Gisting With Dayo ‘Bush’ Alebioshu On His Game Plan

After two postponements, in the evening of Sunday October 25 2015…I placed another call.

‘’Am sorry we haven’t had our talk, please can we do 8.00am tomorrow so we can have some time to ourselves before I start attending to my people?’’ He said immediately on picking the phone.

I concurred.

And something struck me after that conversation; it appears this is one office holder the phone has not stopped ringing for after stepping out of his post.

A minute to the appointed time on Monday October 26 2015, societynowng.com was at
Dayo Bush
the Maryland, Lagos abode of Dayo Bush Alebioshu – the two term Federal House of Representatives member who lost the chance at a third term in controversial circumstances at party level.

He was attired old school when he welcomed Societynowng.com in…in Danshiki, a traditional Yoruba outfit sewn two front pockets below the chest and knee length trouser. He wore it correctly, made with Aso Oke.

And he should, after all he is an Otunba (a chief), in the palace of Awujale of Ijebuland- Oba Sikiru Adetona.
We sat side by side on the three sitter sofa.
He is changed. He looks to have hit the gym a might hard, he isn’t clean scalp and has a beard in place. Not big, but obvious.

We kicked off the conversation with ‘ The general perception is once you step out of political office things go quite, someone even said the phone stopped ringing…how has it been for you?’

He smiled…he was sitting slanted towards me, but leaned further on the sofa’s backrest as he responded ‘ I have always kept in touch with my people and like I tell people, I was 17(years old) going 18(years old) when I told my father (Alhaji Busura Alebioshu, major political weight with firm roots in the old order. One of the Lagos power blocks that brought Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to reckoning and reputed to still have the gut to say it, as it is to the Jarga Ban Borgu) I wanted to be a politician like him, so for me it is something that I love. It gets a bit quiet because some things come with the office, some responsibilities come with the office and when you take away those responsibilities, then it gets a bit quiet. However I have continued to be in touch with my political counterparts’’ he gave slight response and made a light amendment to his answer ‘’..it’s a bit relax more , not silent..that is what I would say, but when you look at things generally, everywhere is a bit quiet right now, the political activities slowed down…the focus of the nation has been more on ministerial appointments, screening and things like that ..the system is always about focus, changing and shifting.. it moves from one thing to another, right now that is where the focus is, everybody’s focus is on that regardless of whether you are an office holder or not and that just shows how much everybody loves Nigeria, the interest we have in Nigeria irrespective of our diverse interests’ he rounded off

‘Compared to when you are in office, how busy are you now’ I did a follow up

He didn’t miss a beat nor change his stance before responding ‘the thing is , there is a difference between politics and governance..the governance side of it is silent but the political side is still very warm, generally ..it is like the fire is on simmer, its keeping warm when it is time to put the flame up then you turn it up…the official government side of it..’’

‘’My Point is you appear to always be on the, i heard you have been doing a bit of travelling?’’ i interjected

‘’Yes I have been keeping myself busy, trying to get the things that the governance side of politics didn’t allow me do, has not allowed me to do..thats sort of taking my time right now’’ he stated and attempts to put his response in proper context ‘’ I have been in and out..I am an architect and I am still a politician, I needed to sort some things, things that the governance side of politics didn’t allow me to tend to but yes am fully back’’
‘So politically, what are your immediate plans?’ I enquired
He didn’t pause before he responded ‘’well, Politics is something that I love..Something that I would always be a part of..I come from a political background, but things are still unfolding…for now it is still too early to say this is what would be my next move’’ he appeared not willing to share the information

‘’ok i concurred’ and then rephrased ‘politically what are your expectations?’’
He gave a sigh and explained ‘It is not that simple…I am still very involved in politics, a member of APC (All Progressives Congress)..I have served as Special Assistant to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Housing (When he was governor) I have served at the House of Reps (Representatives) for eight years, I have a wealth of experience, I have served on numerous adhoc committees, I chaired numerous committees, sub chaired EFCC, I was chairman on treaties and agreements and contrary to what a lot of people thought God has been able to help us make it popular. A lot of people do not understand what treaties is all about despite the fact that the last administration didn’t take seriously treaties and agreements entered into, the implications of these treaties but you can see that with the new administration, the president has made it clear that we are going to review oil treaties entered into and such..I am always available to help Nigerian in any capacity, support Nigeria in any capacity…of course it is only when Nigeria thrives that we can all thrives..I am a parent and I will put in anything and everything I have to help Nigeria become a better place’’ he said with passion.
And continued ‘’…however I am waiting to see how things get better..how the treaties we entered into will start becoming beneficial, South Africa has benefited from our treaties how have benefitted? Look at the aviation industry, there are serious issues there, look the frequencies there..look at the slot foreign airlines are given look at the slot we get, look at the frequencies we get, what is the impact of the difference in frequencies on local aviations industries all of these things are there..these are the things I would love to change…I still keep in touch, work with about 80% of my colleagues sharing ideas and knowledge on way forward…but i am currently trying to balance my time between my private business and politics..politics is a very jealous profession. Its a profession I tell people, and contrary to what people say it is only nuisances that are involved in politics but that is not so, if it is important enough for you to go study politics up to doctorate level in the university, then you see it is not something to be taken lightly. For me it is a thing of passion, not just interest..some you lose, some you win…look at a lot of our colleagues Dino, Mrs Raji Rasaki served first term didn’t come back and now in the senate…Diya from Shomolu we served first term he didn’t return second but now he is back in the house of Reps and others..You can see things are changing in the country, but what is the next step going to me?’ he asked rhetorically and continued ‘ i haven’t decided yet but
‘Some expected you to be named commissioner in the just sworn in cabinet of Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, did you expect it as well?’ I interjected

