Tunji-ojo: From Lawmaker To Minister

By Femi Salako

It is no longer news that the federal lawmaker representing Akoko North East/North West federal constituency of Ondo State, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has been confirmed as a minister, alongside 44 other nominees.

While the nomination of BTO might have come as a surprise to some political gladiators in Ondo State, keen watchers of the political situation in Ondo State anticipated it.

Tunji-Ojo enjoys a very robust relationship with the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; the Akoko born politician equally boasts of a very impressive resume.

Ordinarily, the outstanding resume that Tunji-Ojo possesses could readily secure a ministerial slot for him, any day. He is sufficiently educated and has equally garnered outstanding work experience over the years.

BTO was trained as an Information Communication Technology expert at the London Metropolitan University. Upon graduation, Tunji-Ojo established an ICT firm and he became a successful ICT expert and consultant at the relatively young age of 24. Since his graduation, he has been undertaking regular trainings as a Certified Ethical HackerLong before he delved into partisan politics, the newly confirmed minister had carved a niche for himself in the world of ICT.

He had worked abroad with different organizations and had likewise undertaken several consultancy jobs for private firms, government enterprises and the Nigerian National Assembly.

Tunji-Ojo was already a multi-millionaire before he attained the age of 30. The egghead should ordinarily not have had anything to do with politics because he was doing extremely well in his private business, but the passion to serve and impact many lives directed him to the path of partisan politics. Incontrovertibly, the first tenure of BTO as a member of the House of Representatives was a rollercoaster of successes.

He blazed the trail of quality representation and clearly outperformed all his predecessors put together from 1999 to 2019. He undertook and delivered infrastructure projects that were never thought possible within and outside of his federal constituency. In a manner that was unprecedented in Akoko North East/North West federal constituency, BTO magnanimously extended his infrastructural revolution outside his immediate federal constituency. Every part of Akokoland has benefitted immensely from the his unmatched legislative representation.In saner and developed climes, politicians with impressive pedigrees like Tunji-Ojo’s are encouraged to push for the highest offices in their countries.

This was the same way the likes of Emmanuel Macron of France, Justin Trudeau of Canada and Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine became leaders of their countries at relatively young ages. However, this is Nigeria, where a whole lot of factors would usually be considered before one is allowed to go near the country’s top positions, including the presidency.If a man as gifted and intellectually endowed like Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo cannot, for Nigerian reasons look in the direction of the presidency or even the governorship, he is definitely more than qualified to take up the ministerial slot of Ondo State in the Federal Executive Council. However, inasmuch as no one can in good conscience doubt the eminent qualifications of Tunji-Ojo as a minister, some hiccups surfaced during the cause of screening Tunji-Ojo in the Senate.

The Senate in its wisdom had graciously confirmed the nomination of Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as a minister and now, political discourse has since shifted from lobbying for ministerial slots to the imminent allocation of portfolios to ministers. One credit that cannot be taken away from this young minister is the fact of his amazing brilliance and eminent qualification to serve and deliver on his new national assignment. Tunji-Ojo has promised to be a minister for all and not for any section of Ondo State.

Besides, the confirmation of BTO also means a new height of political attainment for the youth of Ondo State and Nigeria at large.

Though a youth, Tunji-Ojo has promised to operate an open door policy that will readily accommodate the interests of both the young and the old in Ondo State and Nigeria at large.

Head or tail, the confirmation of Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is surely a win-win situation for all generations of political players in the Sunshine State.