Adedamola Aminu is the Principal Partner of AA Management Training & Consultancy Ltd. A past Mayor of London Borough of Lambeth, he is the author of ‘Nigerian-British Politician in United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland: A Book of Profile’. A teacher by profession, Aminu has won several awards such as the Nigeria High Commissioner Award for Meritorious Services to Nigerian Community in the United Kingdom; Gathering of Africa’s Best Award; Grassroots Diplomat Award as honouree and Nigerian Centenary Award recognising 100 outstanding Nigerians in the UK to mention but few. In this interview with ONYEDIKA AGBEDO, he shares his experiences in the diaspora and how they influenced his career so far. He also speaks on issues bordering on education, leadership and governance in Nigeria.
Can you share your experiences as a Nigerian in the diaspora and how they have shaped your career?
I left Nigeria when I was young in my twenties to further my education. Before I left Nigeria I was qualified as a grade two teacher; I worked briefly with the Town Planning Authority as an account clerk and later played professional football with Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (C.R.I.N).
As a Nigerian in the diaspora, I took the opportunity to improve myself by making sure I further my education so that I will be able to teach in the UK and have a better life because most Nigeria qualifications are not recognised. After my education I lectured at various further and higher education colleges and later went into politics in the United Kingdom. I am now self-employed, running my own business with my spouse.
What inspired you to write ‘Nigerian-British Politician in United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland: A Book of Profile’?
The inspiration is to highlight the laudable contributions of those listed in the book, especially at the grassroots level. Individuals listed in the book, having achieved success in their chosen careers, are getting involved in politics to impact positively on their communities. Documentation plays a significant role in the preservation of history of both rested and serving politicians, because if we don’t keep or write our own history, others will write it the way they want that may not be accurate or we might not have a record for future generations to know our contributions to the British political system. Nigeria continues to project greatness at all fronts, and well-meaning citizens, wherever they are, continue to aspire to lofty placement for themselves and their offspring. Leaving a laudable trail that is worthy of emulation is great. The inspiration is also to encourage more people to get involved in politics.
How do you think Nigerians in the diaspora can contribute to Nigeria’s development?
Nigerians in the diaspora can contribute and they are already contributing through remittances and investments in various sectors of the Nigerian economy. What needs to be done is to tap into wide knowledge of diasporans in policy areas such as education, health, politics, governance, engineering, civil service etc. We have a lot of our people who excel in the areas listed and many more that the current system is not making it conducive to be involved.
In my case, apart from investment in Nigeria, I have organised training/workshops free for two local government schools in Lagos and my old secondary school with my colleagues from the Association Nigerian Academics UK, of which I am the president. I have also provided training for some businesses in Nigeria.
As a former Mayor of London Borough of Lambeth, what are your thoughts on Nigeria’s political landscape?
In Nigeria, the two major political parties are APC and PDP. Other small ones hardly get enough support or recognition. Nigerian politics is about who has the largest money to spend, not based on grassroots members. Also, after elections, there is no effective opposition to the ruling party as the losing parties go to sleep until about a year to the next election. This is due to lack of structure or plan to position their parties for governance.
To have a good government that cares for its citizens and reduces the cost of governance, I would like the government to reduce corruption because I don’t think corruption can be totally eradicated in any country. The government should also think through their policies well and carry out Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) of their policies before implementing it, not the other way round, so that they can mitigate the effects and make provision for measures that will not put more stress on people.
In Nigeria, people continue to serve the politicians that they elected to serve them instead of the politicians serving people who voted for them. This needs to change. As a politician myself, we serve people that voted for us to serve them because whatever we do for people and community we do it with their money and on their behalf. We are custodians of people’s resources.
What policies do you think can be implemented to improve education and social services in Nigeria?
There should be constant professional development/training for teachers, regular classroom inspection and lesson observation of teaching and learning. Regarding the social aspect, the government can offer free meals to primary school children. Also, the school governing body can be set up to support schools’ administration, which will involve different stakeholders.
What are the biggest challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector and how can they be addressed?
Lack of adequate infrastructure and finance. Lack of morals within the education system is the biggest challenge. To address these, the government and other stakeholders need to work together to provide finance to improve schools’ infrastructure and to work with young people to improve their morals. Also, I think the system of sitting for JAMB examinations before people can go to university is outdated. It needs to be changed as this wastes a lot of young people’s time if they don’t meet the cut off marks. Other criteria can be used.
How can we improve access to quality education for underprivileged communities?
The government is currently trying to widen participation by offering loans to students to further their education. We need to give the current government credit for this. The government needs to invest more in primary and secondary education; too many of the schools have very poor classrooms. It should invest in infrastructure to make learning conducive for young people. Offering free education up to secondary education will help.
What role do you think technology can play in enhancing education in Nigeria?
Technology will enhance education in Nigeria as it will give students the necessary 21st century skills they will need to succeed in the workplace, such as digital literacy, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Technology will encourage self-directed and lifelong learning by giving access to a vast repository of knowledge and educational resources outside of conventional textbooks. IT will assist in practical and hands-on learning experiences through simulations and interactions, reducing the gap between theory and real-world application. Technology can enable personalised learning pathways by catering to individual student needs and learning styles for better understanding and retention. IT can enhance collaboration and communication among students, fostering teamwork and social skills crucial in today’s interconnected world.
What are your thoughts on Nigeria’s current economic downturn and how it can be mitigated?
I am a bit optimistic about Nigeria; we need to have hope that things will get better. The current administration has good policies but the implementation is wrong. President Tinubu is a strategic person who knows what he wants to do but I am not sure some people around him want better things for Nigerians. As I said earlier, their policy implementation is not thought through properly to consider effects on people.
For example, the removal of petrol subsidy and the recent proposal to increase electricity tariffs might be a good idea but people don’t have regular supply of electricity as of now. Before you can think of increasing tariffs you have to make sure you fix the infrastructure to supply regular electricity and people will be willing to pay more to use the service. The government can also encourage the use of solar energy by helping people to reduce the cost of installing solar inverters at home.
Other mitigation could be to investigate the banking sector; the cost of borrowing is too high. This discourages borrowing and investment. The government should make the interest rate a single digit to make it easier to borrow for investment.
What is your future plan for contributing to Nigeria’s development?
I am already contributing by investing in Nigeria, offering training to various businesses and local governments in Nigeria. My plans are to be able to serve more in any capacity in the areas of education and politics as an adviser or in an elective position, if given the chance. Who knows I might be the governor or president of Nigeria one day.
How do you envision Nigeria’s future, and what role do you see yourself playing in it?
Nigeria’s future is good if we have visionary leaders and reduce corruption, elect people or appoint people on merit not who you know. I am always willing to serve if I’m called upon in any capacity. When Nigeria calls, I have to obey.
What legacy do you hope to leave in the fields of education, politics, and community development?
The legacy I want to leave is that I imparted knowledge and morals to my students and they can move on and become successful in life. As a politician, I try my best and play my part to serve the people that elected me whether they voted for me or not. I was able to help them to solve issues/problems that they have, and they are happy with the quality of service I gave them. As a result of my contributions to the communities, I was given an award by the Nigeria High Commissioner for meritorious service to the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom. Also, I received the Nigerian Centenary award recognising 100 outstanding Nigerians in the UK.