 Well, welcome back to the breakfast right here on plus TV Africa. We have Next guest joining the conversation as we look at the role of public figures and nation building Alexa Will Cox joins the conversation. Good morning. Thank you for joining us Alexa Good morning. So having me it's my greatest pleasure to be here this morning. All right We have Nigerian celebrities that have ventured into politics. I mean you have no little actress and producer Funke Akindeli also known as Jennifer over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry In 2023 Lagos governorship elections, you have dr. Abdul Olaji de Hadid Erang also known as Jando of the People's Democratic Party He will be joined by Funke Akindeli as his running mate. Now moving away from that Bank colleague Wellington a better known as Banki W. His stage name is also a politician a rapper actor and a singer from Nigeria He ran for the office in 2019 election to represent the residents of a Teosa in Lagos in the lower house of the National Assembly Under the banner of the modern Democratic Party Banki W first entered Nigerian politics For the 2023 General Elections Iran for and won the People's Democratic Party It's a ticket for the Teosa federal constituency After leaving the modern Democratic Party due to his Unwavering ambition now Tonto DK is also another person. She's a philanthropist a musician and an actor from Nigeria She's from River State. Obi-Wan local government era to be precise She would also be running as a deputy for the elections governorship elections running mate 2023 and weaver states unexpectedly she was chosen as that running mate and there's been a lot of conflicts You know to her response and all that's really going on the list is almost endless But the major conversation on the crux of it is that This persons have become have been highly criticized over time By people and saying why do you have actors and why do you have entertainers? Venturing into politics or why you're going to become a politician or becoming wanting to become a governor a lawmaker when you understand that acting music and what have you it's not the same thing as You know being a governor or being a lawmaker and what have you and that's why we have Alexa We'll cocks this morning Alexa. What are your thoughts? We seem to have a lot of public figures You know vying for political offices or engaging in politics these days actors as Desmond Elliott He was then 2015 the list is almost endless and this persons are highly criticized for Trying to be part of the process. What do you think? I? Wonder why anybody resizing anybody for wanting to be part of the process the the condition makes it clear That our legibility to to seek public office It doesn't declassify anybody it makes it That's possess the requisite qualification and there is cities of Nigeria How do you write to aspect to any office of the land? so you being a Musician an actor or whatever is out of these so that cannot be a piece of Any criticism? I don't say anything special in anybody Wanting to to his heart in the ring because it is his cause he's or have personal rights Nobody has a right to deny that person that intention because it's intention And he has a right to push it. I mean, this is not strange having Public figures so you call them. I mean we are all public figures But maybe those you see on a television set every day Haven't to be in politics. It's not strange. I became that beauty used to be a broadcaster and we'll have this lady any how to At the water was our name or the Senate or sometime I became it was in the house of reps and of a long time And if you go outside a country you have footballer like George George upon where president of Liberia You go to California. I had a noshwesh Nenga got one time governor You if you go to Ukraine I'll be using from Russia. I have the Klichko I Klichko being a I mean having is so if the elite there is endless worldwide. We are celebrities become I mean, I mean have the seven to office. I'm the current president of Ukraine. I used to be a comedian So he from comedy has become a president and he's even one of the most popular president now a water president So I Sincerely so let's not make any views about Them going to politics. It is their rights and this they have they can be they should be accorded that respect of Their decisions to print politics and for them to remain in politics and to see what they can do is part of nation building now another thing also is when you have this business for instance when Funke actually Made intention known or interest. I mean the news was out there One question that has always been put out as the question of capacity and some people would say does she have the capacity? You know to act for instance if you have the governor not in Around does she have what he takes, you know to hold the state or run? You know the states in the absence of the governor Capacity has always been questioned for this person to say oh, it's not one and the same thing Well, what are your thoughts in terms of capacity? What do you think? Yes, I didn't want to address that aspect because I wanted us to do the commission step by step I don't know how much that we have now that you brought yourself forward. This is your rights It's just like an advance being the being thrown for decrement of a broadcasters. I could apply because it's my right to apply I mean by the time I come to most TV for interview Then I face the panel and there's no other than the capacity then the job is not given to me. I Mean that is something in politics because you I mean by showing interest if you are applying for the job and Then the people is the employer which is electric will now will now look at your CV We're not interview you when I interrogate you and look at you are where you are coming from and know if you have Qualified to be to be given the job now the ultimate employer is electorate Not you you're coming your coming at is like I mean for instance, I mean I mean I mean to consult him and most times I conduct interview I put up at bat for To conduct an interview and how many people apply another day. I mean just I need one person So I will screen and screen and spin and if I need