Our Personality of the Week is Hon. Hilary Fada Ibude, former Local Government Chairman, Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State and an aspirant to Represent Ika South Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, under the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Hon Fada Ibude has in this interview asserted that despite his political ambition, he is not desperate, as he is in the race for the betterment of Ika South people.
Excerpt.
KILLERS OF SYLVESTER EMEFIELE BAG LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Sir, may we know you?
I am Hon. Hilary Fada Ibude from Oruru in Agbor Obi. I am a politician, and a businessman. I am the Chairman of GIA Global Synergy LTD, providing transport and haulage services, former Chairman, Ika South Local Government Area, and an aspirant to Represent Ika South Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly.
When were you born?
I was born on June 8, 1968
Tell us about your Academic Background sir.
I attended Erigbe Primary School and Gbenoba Grammar School, Agbor. Thereafter I proceeded to Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, where I had an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Business Administration. I went further to obtain Bsc and MBA in Business Administration from Delta State University, Abraka. I did my National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in 1998 in Kogi state. I also have certificate in Transformational Leadership Strategy to Corporate and National Growth from McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, Washington D.C, USA
Hon. Hilary Fada Ibude, are you married?
Yes. My wife is Mrs. Clara Ibude. Her mother is from Irruh, and her father is from Aliagwa. We have four children.
What about your parents?
My father, late chief Michael Ibude, the Ihien Fuka Onye of Agbor Kingdom, was from Oruru and Ogbemudein, while my mother, Mrs. Helen Ibude is from Ugbase in Alihagu. My father was a rubber tapper and a bicycle repairer.
How was your growing up days like?
My growing up days were pretty okay, because I had parents whose concern was the well-being of their children, particularly interested in their bright future. They were always there for us, financially morally and otherwise and taught us the hard way so that we could face life challenges headlong.
Do you think children in this dispensation will buy the idea of farming with their parents regularly?
Children from rich homes may not buy the idea, but most people from a humble family background like myself, will have no choice other than to do it. They will come to see later in life that it is to their own benefit. A large percentage of what we are today, or what people grow to become, depends on up-bringing.
How do you then see children up-bring as it is today?
The way children are brought up these days, is very funny. They are exposed to too many adult programmes on television and are not chastised when they go wrong. They are over pampered and as a result, spoilt. This has resulted to the juvenile delinquency we see in the society today. The value system has been lost and the youths are given the opportunity to do whatever they like, all in the name of civilization.
Another area parents are failing today is the aspect of not having quality time with their children. When a child is always alone, he/she becomes a working tool of the devil and bad companies. So, you are not doing your child any good when you leave the child to himself or herself often, while you are out there chasing money.
Also, the government is not doing what it is supposed to be doing to put this in check. It even appears the leaders do not even show concern, inasmuch as their children are abroad enjoying the bliss of life. So, they see no reason coming up with projects and programmes that will enhance the growth and development of the children of poor citizens. Take the education sector for instance; our public schools remain the ugly way they are today because none of our leaders has his or her children schooling there. Their children are either in the best private schools in the country or flown abroad to study. So, whatever happens to other people’s children is never their concern.
Hon. Hilary Fada Ibude, do you think this poor system of things can ever change?
Yes. The poor system of things can be corrected when parents stop shirking their responsibilities. It will change when the leaders wake up to duty and run all-inclusive governance. It will change when the lawmakers start passing and sponsoring bills that will positively affect the life of everybody in the society. Things will change for good when we have God sent people as leaders and representatives.
Sir, could this be the reason you are in this political race?
Of course, the reason I am vying for this position is to better the lives of the people, particularly the people of Ika South Constituency. I contested and won the Local Government Chairman seat in 2008 under People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I did my best then as the Local Government Chairman and I know the people of Ika South can testify to that. When I contested the second time, it was under another political platform, People Democratic Movement (PDM), and against Fred Ofume of PDP. Along the line, people were made to believe that I stepped down, which I never did and that really affected me at the polls.
