Abiodun’s second term, reward for hardwork – Kenny Bello

Hon Kehinde Ayodeji Bello fondly called Kenny Bello in the political circle is one politician that could be dubbed a golden fish that has no hiding place. His popularity is hinged on his love for the people and irrevocable commitment to serving humanity come rain, come shine.

The business mogul who contested in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the party primaries for Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside federal constituency but for some abracadabra during the build-up to the just concluded 2023 elections however left the opposition party to team up with other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to work for the second term bid of Gov Dapo Abiodun.

In this interview with The Issues Magazine, Kenny Bello as he is popularly called speaks on the second coming of Gov Abiodun among other issues that trailed the last governorship election in the state. Excerpts:

• Let’s have a bit of your background, please

I am Hon. Kehinde Bello, fondly called Kenny Bello in the political circle and business world. I was born into the family of Bello in Ijebu-Imushin, Ijebu-East Local Government area of Ogun State. I grew up to appreciate the inherent qualities of leadership into which I was born. My late father, Chief Bello was a highly distinguished politician in his days who deeply inspired and influenced me

I attended Moslem Primary School and St. Anthony Secondary School, Ijebu-Imushin and then proceeded to Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University for my degree programme. I later left Nigeria for France and studied Logistics and Transport at the prestigious University of Lehavre City, France after which I relocated to, Los Angeles, from where I run my businesses. We are generally into automobile and real estate. Some of my business interests include Bellverno Autos Incorporation in Los Angeles, Bellverno Autos Nigeria, Bell General Incorporation Washington, Bell Properties and Bellverno, and Foods & Farms. Politically, I was once a member of the All Progressives Congress before the Peoples Democratic Party and now I thank God that I am back to my root (APC).

• What will you say brought you into politics?

I desire to serve, I have always been a man with a heart for humanity. It is one of the heritage that I cherished so much because it helps to live a life of impact. I have always made good use of opportunities to touch lives, to make life better for others in my little capacity within the resources that God has provided for me. The Almighty Allah has helped me to assist many in their education with scholarships and payment of fees for WASSCE, sponsorship of the sporting competition, youth leadership training as well as pilgrimage to Mecca among others. All these we have done under my NGO, Kehinde Ayodeji Foundation (KAF). So my coming into politics is to use the platform to reach a greater number of people. I know that with the exposure that I have gotten, I am well aware of what to do to improve on the lots of my people and that was why I contested under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pick the ticket for the House of Representatives for Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside federal constituency during the build-up to 2023 elections but I was robbed of the victory by some vested interest. I have however before the governorship election gone back to my former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). I joined other party stalwarts to rally support for the victory of Gov Dapo Abiodun and we thank God that the governor is back the second time to continue with his good works.

• What is your assessment of the just concluded presidential and governorship elections in the state?

We thank God that both have come and gone, we thank God for the peace and the residents of the state who deemed it right to vote for our party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to also reward our hardworking governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun with another term in office. In the presidential election, we did our best and everyone worked hard to achieve this. In the Governorship, I assured my followers that, though the race would be keenly contested, Gov Dapo Abiodun will still win because of his level of seriousness in government and scintillating performance too. The governor did very well, in terms of good projects, the Agro-Cargo Airport is about 70% completed, the Ilisan/Ago Iwoye road has been done, Ijebu Ode/Epe road is there, Ijebu Imushin-Esure road in my local is there, what about other access roads across the nine local governments? The good job of the governor is seen also in education, and healthcare among others. But in a situation where people are asking if is it a road that we shall eat when people care less about the socio-economic development that they can see around them but will rather shift focus on something else, it is a pity human beings are so unpredictable and behave so irrationally sometimes. This is however not to say that we still don’t have plenty of people who are die-hard supporters of Mr Governor. These are the people who gave the votes to the governor. Some of them never thought any plane could land in the state but they saw this happening under Gov Abiodun and were so convinced that really, the governor deserves another term.

• What do you think the second term of Gov Dapo Abiodun holds for the people of the state?

Gov Abiodun is an extremely focused man, he knows what he wants and he goes for it. He is very passionate about the development of the state and that is what he will continue to do. He is already preparing to commission yet another road project in the state capital. I am sure the governor will double up efforts to finish the Agro-Cargo Airport which can provide over 20,000 job opportunities. Just yesterday, the owner of Gatwick Airport, London, Mr Adebayo Ogunlesi, son of our highly revered Prof Emeritus of Medicine, Baba Theophilus Ogunlesi who died recently at 99 years was of immense praise to Gov Abiodun over this airport project. He lauded the governor for being visionary knowing fully well the importance of such global investment in our local economy here. It means that some of us who do business with other countries of the world can latch onto this opportunity to expand our scope of business and bring more money to the state. In a matter of months, commercial activities are expected to start taking place and planes will start landing and loading at the airport. When it begins operations, it will be the first truly international cargo airport in Nigeria. It will probably be the fastest-built airport anywhere and it is much more than a cargo airport. The airport is strategically located and its functionality is embedded in the location of the Special Agro Processing Zone. It is estimated that the Agro Cargo Airport will provide means of livelihood for 25,000 people and this should be. There will also be more roads to be initiated and completed, the governor has equally talked about ensuring that the Dried Ports at Kajola along the Abeokuta-Sango expressway becomes a reality. This will help to decongest Lagos Port and of course, further, open up the state for business.

I am telling you that the governor’s second term will be quite memorable and for the good of the state. Other areas of focus under the second term regime of the governor will be those communities sharing boundaries with Lagos like Mowe-Ibafo, and Alagbole-Akute-Ajuwon among others. I am also sure that some of the workers’ concerns as well as that of the pensioners would be sorted out. This is a governor who places so much premium on the welfare of the workers, he has been ensuring that they get their promotion as and when due, they should rest assured that the governor will attend to all their worries in due cause.

• What lessons will you say your party has learnt in the last election?

Many people have thought that the governor despite his fabulous performance in office wouldn’t be returned for another term and that was why we had so many betrayals and backstabbing but God said, no, this my son in whom I am well pleased will continue his good works for another four years and so be it. Having said that, we have also been able to find out that there are a lot of disconnects between our so-called leaders and followers. The leaders just want to eat alone and not care for the followers but it’s these followers that they will call upon to go and vote, this area must be addressed so that it won’t be a case of some set of people living off the sweat of others. Whatever is due to these people at the grassroots should be given to them unfortunately, these leaders will rather prefer to distribute these things among their families, and this should be discouraged. It causes so much disaffection and disunity in the party.

• Your take on the call for interim government?

That’s a condemnable call from some enemies of the country. It is the design of the sore losers in the last presidential election, it is really unfortunate. There is no reason for such a plan because the election had been conducted, a winner has emerged, and together with his running mate, he had been issued a certificate of return, he is only waiting to be sworn in on May 29 by the special grace of God. Our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a novice in political administration, he had done so well as the governor of Lagos State and the foundation which he laid has continued to take the state to a greater height. Those who lost in the election should rather approach the court to pursue whatever they felt wasn’t right not be laying ambush for a mandate that was freely given. Some are even calling for the military to take over, those set of people are the enemies of this nation. I sincerely hope that the security agencies will remain alert and waste no time arresting those that want to derail this democracy. And for those fanning embers of ethnicity, they are only wasting their time. God has destined us to be together and that has come to stay.

Published by The Issues Magazine

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