Why Buhari gave big roles to Yoruba in his cabinet — Shittu, Communications Minister

By Bashir Adefaka 

Minister of Communications, Barrister Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu was a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly in the Second Republic (October 1979 to September 1983). He was the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Home Affairs under the Dr. Omololu Olunloyo administration (October – December, 1983) and became the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Oyo State in the Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja government in 2003. He was a member of the National Political Reforms Conference put together by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led Federal Government in 2005. Shittu schooled at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) where he read law and is celebrated as one of those who authored the policy direction of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN in the Second Republic. Shittu, author of 13 books has also been a steadfast political loyalist of President Muhammadu Buhari. He spoke on how he will use telecommunications to move Nigeria forward in an interview. Excerpts:

THE Ministry of Communications has a past. You are now in its present. How are you going to manage the present with a view to shaping a better future for the nation’s telecommunications sector? The robust interactions between past operators in the sector and me were with a view to building on the invaluable contributions they had made to the industry. So, I can assure you that this is one industry where you necessarily cannot but have a foundation. All those who contributed immensely in the past are being patronised to ensure that I learn from them and continue to seek their collaboration. It is not a matter of politics now. It is a matter of technology and technology has no respect for politics because knowledge is a universal thing and technology is also universal. So, I am not ignoring the past in shaping the present and the future. Adebayo-Shittu One of your predecessors, General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, deregulated the telecommunications sector. Are you in touch with him? I have not been in contact with General Tajudeen Olanrewaju. If I have the opportunity of meeting him, I would appreciate it. But what I am saying is that, there is an immediate linkage between me and people like General Olanrewaju. For instance, you cannot underestimate the contributions that people like Ndukwe have made. When I met him at a recent forum I called him the grand father of Nigerian Telecommunications as it is today. National development These are the foundations that we are working on and, to that extent, I am one person who appreciates the contributions that people made to national development. By the grace of God I will be in good position to build on what they had laid down. Where does the Communication Ministry under your stewardship stand in the continuing plans to diversify the economy? In the past, oil was contributing about 90 per cent of our economy. Unfortunately, price of oil started plummeting at the international market. At the end of it we thought that agriculture would be able to fill the gap. The gestation period for investments in agriculture takes time but the telecommunications, for instance, generally will be the cash-cow if we can encourage a greater participation in it. Therefore, my office as Minister of Communications provides me with the opportunity that one has to work on, capitalise on and develop so that we would get all the results that we need to further develop Nigeria. In terms of affordable internet access, how far can we go? It is still evolving and it is still developing. It is for us to convince ourselves to make things simple. A lot of people even in government in the past never appreciated the extent that telecommunications could grow a national economy and impact on general development. But, like many stakeholders have said, if Nigeria must develop, we must take technology and ICT growth more seriously than we had in the past. I am passionate about it and committed to it. I am accessible to all stakeholders guaranteeing that I am ready to listen and attend to every good proposal that is brought forward by Nigerians. And by the grace of God, things will improve for  Nigeria. The whole of Sri Lanka was powered by google to have free internet access and it worked. Can that be explored in Nigeria? We will explore every opportunity of making Nigeria great. I will like to make necessary contacts to know what happened in Sri Lanka and how it happened. I will be willing to tap into their experience and see where it could impact us in  Nigeria. His take on the fine on MTN The fines are not arbitrary. Remember that 5.2 million lines were involved. The guideline provides for $1000 per line and the guideline preceded the commission of the offence. You cannot brush aside or review unilaterally what the guideline has already stated. The good thing is that the MTN itself admitted this violation and also apologised for the infraction. They have also committed themselves never to permit the violation to take place again. And it is up for Mr. President and we are sure that he will be guided by the provisions of the guideline to take a decision one way or the other. What is your assessment on the ease of doing business for foreign investors in Nigeria? In every country of the world, there are rules that are regulating the conduct of business. Conduct of business Foreign investors are invited and are welcomed in Nigeria. But, like in all countries, laws must be obeyed because the laws are made to ensure good governance, orderliness and better society. I don’t think there is any problem for any foreign investor, who is interested in being law abiding and who commits himself to respecting the laws of the host country like Nigeria. So, anybody that is interested will be treated fairly. If they put their money here, it will add value to our national wealth and also improve on employment of our unemployed people. Chief Segun Osoba recently described the key portfolios given to ministers of Yoruba extraction as big challenge to the Yoruba race because they require optimum performance. How are you taking the challenge as one of the ministers? Our credentials of incorruptibility, great passion, selflessness and dynamism are the selling points. We would do our best to justify the confidence that Mr. President reposed in us. We appreciate the great favour the President has done to us. And if you look at the antecedents of all of us, ministers from Yorubaland, you would agree with me that these are people of impeccable character, who have had knowledge update in public life and have the commitment. In any case, Mr. President is the model that everybody has to follow. If he was not confident that we could perform, he wouldn’t have done it the way he did it. So, I believe that we would not disappoint Mr. President and also, largely, we would not disappoint the Nigerian people. What will be your word for the Nigerian youths? My take is that we will improve every facility for the advancement of education and create jobs. I believe that the actual beneficiaries will be the youths and, to that extent, you can be assured that the youths will have the best.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/why-buhari-gave-big-roles-to-yoruba-in-his-cabinet-shittu-communications-minister/