Why I joined politics – Banky W
Bankole Wellington, better known as Banky W, is a singer. On Wednesday, he talked about why he went into politics even though he was a successful entertainer and business owner.
He said that he got involved in politics because he wanted to do something more than just be an activist. He also said that getting involved in politics was the only way to change systems that weren’t working.
The singer, who is running for the House of Representatives for the Peoples Democratic Party in the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, said that the more young people stay away from politics, the worse the problems will be.
He said on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, “We have to work with the system as it is and fight for what we believe in and what we want to happen.”
Wellington stated, “We need more individuals to participate in politics,” which is why he decided to enter politics. Like most of my contemporaries, I have taken part in nonviolent protests.
But change is what activism and advocacy are all about, so if you haven’t seen the results you want, your efforts haven’t been sufficient.
For me, the message shifted from one of just advocating for change and raising awareness to one of the necessity of transitioning from protests to politics.
“We have to start using these energies to get people with similar ideas into the government and use the agreement of people with similar ideas to make a change. That’s when my thinking started to change, and in 2018 I started to think that the problem in Nigeria comes from the top and the solution comes from the bottom.
Therefore, we must begin to concentrate on the National Assembly, the Senate and House of Representatives, and the State Houses of Assembly. When I ask young people about their representatives, the majority do not know who is standing for office in their respective districts.
Who am I waiting for to get engaged in the system if, with my degree, success, background, audience, following, and voice, I can’t stick my neck out to prove that I can be a part of this system and bring a solution to the table?
“Therefore, in 2018, I prayed about it and informed my wife, who told me, ‘you know politics in Nigeria is dirty, and I know your heart, and I know the system is what it is, and I don’t want anything that will soil your hands,’ and I told her that politics will always be dirty and dangerous until good people become intentional about placing like-minded individuals in the system.”
He noted that the true adversary in Nigeria is apathy, and the more Nigerians abstain from the political process out of fear of the power of godfathers, the more entrenched would be the loathed old order.
Regarding the 2023 governorship race, he stated that the outcome of the 2022 Lagos State governorship election will shock the public.
According to him, the PDP candidate for governor of Lagos, Dr. Olajide Adediran, also known as Jandor, has begun preparations for the upcoming election.
“People will be surprised by how much Jandor has done to set up an upset in Lagos,” he said.
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