“Kudirat Opeyemi Balogun, known as KOB, is a young Nigerian activist who graduated from The Polytechnic where she studied Estate Management. She has been self-employed at Top Bounty International Creations, where she makes Nigerian-made shoes.
In this interview with Okediran Adeyemi, a political candidate representing the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Lagos State House of Assembly, Kosofe Constituency 1, Honorable Kudirat Opeyemi Balogun (KOB) shares her vision for Kosofe Constituency 1, as well as her plans for empowering women and young people, ensuring access to quality healthcare and education, and engaging with constituents.
She highlights key issues affecting their constituents, including the need for town hall meetings, water drainage solutions, education reform, and more accessible hospitals. She also discusses the challenges she anticipates facing in office, such as ageism and sexism, and her plans for working with other members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to prioritize the needs of their constituency.
EXCERPT
KP: What inspired you to run for office, and why did you choose Kosofe Constituency 1?
KOB: I have always loved politics and have always wanted to lead the youth in so many ways. When I was told about this opportunity of running the race at this age of mine I found it as an opportunity to start my political career in full. I was born and raised in Kosofe constituency 1, and starting from there was a dream come true.
KP: What are some of the key issues that you feel are affecting your constituents the most, and what do you plan to do about them?
KOB: I have always thought of this thing. Why don’t we have town hall meetings in all constituencies? Why can’t they organize a meeting with those who elected them? If I am given the opportunity to lead, that will be the first thing I’ll work on. Another thing is water drainage, especially in Oworo; a solution should be done. In Ogudu, they have turned people’s landed properties into a place of waste bin, which isn’t right and causes air pollution. The education sector needs to be fixed.
KP: How do you plan to engage with your constituents to ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are addressed?
KOB: I’ve been working on this by doing house-to-house campaigns. The masses are used to being given a little money to buy their rights before they listen to what you have to say. Once I’m elected, I’ll make sure they have free access to the town hall so I can always come around to listen to them through their youth leaders and their landlord chairmen.
KP: What is your vision for the future of Kosofe Constituency 1, and how do you plan to achieve it?
KOB: My visions are simple and easy to fix. I plan to work on the education sector to take our leaders of tomorrow off the street. We need more accessible hospitals for the community. We need community schools that will have high standards so other constituencies will learn and copy from us. I plan to work on widows and orphans empowerment organizations.
KP: What are some of the biggest challenges you foresee facing in office, and how do you plan to overcome them?
KOB: I see the older ones looking down on the younger ones’ ideas, and I plan to keep talking until I’m heard. I see the fear in the older ones thinking the youths are beginning to work on taking over and that will make them want to try to overcome me. But I see myself fighting against that thought until they understand we are the leaders of today, not just tomorrow.
KP: How do you plan to work with other members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to ensure that the needs of Kosofe Constituency 1 are prioritized?
KOB: I’ll listen to them when they bring something beneficial to the table and will speak in a manner that will make them listen to me when I need them to. So we can work hand in hand for a perfect result.
KP: What is your plan for empowering and supporting women and young people in your constituency, particularly in terms of education, entrepreneurship, and political participation?
KOB: I plan to have a technical school that will enable everyone to come in and learn whatsoever they desire to make life easier for them.
KP: How do you plan to ensure that your constituents have access to quality healthcare and education?
KOB: Health is wealth, and as someone who understands the pain of losing a loved one due to hospital negligence, I will ensure that I visit healthcare centers unexpectedly once a month to assess how things are being done. This will be a must-do on my list, and the same applies to schools. I will not just rebuild schools and watch them fail due to mismanagement. I will ensure that I pay unexpected visits and open a portal for schools, where each student can express what they lack so that we can provide them.
KP: What are your plans for promoting economic growth and job creation in Kosofe Constituency 1?
KOB: Seeing youths moving around when they should be at work in the afternoon is not a good idea. Nigeria is rich, Lagos state is rich, and my constituency is not poor either. Therefore, we should be able to provide opportunities for these people to work in some places. Lack of a standard education should not prevent highly intelligent youths from working in certain fields. We will train and modify them to ensure they see life from a better perspective.
KP: How do you plan to ensure that your tenure is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of your constituents?
KOB: As I stated earlier, every constituency should have at least one or two town halls. In these town halls, we will hold transparent meetings with community leaders to identify what they lack, so we can work on them. We will have a social media page that will allow the people of Kosofe Constituency 1 to express their opinions and ideas so that the world can see. We will have a representative in each market who will have an office there, so people can always present their matters to him/her. If they cannot reach me, their representative will surely reach me.