‘I’m too young to have any issues with President Obasanjo’- Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka

I did not have any plan of going into politics. The reason I went into government was to manage the investment of the state and also attract investors to the state. But the six to seven years that I spent also gave me an understanding of what governance was, and what serving the people was all about. I also learnt how to be a partaker in the business of governance because of the very incredible influence on the life of the people. That was the main thing that motivated me to go into politics. I believed I could add value to and make a change in the lives of the people. I believed that the business of politics is a very fierce game, and a game of direct physical contact. But I still believed that in spite of that, all of us must show some interest by trying to make it better. Our politics is not as advanced as that of some other places even in the continent but the way to make it better is not by standing on the sideline.

Before I went into politics, I had my profession. I was an accountant by profession and an investment banker as an occupation. So, what I have done is just to come back to my job of investment banking, but this time it’s a little more defined because we are looking at infrastructure development.

It is more promising and a bit more exciting. My responsibility at Gateway Holdings was a bit more challenging especially because I was working under the purview of the civil service.  It is now a bit more interesting because what we are talking about presently is fast-tracking the infrastructure development in Africa and with Nigeria as our principal focus, using the Bureau of Private Practice (BPP) model and private financing. One of the main challenges to development in our country, and in Africa is infrastructure, considering that the government does not have all the resources to handle it. So the private sector must as a necessity be involved in it. And it requires a lot of initiative, resources and knowledge to put infrastructure development projects together in a way that will be attractive to the private investor. But I must tell you that the opportunities are there.

If the financial sector was healthy and anybody can walk into the bank and ask for loan to finance a project then I would not have a job.

If you remember what I told you earlier, you will realise that my contest or participation in any election is basically because I want to give back to the people; it is because I want to change the lives of people. That has not changed, that hunger to better the lives of my people is still there but of course we are still monitoring the political settings, things are still developing politically and we are watching. You know, after the election a lot of people had to go and settle down to recoup whatever is left. So, the political situation is just beginning to develop but as things develop, I believe we will get there. I think the most important thing is the fact that the need to help my people and the strong conviction to bring a change to the lives of the people is still there.

Well, the fact remains that all the people you have mention are my people. We are all from the Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s (OGD) school of thought. We are best of friends and we are also from the same senatorial district. Gbenga Daniel is my boss, and he was the one that brought me into government and introduced me into politics. The same goes for Akinlade. So, there is all likelihood for people to think we are talking and, of course, we are talking. But as to whether it is Labour Party or not Labour Party, the indications are not as strong as I would like to talk about. What happened last time was not something any body was happy about because a primary was won, fair and square, and along the line, court cases started coming up from here and there, and eventually we found ourselves where we are.

So, we have to learn from our mistakes and review what happened then. So, I think that is just what is happening. And, of course, there are alignments. Hon. Akinlade played under the Action Congress of Nigeria and, today, he is in the House of Representatives. We are all from the same senatorial district; we are all brothers and we are friends. But exactly, what is going to happen is something I think is too early to speculate.

I sure would not have used words like that. Maybe the person who did that story wrote the words like that. I wouldn’t have said that.

I am too young and too far from President Obasanjo to have any relationship with him than to respect him. Of course, we can disagree because Baba can take a route and some of us can disagree. But that does not take anything away from him in terms of our respect for him as an elder statesman, a father and former President of Nigeria.

I am very sure I told you when we started this talk that the only reason I came into politics was because I wanted to make a change in the lives of my people. Because of what happened last time during the election, I think it is important we understand that it should not be business as usual if we hope to get a different result. The potential we have in our country is not being maximized and I think there is a need to do that, and that is where I believe I can make a difference. I think that is what that description is talking about, and I think it fits.

My principle of life is to make the best of the opportunities you have. In any position or situation one finds himself, one should make the best of it. As a young officer and a manager, I think I exhibited that. At some point, between 1997 and 1999, when you talk about primary market activities in Nigeria, I was one of those in the forefront of raising money for companies. After that, I went to Ogun State, and I utilised all the opportunities I had there. That was how I attracted all the support I got during the election.

Yes, I do especially on Sunday evenings. I manage to relax with my family and sometimes I try a little outing. Also, during festive periods, I try to create some time for my family. The job of a politician is round the clock. You find out that something will always come up for you to do, coupled with the business I am trying to build.

I am not social and even if I say that, a lot of people would not agree with me. When I am with my friends, we find time to socialize. But most times, we always find something serious to talk about or do over a bottle of wine.

Well, I think so, especially now that I have to wear a lot of native attires. I try to match what I wear as much as possible, and when I am wrong, my wife calls me to order. I think I have been doing well. Fashion, for me, is about wearing something you are comfortable and happy in, bearing in mind where you going to. I like to wear what makes me comfortable, not because some person has worn it before. If I wear what someone has worn before, I hardly feel comfortable.

I don’t have a particular designer because I am not a label freak. It has just been my way because all along, I have not been attached to a particular designer. If I had been doing it and stopped, then I would say, it’s because of maturity. But most of those high-class clothes that people buy for 10 times the price are not just my kind of thing. Once in a while, you may travel and have some loose change and you want to pick something, that is fine, but having a craving for designers is not just my nature.

I know a lot of people would expect me to mention a particular car or something, but no! What I love or a freak of are just pens. I love picking pens, and not because of the name or the make. Not at all. As long as it is green. If I see a green pen three times, it is most likely I will buy twice. Only recently, I was chatting with my wife, and she was telling me about a new car. I told her “you know I don’t know the names of cars”. I only know the regular cars like Honda and Toyota.

I am from Imeko in YEWA land to be precise. I had my primary and secondary education in that town and then I went to the University of Ife then, now OAU. I am an accountant, a fellow of National Institute of Stock Brokers and an associate of Chattered Institute of Taxation. I am a professional banker. I have been in banking for years and I was also in government, where I was the head of the management of the state’s company. I am also involved in PPP and investment area. So I can say that my expertise is in investment and investment management and all that. I am married.

She was staying with her half-brother in the same building with my friend. That friend of mine, and I come from the same place. So, I went to see that my friend and she came with her brother. We were all charting and one thing led to another and we fell in love and we got married.

She was nice, easy going, intelligent and very caring.