Hon. Speaker, it is a pleasure to have you in our studio.  First, let me congratulate you on your recent election as the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives.

INTERNET WIRE NEWS AGENCY, IWNA:  Mr. Speaker, what do you think of your immediate predecessor and her being ousted from office to which you now occupy?

SPEAKER: I thank you for your invitation. 

First, to the best of my knowledge, the issue with the former speaker has been settled.  Madam Speaker was a colleague that erred; nonetheless, she was a good person who simply exhibited errors in judgment.  Whatever prompted her to take her decision is best known to her.  What I can say is that the environment that informed her decision is not known to me and is not the same environment that I’ll be operating in as the Speaker.  We hope to learn from mistakes of the past, and with your help, prevent pilling more mistakes on top of the previous ones.

IWNA: You seem to be, so far, the youngest speaker of the House of Representative Nigeria has ever had, what experience are you bringing to table?

SPEAKER: I appreciate your felicitation and good will towards the House of Representatives.  I hope you men of the press will give us a good honey moon to find our feet.  On a serious note though, we thank the almighty for giving us the fortitude to resolve the impasse in the house and today is a new era in the life of the House of Representatives.

Youth may have, afterall, nothing to do with good governance.  There have been young leaders all over the world who took their nations through trouble times.  Recently, we found that King Tut of Egypt started ruling his nation at the age of eight until he died at age nineteen.  This same nation gave us the pyramids, the formal institution of medicine, engineering and even mathematics.  I say again, youth has nothing to do with governance because a good listener and one who truly represents his people will govern, by and large, by the wishes of the people he represents.  Unfortunately, this has not been the case in Nigeria until President Yar ‘Adua came to the stage.  I hope that I will be able to work with the executive and the judiciary in the interest of our nation.  I’ll make sure that we work with the President and Nigerian people to get us over the humps of democracy.

IWNA: Talking about working with the president, we observed that you were so jubilant when the president sent the Presidential Jet to pick you up, knowing that Chief OBJ used this type of pecks as stick and carrot to get legislators to move in his direction, what did your jubilation mean to reflect?

SPEAKER: I thank you for giving me the opportunity to clear this issue.  As any Nigerian should know, the Presidential jet belongs to the people but kept in custody of the President.  As you know I was extremely grateful to God for giving me an opportunity for serve as the Speaker and promised that I would not disappoint Nigerians.   Secondly, with respect to the Presidential Jet, it was just a youthful exuberance that got the best of my reaction, nothing more and nothing less.  As of the time I reacted, I was prepared to take commercial flight to get to my destination.  It is not the vehicle that matter but the destination.

IWNA: Mr. Speaker, what do you think in your opinion is the role of the House of Representatives in democracy?

SPEAKER: If we agree that democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people, then, politicians must be advocates for good governance and represent the people to the best of their knowledge and abilities.  Our role in the House of Representatives is to represent the overall interest of our constituencies, negotiate such interests against other compelling interests of other representative’s constituent interests and reflect the overall interests as the NATIONAL INTERST of the nation, Nigeria which we are prepared to go to war for and which we are willing, as patriotic citizen of a sovereign nation, to defend with our blood. 

Although, the legislative role is not to control the final outcome of a policy, we have a lot of responsibilities to make sure that policies are carried out according to the wishes of our constituents.  The fact that those who we represent do not know their rights does not mean that we should not help them out.  In a well orchestrated participatory democracy, the legislators enact laws that will foster infrastructural development such as roads, education, energy, job creation, airport operations, establishment of a proud nation aircraft carrier that can compete, with other carriers in a level playing field, to drive down costs, security of lives and properties, make sure that foreign companies operate according to universally accepted standards, and even in immigration matters and budgetary allocations.  We will ensure that the bills passed on budgetary matters are translated into physical and tangible items on ground and used to serve the interest of larger society. 

We do not always have to refer to what takes place in America or in the UK to execute our clear objective and mission.  The issues of safety of lives and properties, good education, good roads, jobs for able men and women are just human right issues.  We will not abandon our over-sight duties to the Executive.  We too must continue to show the world that we are capable, smart and superior in and beyond our own borders.

