The Hood – Hearing from your neighborhood

Erunwon, Ijebu Northeast

Engr. Okueyungbo Olumide  is one of the young personalities who believe in the adage that says “the more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them and the more comprehensively we work with them as service partners, the more we increase our public value to the entire community.”

Engr. Okueyungbo Olumide is an aspirant vying for the post of member of Ogun State house of Assembly representing Ijebu North East.

Below is the Excerpt of the Interview granted by Engr. Okueyungbo Olumide with News Waka Now Blog:

Can we meet you?

I am Engineer Olumide Okueyungbo.

Your surname sounds like an Igbo name, are you from South-South?

Actually, I am from Ogun State, Ijebu North East Local Government. This is not the first time I would be asked this type of question that am I Igbo or am I from the South-South? I am from Ogun State – Okueyungbo is a native which has meaning to all core indigenes of Ijebu. Okueyungbo is a Royal name which if translated into English language could mean “Power is transient”

Can you tell us about your Educational background?

I started my elementary school in 1985, I finished my Primary education in 1993 at Model Nursery/Primary School, Ibara, Abeokuta. I proceeded to African Church  Grammar School Ita Eko, Abeokuta and finished in 1999. 

In year 2000, I gained admission into prestigious Yaba College of technology where I studied  and obtained Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) Certificates in Civil Engineering in 2005.

In 2006, I had my NYSC at Obigbo Local Government Council, Cross Rivers where I served as works officer.

I got my Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Civil Engineering at Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in year 2012.

I got inducted into Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in 2017.

What about your working experience?

I had my Industrial Training (I.T) at ARON Construction Company, during my NYSC year in 2006 I worked with Obigbe Local Government Council as works officer.

After my NYSC, I started working with ARON Construction Company till 2011.

Also, I worked on part-time mode by direct labour supervising some site for Ministry of Works Ogun State.

I became CEO of PRICEGREEN ARCOT Limited which specialises in Construction, Agriculture and Real Estate.

There is a rumour, don’t let me say a rumour – I heard that you are contesting for the post of member Ogun State House of Assembly representing Ijebu North East, how true is that?

Haaa! That cannot be a rumour, it is all over the state especially my constituency, it is true.

Before thinking of contesting, have you been in any leadership position?

So many, right from my primary school days, let me say I was class captain all through my primary school days.

When I was in secondary school, because of my stature and age I didn’t take much position but growing up I was very active I was the Head of literary and debating society, I was not a prefect.

When I was in YABATECH, I actually participated in Unionism – I was the Secretary of National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOS) in my school in 2002, I was in ND 2 then; I was actually the youngest amongst the Union members then.

I was very active in BELIEVERS LOVEWORLD – I was cell leader, later I became Pastoral Care Fellowship (PCF) Leader – PCF really helped me in terms of speaking publicly, meeting people and so on.

Being a Civil Engineer, leadership comes in straight because I have to work with Artisans and Technicians at site.

Presently, I am Ogun State Coordinator of Youth Next – Youth Next is a youth advocacy group advocating for youths involvement in governance.

Why do you decide to run?

If you decide not to run, other people will run- the youths need to be involved and I am a youth.

Secondly, we can not just leave governance to those who have been governing us, if someone like me is not involved, the youths won’t be able to be in political leadership position.

We have been  suffering in the hand of manipulators.

Lastly, I am running in order to serve my people, the people of Ijebu North East really need someone who can really deliver. My people are not presently well  represented.

Have you doing anything relating to service to humanity?

Yes, first of all, whatever YouthNext is about – It is about service to humanity, we are not being sponsored by any politician or any government body. Everything we have been doing has been through the resources we put together ourselves. We are part of those who propagated the “not too young to run” campaign. 

In my own little way I usually help people get job in my area of specialisation (construction company), let me say I usually get people jobs on weekly and monthly basis – I am building human capacity.

Another way I contribute to humanitarian service is through sensitisation of youths, the sensitisations are usually self-sponsored. 

Do you think youths can totally send out the old leaders at a time?

Complete takeover will never be possible, Nigeria didn’t just start today. If you are to talk about the old leaders, there are still good elements among them which we need to leverage on. In terms of experience we need them. 

We need young representatives who are favourably disposed to the elders and yet with a growth mentality.

What we are saying is that youths should be part of policy makers not that we should totally send them out of politics arena – the old leaders know what we don’t know. We need them. We need to build on the best elements of our past.

You are vying for a political post, do you have a political platform to run with?

Yes,  I have and I have actually declared my intention to run under ACCORD platform.

Why ACCORD?

Thank you very much, politics is all about alignments – I want to run on a political platform that aligns with my vision. ACCORD is aligning with my vision because they believe in youths inclusion in politics. ACCORD believe in people’s ability and general acceptability, no godfatherism.

In ACCORD, no intimidation and there are free expression without “blame game”.

How do you plan to deliver to your constituents if elected?

Thank you very much. First of all, I am into politics to be part of policy makers in order to sharpen my constituents’ lives. Shortly after my NYSC, I was able to visit some towns and countries in the world –  I carried out a personal research in my constituency then discovered that there is need to setup OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (OSDI) – it covered about fifty three (53) endeavours of human lives talking about education, agriculture, sports, education and so on and so forth which by God’s grace I shall put up the program to assist the people most especially the less privileged to reach the grassroot. The Open Space Development Initiative will help the old and build the youths. 

In my Local Government, there is no single basketball court, no single long tennis court, the only sport that is in existence is football, even the football is not properly facilitated to the extent of getting it to leagues.

There is need for afforestation. We need to reclaim areas that has been used for annual/biennial crop production over the years so as make investments in the future prior to engaging in equal measure of agricultural activities to serve the present. This is an example of what we have been saying. Sustainable development. I believe once we have representatives who are able to critically analyse our environment, repackage existing policies and make new laws that would have safeguarded the future, our communities would have been positioned for growth. We need younger people with a growth mentality.

The rural roads are in my local government are very bad – I will make sure I work with the executive arm of government to make sure that the rural roads are motorable.

What are your advise for young aspirants?

Thank you very much. Number one thing is that they should believe in themselves, they should believe in their capacity to lead, they should believe 

Secondly, do not depend on any power blocs – they should meet directly with their people.

Youths going into politics should be versatile and be independent-minded.

Lastly, youths aspiring for political posts should run with the intension to serve. believe in people’s ability and general acceptability, no godfatherism.