He smiled and started to reply ‘’well, I don’t know..for me’ stopped and admitted ‘I am not sure how to answer that question’’ paused again, then continued ‘ I believe where I would be deemed, seen to be useful, I am sure I would be called upon when needed…political appointments are not the kind of job you applied for. You are called upon, if your services are required and remember I have had that stint at the state when I served as a Special Assistant to Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and then moved to the federal..I didn’t apply for that job and I believe those who were chosen didn’t apply either ..Maybe this is not where I am required to serve..lets just see how it goes, as long the support is there the most important thing is how does the nation move forward, that is the most important thing…and where do I fit in?’ he asked and provided a philosophical response ‘time will tell, let’s just watch and see how things go’

‘what most people still find amazing is that despite your visibility, tract record and widespread conviction that the control of the politics of this area is in the palms of the Alebioshu’s, you were still outmanoeuvred in the last primaries – what happened, what went wrong’ I asked a burning question to development friends and foes have sought to understand

He gave a gentle smile and responded ‘ First of all in politics, you have to understand you cannot always win..when you take decisions, your decisions are not always right but what you try to do is that, you strive to have a high rate of right decisions or high rate of winnings and also understand that not everybody would appreciate what you stand for’ he stated, paused to collect his thoughts then continued ‘’ out of respect for tow people, for me it is a thing of the past but out of respect for two people….’’he stopped again, stared into space for a couple of seconds and resumed with a different approach ‘maybe when things like this happen, let’s just say it is written and I cited some cases of earlier (returnee federal lawmakers)..if we agitate our decisions to always be 100 percent right, then we are competing with God and when you are in a field like this, you must prepare your mind sometimes you lose the battle to win the war…that is just using that quote in context, it is not a war for me, it not a battle just to let people get better understanding of things…the battle of the period was lost, maybe it was lost to win the political war..who knows but in politics you win some, you lose some’ he ended philosophically

‘But was it a loss you ever envisaged..ever thought possible at any point in time in the past?’ I wasn’t about to let him off that easily

A slight delay and he responded stressing his first word ‘’wwwweeeelll i…’’
‘’If someone had told you two, three years ago, D Bush this would happened what would you have been your thoughts?’’ I interjected to help him out

His answer was immediate ‘’ I never believed that I would become a House of Representatives member, seriously..I never thought so and if you know me well you would know that I might have a playful outlook I am a very spiritual person God has always helped me out one point or the other, and life is always a battle, life is a battle and I have always put everything before God..I was brought up that way and I have been in situations that I have come to realised that where I am is not by my might nor strength but the grace of God..what I always try to do is sow first and let God take me the rest of the way..and remember other people have always contested against him and taken past results in their stride, so if this doesn’t go my way I shouldn’t be bitter about..the most important is how we as a people, as a nation , as constituency move forward.” He asserted there is no rancour in his heart.

“ So what are the gains of this experience for you” i threw at him

‘’its like painting an abstract picture..when you are painting you never appreciate the beauty of the abstract, you need to view it from a distance to appreciate it..take a few steps backwards to appreciate what is being done. This period has afforded me the opportunity to take a few steps backwards to analyse things that I have done and I am still analysing…and re analysing before I act’’ he responded

‘’So this episode does not take away any point from your profile as inheritor of the massive Alebioshu political structure?’’

‘’Absolutely not’’ he stated with emphatically and explained ‘’ History is full of great men who have suffered one form of challenge or the other, Abraham Lincoln, Mohammed Ali and others, it is not about what happened but how you came back. You are considered a great man when you get more out of less, when you are able to get more less..you are considered to be good when things are in your favour but you are considered to be great when things are not in your favour and you made the best out of it..so let’s see what the future holds taking into consideration everything is in the hands of God ‘’ he postponed his judgement day with his reply.

Leveraging on his abstract picture analogy I asked ‘’As an observer , what are your thoughts on current leadership and manner affairs are being conducted in the Federal House of Representatives?’’

He answered ‘’the fact is that the current speaker Rt Honourable Yakubu Dogara and Femi Gbajabiamila were my colleagues in the last time out..they are both of very sound mind and it will be very good thing for them to work together to have a shot at even been a better house of reps..from the look of things it appears they are working together now, which they have to anyway as speaker and majority leader for a better house of reps because if the house is divided it will definitely affect the house but from my understanding of things, the patches have been stitched together and has become a full garment and i think they have the opportunity to provide…Dogara is a sound lawyer, meticulous person and Femi Gbajabiamila has a beautiful mind, he is a good lesgislator..they have the right mix in the house right now and right ingredients to produce something good…i think they are doing great job’’

I took a keener look at him, the beard in place is decorated with sprouting grey hairs here and there..even the hairs on his heard are not left out.
And I asked ‘what’s with the beards and the grey hairs?’’

An all round laughter and he responded ‘’ it is a fact of life..I guess it has always been there but not showing because i was always clean shaven..I guess it’s just nice to have a different look for a change’’

‘’And you looking very fit, like you’ve been hard at the gym’’ I observed questioningly

‘’Oh yes’’ he confirmed then went on ‘’ I am always battling my weight..I plan on staying healthy and to live long’’ he said with a small laughter and continued again ’’if anything happens I don’t want it to be because of avoidable things..I don’t drink, I don’t smoke..I try to stay healthy. The beard is a temporary thing..am still thinking about whether to take it off or not’’ he rested the gisting session.