Again, I give my promise to Nigerian that I will take sufficient interest on essential issues that benefit ordinary Nigerian so that our tenure (the executive, legislative and the judiciary) can advance society in such areas as education, security of lives and properties, establishment of mass transits in most Nigerian major Cities, our ability to feed the nation, to provide clean water, 24/7 stable electricity and to help Nigeria find a lasting solution to the Niger Delta problem.  Perhaps, King Tut at the age of eight knew and understood so well the fundamental ingredients of governance over 1000 years ago and he was a black Egyptian as we are learning.

IWNA: Mr. Speaker, you know you are young and many may say you are inexperienced, I want you to look back at your 37 years on this earth, compare it with lives of young Nigerians today, what will be you personal and corporate contribute to the development and improvement of lives and properties in Nigeria for the next generation?

SPEAKER: The almighty has been good to me.  I would not have dreamt of getting to this exalted position of Speaker except for divine providence.  As such, I will use the opportunity to move the nation forward in my capacity as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  I have mentioned several areas above that cry for rejuvenation and improvement.  Many of us are proud to visit developed nations, buy their best gadgets and enjoy 24/7 electricity without asking if such amenities would not even be better if it were present in Nigeria.  Those amenities, gadgets, and products wouldn’t have been available if those nations did not take interest in their own development.  Charity must begin at home in Nigeria from now on.  We must invest in Nigeria and use dividends from such investment to improve our infrastructure, provide loans for our entrepreneurs, and education the masses.  Maybe if we have a paradigm shift in our thinking, corruption will die a natural death.  Corruption is inherent in all humans and only manifests itself when “we the people” directly or indirectly encourage it.  Nigerians must keep their politicians’ feet to the fire and where the executive fail to execute the policies and procedures, patriotic Nigerians should call it to order through their representatives who they have the constitutional right to recall should they fail in their duties to the nation and to their constituents.

IWNA: Mr. Speaker, let me quote you here, “At that point, it was like, I am doing something wrong and he said to me ‘Oga,’ you are not allowed to go on commercial flight.”  Knowing what those before you had done with this word ‘Oga,” what do you like to tell Nigerians on the view about this ‘oga’ thing and would you exemplify yourself as a servant of the people?

SPEAKER:  If human beings fail to act as humans, they will be something else.  Every human has inordinate ambitions toward self-centeredness especially in Nigeria where every one make us feel that we are bigger than life.  All we need to do every morning is to pinch and look ourselves in the mirror to see that we are no bigger and better than Mr. Uzoroo in Port Harcourt, Mr. Bello in Ilorin, Mr. Aminu in Kano, Mr. Shoremekun in Ijebu-Ode or Mr. Ejiofor in Enugu.  It is only when a leader does this that service will be more important than accolades for nothingness.  I have always thought that if we improve the industrial capability of our nation, if we improve the roads, and if we have constant electricity, many citizens from developed nations would bring their money to Nigeria for investment because Nigeria is the happiest nation in the world and where God, Olodumare, or Allah, the almighty resides.

I also believe that while NASA scientists are discovering a fifth planet orbiting a star outside our own solar system, we too must be getting our scientists ready to compete to discover how to simply build state-of-the-art hospitals, generate and efficiently distribute electricity to residential and commercial clients, and improve our education so that the next generation can join the world in race of discovering but never again in massive consumerism and outright looting of treasury.

I thank you for the opportunity given me to dialogue with you and to set the basis on which to measure my performance as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

IWNA: Finally, Mr. Speaker, do you have any meaningfully comments on the NYS SCANDAL other than you served in the British army?

SPEAKER: When I think about the NYSC Scandal, I am mortified.  The “I got you politics” has already begun in earnest even when we are just trying to find our feet.  So soon!!!  The NYS issue is an important one which must be addressed.  NYS is supposed to give all of us opportunity to interact with people from other parts of Nigeria, in the world so as to become good patriots.  What I meant by Serving in British army was that I was able to brilliantly represent Nigeria on the world stage to show case her diverse talents.  I submitted to Nigeria when I arrived, I was inadvertently excused from NYC by those who knew better.  Maybe they thought that my service in the British army was a substitute, I did not know nor ask.  Maybe this was a mistake on my part but it was not a deliberate mistake.  I am aware that no answer is good for you press men but, in the meantime, have a wonderful day, sir.

