By Ayo Dada
Some days back, Mataz Arising Network in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW sat down for a chat with Chief Samuel Olu Falae, CFR, the Presidential candidate of SDP, (Social Democratic Party), former Secretary to the Federal Government, former Finance Minister and a traditional ruler, the Olu of Ilu Abo.
During the one hour no holds barred interview, the erudite Afenifere chieftain bore his mind on many issues of great concerns affecting Nigeria today. The chiefain spoke about Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Funso Williams, NADECO, Afenifere and the role he, chief Falae and the Yoruba group played in making Tinubu the governor of Lagos State 1999.
The former presidential candidate and Afenifere chieftain revealed the part he and other Afenifere chieftains played in making Tinubu the governor of Lagos state and how Tinubu tried to destroy the Yoruba group by creating Afenifere Renewal Group.
Chief Falae in his words said “some of us were privileged to have been part of the process that brought Tinubu to where he is today.” During the disagreement with Tinubu and Funso Williams as to who won the primary of their party, how he sought Papa Adesanya’s permission to step in to resolve the issue. He said he invited Tinubu and Funso Williams who “was more popular and had more resources than Tinubu at the time” to his house to ask Funso Williams to step down for Tinubu because baba Adesanya had already publicly presented Tinubu as the SDP candidate by raising his hand, and out of respect for pa Adesanya who had suffered so much for the party at the time.
Despite Funso Williams, “a perfect gentleman”, being offered a cabinet position, refusing the offer, promising his unconditional support for Tinubu, and raising Tinubu’s hand as the governorship candidate and his emergence, Tinubu later on “instigated the formation of Afenifere Renewal to rival the Afenifere to which he belonged, a group defined to defend the Yoruba race and to suffer for the Yoruba race “it was unfortunate.”
On Chef Sunday Adeyemo, AKA Igboho, chief Falae stated he did nothing wrong in trying to protect his people from the Fulani marauders and terrorists in herdsmen’s disguise who were killing his people, raping their women, killing their children, destroying their farms and kidnapping them for ransom, especially when the federal government seemed to be incapable or unwilling to stop the menace of these blood suckers. He said, “he was saying and doing what most of us believe was right to be said and done.” He however advised Igboho that you fight a battle when you have relative advantage,” that, “the federal government has relative advantage in violence, the police, the army, security and all that.” He can take a cue from the way NADECO fought Abacha. “Choose your theater when you fight a battle.” Igboho was right in saying that his people should not be intimidated and killed in their farms…”
All Yoruba people are asking for is justice and fairness!
Chief Falae also spoke about his disappointment in many ways, in President Buhari’s administration, a man he supported due to his military antecedents, especially his woeful performance on national security. Nigerians should remember that in September 2015, the Olu of Ilu Abo was attacked on his farm by Fulani terrorists herdsmen who kidnapped him and was macheted on his right arm during the ordeal. He lamented that since then, things have gone from bad to worse and worse. He however has nothing but praise for Arakurin Akeredolu with the way he has and is dealing with this issue of insecurity, the way he has stood his grounds in his resistance to open grazing in Ondo State and in taking the lead in making Amotekun not just a toothless bull dog. Chief Falae making Ondo state the relatively safest state in the southwest. He said, if all the southwest governors could emulate the Ondo State governor, that the southwest will be a lot safer than it is now.
Citing the examples of how the late Nigerian head of state, General Sanni Abacha using the state security apparatus, persecuted, hounded, chased around to arrest members of NADECO, to slam them in prison, murdering and attempting to murder them, the elder statesman advised Igboho and his followers that the state has the advantage of relative violence “with the police, the army, and all that.”
Also, the chieftain of Afenifere spoke on very important national issues affecting Nigeria today, one of which was on policing the country. Chief Falae faulted the centralization of the Nigerian Police Force, he stated that policing is local and so each state should be allowed to control their police force, and each local government should also have their local law enforcement units like Amotekun which should all be given the power to arrest and prosecute offenders.
Speaking on the upcoming Nigerian presidential election, chief Falae expressed his concerns about the election, which he thinks may not hold, not because of Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu and their agitations for Yoruba Nation and Biafra Respectively, but because of the terrorists, bandits and the herdsmen who may be the ones that may stop the Nigerian election from taking place.
The former Finance minister also spoke about Peter Obi, and the role the youths of this country who are tired of the two major political parties in APC and the PDP, and wanting something new, a breathe of fresh air, which they find in Obi, thereby giving him a very good chance of upsetting the status quo. Chief Falae referred to the energy that is generated by the youths, the buzz, the leg work, the mobilization, and not just their social media skills give Peter Obi a very real chance of winning the presidency come 2023. The youths “want to take their country back,” chief Falae declared.
For more on other important national issues he talked about, visit Mataz Arising YouTube channel.
The full revealing bombshell interview of Chief Olu Falae CFR can be watched on Mataz Arising YouTube channel.
LATEST POSTS
- Ten Unbelievable Things About Nigeria – Simon Kolawole
- “Married women must bring letter of approval from husband to travel”- NDLEA
- Nigerian medic performs pioneering stroke intervention
- FG approves Dangote Refinery as sole supplier of jet fuel to airline operators
- Your money is safe, CBN tells customers
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com