two three people maybe out of one thousand applications I can get two or three that I wanted and I will employ those ones, but so it's something goes to them I I In my personal opinion. Yes capacity very important and that was why I went on to decay I'm from river state when they don't to decay want to be deputy governorship candidate to Well a party that And we're not too popular But you cannot let anything that came to my mind one You see when you want to go to public office you must also assess yourself What are the baggage you're coming with scandals and all kinds of things. Is that what you were thinking to public office? So that is your right to contest, but again, you should also look at your own capacity first and foremost look at your own credentials your personal credentials all the all the Controversies that you've got scandals. They've gone through sufficiently enough to present yourself for public office So this is we are I think this is where the issues are not you It is your right But you yourself when you see a job application Sorry a job as bad which you want to apply for you first of all do an introspection of your life Because it's going to be a public thing If you have someone that they know you have you have you have stolen in public place Or you have done some public news and things and then you are going to apply for a job of a CEO Of a bank or a multinational when all your evidences are there in the public So you yourself should know that that kind of a job is not meant for you Yes, if you are right, but you do not have possess what it takes to host what your responsibility So and then so also to other people like funki akindeli. Yes, she's been successful in her In her acting career in in being able to build a business in being able to build a brand Yes, but Being a deputy governor like you said of a state like Lagos a deputy governor of a state like Lagos for which The governor can be a way or the government can anything happen to the governor impeachment death or anything or the Ignatian Anything happen to the governor and then you are going to step in Do you have what it takes? You must have build a small empire Do whatever it is when you have been governance So I I want to salute people like Desmond I want to salute people like bankers of blue that started from the base Today, the Desmond Los Angeles has been a a representative of Of a school area of good of school in the in the in the in the state assembly So he has started from the bank today. He has launched the rope of governance So we are we now want to aspire as a governor you have something you're coming for you Because being in government and see we must take this government in very seriously That is why when some people wake up and all that they are talking about is being president For instance, when a show where every every year after every four years, you come up I want to be president. You've not ruled the local government You've not you You're not even a counselor in the local government And then you've not even That is there's no record of being government And you think it doesn't even record of you in a proper corporate setting Approve your own your own business One can be very successful in his business But if you are brought into corporate sets public corporate A space You you flutter And so these are some of the things that you need in business Eh, no, so those are the things you need in in in in in in in in in need in governance So start somewhere Starts from the local government if tone 2dk has Strive yes, and i'm not cutting out any public ambition Then the reality is from here see what you got going with one of the biggest local government in Nigeria I think i think about the witches maybe apart from Lagos island or so I'm from River State, so I know that it's a big local government. Internet has started as a vice chairman of the local government. And then now it's starting to become a deputy government of River State. One can say, yes, one can link something to her. What can you link to her presently? Nothing. So that is the issue. I'm not cutting off anybody's ambition. Right? It entered where it has to come from learning to be a senator for years before it become president. I'm not saying people cannot jump. I mean, a man like Sjoznega did not even, and Sjoznega did not even become anything. He became a governor. But that is a different thing. No, but I'd like us to come back to Nigeria. Wilcox, I'd like us to come back to Nigeria and look at some of the experiences that we have. Let's understand this capacity and, you know, what it takes to run an office. For some of the specimens who are currently governors and who are probably deputy governors. And I understand the point that you have raised that is important to start, you know, at a certain level, maybe probably to get experience in public administration because all these specimens, what are your lawmakers, what are your governors and what have you, they are public administrators. Right? It's important. You have raised that point. Get an experience somewhere. Start from somewhere. But we understand the role of a deputy and a vice president in Nigeria. And we really see that there's really nothing that, you know, that they are allowed to do. They take the instructions. These are instructions. And I don't know if, you know, the current president was born with, he inherited some capacity or he learned, you know, from wherever it is that he started. All of these specimens. It's not like anyone was born with it. I mean, for instance, Desmond Elliot, that's very strong for you to become a lawmaker, you know, at the state level, representing. It's a lot. What other political office did he occupy? What other experience did he get? Was he a counselor prior to now? I would like to understand that. On the other hand, it feels like we constantly maybe would say, for instance, you need to be a professor. And because you are a professor, or maybe you've held several offices, we have seen professors. For instance, I would say in crossover state, you have a professor who is a deputy governor of a state. And there are several times where you have the governor not around. What exactly has happened? What