IWNA: Thank you Mr. Speaker Oladimeji Bankole.

Robot  # 1 | 07.11.2007 19:30

Hon. Speaker, it is a pleasure to have you in our studio. First, let me congratulate you on...Read the full article.

Sincere Brillow  # 2 | 08.11.2007 08:24

The interview is obviously not genuine.It is false-Pseudo. Or what do we make of the picture on the link below. http://www.nigeriannews.com/ or his defence published in the thisday below. Bankole: I Did National Youth Service •Vows to produce NYSC certificate From Stanley Nkwazema in Abuja, 11.08.2007 The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, yesterday stoutly defended himself against allegations that he dodged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. Bankole said at an informal meeting with House Press Corps at the National Ass-embly that he did the national service at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja from February 1998 to December of the same year. Also, three persons including a manager with Oceanic Bank at the National Assembly, Mr Abdulrazak Tumba, who brought a picture showing Bankole and his colleagues at the Kubwa Orientation Camp of NYSC; a legislative aide of six years and one of his friends were at the chat with newsmen and vouched that Bankole undertook the programme. But the Speaker said he would discuss the issue of the NYSC discharge certificate as soon as he gets it as he has sent for it from his hometown, Abeokuta, in Ogun State. When THISDAY spoke with Mrs. Chinwe Ojukwu, NYSC spokesperson, on the issue yesterday, she requested an official letter of enquiry which would be dealt with “accordingly” by the body. THISDAY has already dispatched a letter requesting information on Bankole’s discharge certificate. Bankole explained that though he never wanted to dwell on the issue, it was good that the story broke out at this time so he could clarify it once and for all and carry on with the task of moving the House forward. THISDAY had on Wedn-esday reported allegations by some unnamed House members that the new Speaker evaded the NYSC programme. The scheme is mandatory for Nigerian graduates of universities and polytechnics but those who are 30 years and above on completion of their studies are exempted. Also exempted are those who have served in Nigerian military and police. Bankole said for his primary assignment, he was sent to the National Human Rights Commission but was rejected and was subsequently sent to the West African Aluminium Products Limited, owned by his father, Chief Alani Bankole, where he said he completed the national service in December 1998. On the British Army issue, the Speaker gave his service number, disclosing that he was with the Artillery Corps and got a discharge since he did not want to be committed to the British Army due to influence from his family. Bankole, who said his educational qualification was never in doubt, said if some Nigerians were still not convinced, they should simply log on to the website and get the details of his records at Albany College, Reading University, where he obtained Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Oxford University where he attended the Sandhurst Course for Officers. He gave his service number as 24883329 for clarification. The Speaker said he got some medals while in the Artillery Corps Short Service. House Minority Leader, Hon. Ali Mohammed Ndume, also last night told THISDAY that the House would not tolerate any distraction as the lawmakers are resolved to move forward. Ndume said the Speaker undertook the NYSC and that his academic records were not in doubt. He said the lawmakers were not the Independent National Electoral Comm-ission (INEC), stating that what Nigerians expected from them now are legislations that will affect their lives positively. Ndume said Nigerians were paying the lawmakers salaries and allowances and that there was no need for another crisis now that will affect the number of days the House is expected to sit. “How can anybody be raising such issue now? The young man served and even did it here in Abuja. He has his colleagues at the National Assembly and the man who manages Oceanic Bank at the assembly and a legislative aide who has been here for six years felt so concerned that the Speaker should not start going through all this now,” he said. Bankole’s clarification came last night just as the South-east caucus in the House will today conduct an election into the post of Whip following disagreements over whether to retain or replace Hon. Bethel Amadi for the job. Again, the House, apart from the Speaker and his deputy, conducted yesterday’s business without the other principal officers as the issue of whether to retain or replace the four officers is yet to be resolved. Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi acted as the Whip Pro-tempore for the third day running and moved the motion for the adjournment of the House till today. The new leadership is expected to emerge before Tuesday’s session.