insecurity in Nigeria. However, there is a socio-economic perspective to it. As a policy consultant, I did a research on the safest countries in the world and compared their
socio-economic wellbeing. I discovered that countries that are safe are largely countries with economic and social safety nets for its citizens.

Are you not worried that the president shunned youths in his
appointments in preference to working with old people?
Yes, I am very worried. Is the President saying that there are no
members of the APC, who are young professionals without being past old
politicians, Governors or gerontocrats?

As a youth stakeholder in Oyo State, can you juxtapose Governor Seyi Makinde government commissioners' appointment to his predecessors?
Well, both appointed competent Commissioners; the significant difference is in two things: the appointment of Commissioner of Youths and Sports, which is a complete detour from the old and a bold step by
Engr. Seyi Makinde; and secondly, the second is the openness of Engr. Seyi Makinde to policy ideas from his Commissioners, as he seems more accommodating than his predecessor.

Do you think Governor Seyi Makinde can sustain the stride?
Yes, I think so because he seems to be quite resilient and open to policy ideas and action that can drive Oyo State and its people forward. In 100 days in office, he has done the following: Launched Ibadan-Lagos Economic Hub. Declare Primary and Secondary Education
Free, with follow up on free exercise books and other materials for all school children, pensioners and workers getting paid every 25th of the month and 23rd if pay day falls on weekend; deployed 100 traffic
managers to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to direct traffic and make the road less congested for users as rehabilitation of the road started on
Monday, September 2. Launched the South West Security Summit in Ibadan and sent an Executive member Bill to House to ban open and indiscriminate grazing of cows in Oyo state and farm lands.

Facilitated peaceful settlement between 'Olubadan' and other Obas created under Senator Abiola Ajimobi's government – a major crises that lingered, launched Oyo State-Farmcrowdy Agribusiness Partnership
to commence a 3-year plan with 50,000 farmers in the state, 100 units of Kia Rio 1.4 Executive Automatic Transmission vehicles for the various security agencies, begins e-registration of everyone living in
Oyo State to determine the number of people living and doing business in the state, proscribe NURTW because of violence in the state and to this day, they are yet to be back; N500,000 bursary for every Oyo
State indigene Studying in Law School, Publicly declared his assets, established Oyo State Financial Crimes Commission to fight graft in government and ready to waive his immunity if found to have stolen from government

In what area do you think you can make contributions?
I have sent in some policy proposals, which are seeing the light of the day considering the openness of the Governor. I am particularly interested in Oyo state setting the pace in the creation of Agency or Ministry of Innovation and Technology – this will require getting
through and we will still keep advocating like I am doing now with this interview. Under the leadership of Governor Makinde, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology can help Oyo state become a conscious catalyst for innovation as well actively bring in
investments and partnerships in innovation and technology, which serve national and global needs irrespective of proximity.

This Ministry can create policies that encourage the building of an ecosystem that supports capacity development in specialized technology
skills, to achieve accelerated economic prosperity and decent jobs whilst tapping into the potential market that Lagos, Africa, and the world offers for innovators and tech. It can focus on driving policies, programmes, and partnerships that will attract investment in
innovation and technology for youths and for harnessing the intellectual resource in Oyo state's higher institution in solving challenges in rural communities across Oyo state.
In addition to that, I would like to see the following simpler policy actions, especially for youths and children of Oyo State:

To the Commissioner of Youths and Sports: Make the Ministry of Youth and Sports environment inviting and attractive to young people – busy
with a youth hub for exchanges and learning, opportunities desk/enquiry session, etcetera. To the Commissioner of Education,
Science, and Technology: Encourage Parliamentary visit by Secondary schools as part of their academic activities. 

To the Oyo State House
of Assembly: Encourage a 1 or 2-day Parliament's Challenge, where young persons in Junior or senior secondary school across Constituencies in Oyo state can serves as Parliamentarian for 24 hours
through a meritorious debate or essay competition and finally, again, to the Governor, authorize a 1-day Governor and Deputy Governor's
bi-annual program, as well as a 1-day Governor's debate, to instill a sense of capacity and intellectual engagement early in the young people of Oyo state.

There are a few other Policy actions, but we can also add these simple ones to the list. I am confident the Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde will deliver and I pray him wisdom to do so for our State, just as I pray for the leadership at the Federal level.


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