Today, I am contesting for the post of Member Representing Ika South Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly. I am not in this race to fight anyone, neither am I fighting any party. I am only fighting the failed system. We must get it right. If I am opportune to be one of the Federal Law Makers, I will move a motion for all political office holders with the exception of the president and the governors to ply the roads like the common man instead of air travel for official trips within the country, so that they will face same troubles the common man is facing with the bad roads and insecurity.
Most of the kidnappers and robbers on the highway are thugs equipped with sophisticated weapons by politicians to win one election or the other, and because the politicians after winning the election could not give them meaningful jobs to do, they decided to use what they have to earn a living and innocent citizens are always their victims. This is one of the reasons these politicians need to ply these roads, so that they will have a taste of the insecurity they have created. So, if as a desperate politician, you are buying guns for thugs to rig an election, be prepared to reap the consequences.
What other reason do you have sir for joining this race?
The desire for equity: Appointments and infrastructural development must be shared equitably. No local government has the right to benefit more than others. So, the twenty-five local government areas in Delta state are supposed to move at the same developmental pace, irrespective of the voting power.
These are some of the reasons I am in this race. I am not desperate; I am only concerned about the well-being of the people.
Sir, why the choice of APGA instead of one of the two dominant political parties in Delta state?
The two dominant political parties in the state you are inferring are like two faces of a coin. They are the same people. They have been in power for over twenty years and they have not been able to make any useful change. They keep coming with the same manifestos over and over again.
Also, I do not want to be seen as antagonizing one of them by belonging to the other, because both are one family. I do not belong to any of them, I am with God Almighty, and I know that party or no party, the will of God will always prevail. I want to prove to the world that power belongs to God and He can do all things.
How well do you know your opponent, Hon. Chukwuyem Okoh?
Chuky Dandy is my friend, a brother, and that is all.
How does he feel as you are contesting the same political office with him?
No matter how he feels, I am not contesting with him per se, I am only coming out to address the issues which he has failed to address, and that is the issue of inequality and uneven development affecting us today. So, if Chuky Dandy cannot represent Ika South people appropriately, I think it is high time I stood to fight for my people, so that I can be exonerated from blames in time to come.
How strong and effective is your campaign so far?
Campaign is for people who have nothing to offer, especially for those who had been there before. On my poster is written ‘Vote your Conscience.’ I was the Local Government Chairman before like I earlier mentioned. So, with my performance, I believe I have been tried and so, trusted. Again, it is not an obligation or a necessity for them to vote for me. I am not lobbying or bamboozling anybody with lies in order to gain the people’s vote. All they need do is to vote their conscience. If after their assessment they see me as a better candidate who will represent them effectively, all well and good.
The salary of a House of Assembly Member is 1.5million naira a month. So, if someone is spending more than 5million naira and more to lobby for votes, he knows what he is looking for. Anybody spending 50million naira for election definitely has a plan. For me, I am not buying any vote, my election is in the hands of God, and I know He is able to grant me victory if it is His will. I am appealing to all to vote for the destiny of their children.
Hon. Hilary Fada Ibude, who is your political role model sir?
My political role model is God, because God is also a politician.
How do you explain that sir?
When Jesus was born, the enemy tried to kill him. God then appeared to Joseph through an Angel and ordered that Jesus should be taken to Egypt for refuge. So, Jesus is the first political refugee. More so, I do not think I can ever trust any man again judging from past experience. It is only God that I know cannot fail any day anytime.
How do you see the politics in Ika nation?
The politics in Ika nation has been mortgaged for selfish interest. Talking about Ika South, there are no political parties in Ika South; all we have here are political companies. All those involved in Ika South politics are working for themselves. They do not think about the betterment of the Ika South people.
Is your wife in support of this race?
She is a bit skeptical about it, because of threats here and there. But, God is the owner of life and power. God is with me and I do not need to be afraid.