has really, really happened in the state? I mean, what's the transformation? What miracle has happened? I really don't know if that's, you know, a very valid position to be and to say, because we really doubt that there's really nothing that he can do. Is this also applicable to the male counterpart, or is this just a female issue now? A gender issue? I mentioned, sorry, I mentioned shawaray here. So it's not a gender issue. I'm not gender based at all. I mentioned shawaray is a misadventure. So you can also see that I'm not, I'm being factored here. My profession talks about accuracy and integrity. So I'll call that to the last. Now, you see, you made some valid points. I agree with you. I agree with you totally. So the fact that, I agree with you totally to the fact that there are issues that need to be addressed. Issues that need to be addressed. These issues includes what I've just mentioned. Now, if you look at the issue of persons as part of offices, you know, at some point you must start from somewhere. If you look at those who are doing us today, for instance, if you're looking at some ruling Legos, some ruling Legos has been a commissioner in one way or the other. If you look at even his deputy, they've been somewhere, somewhere. And they started from somewhere. And the level we are in now, it is not the type that a new fight to just go into such exalted offices. Because we have challenges. And even the people that are there today looking for, I mean, they're trying to, trying to grapple with it, trying to share those experiences, are still there grappling with it. We are not talking of seriously new fights that have not urnated. I understand that deputy governors are like spare tires in this country. A lot of governors make them spare tires. But that is the abnormality. Even the constitution gives some constitutional provision for deputy governors and for vice presidents. I don't think it is fairly with taxpayer burden because as you have seen, we have done some things when the vice principal is not around. But in the state, even in Legos, it is true that most of the deputy governors participate in Legos state. I mean, during the first turn of the state, the deputy governor was all over the place. Maybe the second time that you did here, he shared even the deputy governor. But something will happen to the governor. And the deputy governor will have to step in. So is it, I'm not saying, I'm not in America first of anybody, but we are looking at a broader concept. Bank of W wanted to go to the House of Rep, which is excellent. I may not support his ambition, but I think that's an excellent move. Because he wants to start where he thinks he can perform and learn some things. Now, you want to be deputy governor of Legos state. After you bring it to the table. Okay. I'm being prompted that we have to go now. But let's also look at this. I'm sure that we can have this conversation. This conversation is not about Funker and Kindelay, but generally those persons who are in different parts of the industry, different sectors of the economy, for instance the entertainment industry, we call them public figures or celebrities, and the fact that do they have a role to play? Do they have what it takes to give back to society? Are they also non-Nigerians? Why should we begin to raise questions if you look at Funker? Because we have decided to mention her as an example. Not that I'm holding brief for her, nor I'm a spokesperson. But if you look at her, we say that she's been successful in her chosen career. She's been successful. She's an employer of labor. It might not be in hundreds and thousands, but I'm sure that she has persons who, you know, she's an employer of labor. She's solving a problem for society. A problem that, you know, we might not even take into cognizant. But it's a major issue. Entertainment is not a joke. And I think that's why we're talking about the fact that she's a legal practitioner. So when we constantly talk about capacity, whether they have what it takes to run, you know, the state, if the state is being left in, do they have what it takes to call the short? It's so big and all of that. Those who are running it, what exactly, whether they're born with it, do they come with it? Don't you have some form of training when you get into a particular space to understand the dynamics of how things have been done? I think that we need to begin to think in this, you know, particular diamond. I said that before. I do not have any, I do not have any, you know, about any of the ambition. I say it's constitutional. And I've also put it from kind of, kind of for processes in a, in a choosing field. Abike Dabiri was a professional. And she did excellently well as a representative. I think that the people need to, well, we need to go now. So let's see. Let's see. We need to put this issue in context. Is that right? And again, assess yourself. The baggage you are coming with, is it the type that will be acceptable to the public? That is what is involved. That, that for me, is the story. Not even the capacity. The capacity, yes, is good to mention it. And the baggage you are coming with, are you sure you want to stand public to go to me? And are you sure that you want to take, take that to office? And can the office accommodate you with those baggages? And some of these, and some of these baggages, some people would say, does the law make provision for these baggages? What does the law say about those who would want to vie for political offices? Are you a convict or not? Does he talk about all of that? You know, these issues. Society as a big, as a whole. Morality is not law. We need to go now. Thank you so much. But the society, a part of the society knows. Well, we're being prompted to leave. Thank you so much, Alexa Wilcox, for being part of the show. Here's a chat at a count and right here in Lagos. We appreciate you. Thank you for having me. It's my pleasure. All right. That's the size of the breakfast. So thank you so much for being with us and, you know, following us from seven o'clock up until this time. That's it. We will be back here tomorrow with more interesting conversation. 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