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| Comrade Waheed Saka |
INTERVIEW
Comrade Waheed Saka, is a rights' activist and he is currently serving as the Secretary General, Committee for Democracy and Rights of the people (CDRP) Nigeria. In this exclusive interview with SpearGists.com, Comrade Waheed, spoke on the significance of 2018 Osun governorship election among other sundry issues. Excerpts.
There seems to be lull in rights activism across the land, are you guys on 'strike'?
Strike? No way, rights activists have no holidays, no weekends, We are definitely neither on strike nor lull in struggle for better society, what is undeniable is that there has been no violent confrontation in recent times, democracy accommodates negotiations rather than celebrated confrontations. It is just a shift from the past military era confrontation to democratic era negotiation that our people will
have to understand.
Beyond engaging authorities on issues of welfare and rights to the citizen, in what other ways do you think rights' activists can effect positive change in this country?
Citizen engagement is key to effect positive change in our country, it is a bottom- up approach to nation building and it is as important as engaging the authority. Moreover, we must also get into politics and political process, it is the surest way to implement what we preach and effect a better society.
Many Nigerians are suffering in silence as a result of right abuse by especially security operatives. What do you think is the solution to this?
I always tell whoever cares that if everybody can not be an activist, we can all be an active citizen, I prefer to have millions of active citizens to having few celebrated activist. As it is, we must all get involve in all effort to reshape our society for better, join a group, activate a thematic area of concern and be a better citizen that will engage the system for the good of greater numbers of our people, if I may add, activism for all will act as a shield for all.
How expensive is it to engage the services of rights activist?
It is a pro Bono effort, it is a selfless non profit services, we charge no kobo in the defense of human rights.
Coming back to Osun, there appears a harmonious relationship between rights activists and government. Rauf Aregbesola's administration must have been perfect in all its actions.
Sincerely yours, no government is perfect, no government will ever be perfect in the face of limited resources and many area of development to address, however, Rauf Aregbesola administration scored one over his detractors and opposition, when there is issue of concern, he is always ready to engage stakeholders before it snowball into a major crisis, this is why Labour, human rights activists, Market men and women, Artisan and others are in harmony with Ogbeni. In fact, Salary and pension issues were resolved through same process of negotiation.
You recently launched attack on the person of a commissioner in the cabinet of Governor Rauf Aregbesola over an incident that happened at the Osogbo Eid prayer ground during the last Sallah celebrations. With that particular incident, many members of the public, especially those sympathetic to APC are of the opinion that there is crisis within Governor Aregbesola kitchen cabinet. What exactly is the true state of things?
I never launch attack on Bashiru Ajibola, I did set the record straight on his aides and by extension his indiscretion to frontally attack our respected father, Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus and their impatience to go on social media to cast aspersion on everybody who faulted their faux pas is unacceptable and immoral. It is unnecessary ego war against a respected father and elder. However, there is no crisis whatsoever within the kitchen cabinet of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, that I know for a fact, what I know is that Bashiru Ajibola is only overstressing his luck at highest level. "Ori fi e joba, Iwa fee yo e loye" literarily destiny made you king, but oversize ego is about to remove you from the throne. What he did on Eid day was a class suicide but it is now in the past. Moreover, what all genuine aides and associates of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola must pursue is to heal all supposed political wound which this administration may have committed, we must all placate the politically aggrieved, we must be concerned about sustaining his legacy projects. No aides must create new tension as we move closer to 2018, and this include Ajibola Bashiru.
You have never hidden your love and respect for the far-famed rights' activist, Chief Amitolu Shittu. Will you advice him to seek elective post in the next general election?
See, Jagunmolu Amitolu Shittu is my father, though not my biological father. Even the matriach of Shittu Eyii family consider me as her grandchild. Moreover, I learnt from the uniquely incredible power of mobilization of Comrade Amitolu, our path crossed when I was a rookie students activist and 20yrs after we have remain inseparable, traversing over 25 countries in 5 continents of the world. I have no vestige of doubt about his charisma to perform excellently in any elective or non elective position. I will love to see him at highest political office possible in a no distance future.
In your honest opinion, has APC done enough in Osun to still retain the seat of governor next year?
Sincerely yours, Rauf Aregbesola administration has done more than enough to retain the seat of governor for All Progressives Congress next year. But election is not straight as that, politicians already are out twisting the narratives to suit their ambition. It is ridiculous when Kayode Oduoye condemned APC/Rauf Aregbesola as do nothing administration in almost 7yrs. Such is the blanket condemnation you will hear as we move closer to 2018, people will have to separate Mark from Banabas as we go into the poll.
It was reported that you recently rejected an offer for appointment by government. If yes, why and if no, would you have accepted an offer to serve in this administration?
I respectfully rejected an offer of appointment, I did it not because I don't want to serve the people,to me politics is doing activism in a broader ways. People's rights may not be trampled upon everyday, but everyday a certain citizen need a shelter, others need health-care, others need social security, job and so on. I did it based on organizational advice and personal conviction to have my alternative address before taking political address. However, I am now ready to serve in any capacity at state or federal level to the glory of God and good of mankind
What qualities will you want in Aregbesola's successor?
I want a development driven technocrat, after Ogbeni, we must look for a governor that will not seek to also be a political leader, a governor that will face governance and allow politician to handle politics, the next election will be either to keep moving or begin again, we must find a governor who will consolidate on education, a governor who will strengthen agriculture , who will move us forward beyond Rauf Aregbesola
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