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| I will donate my salary for 4yrs to Widows if elected-9ice. |
Singer 9ice the Gongo Aso crooner has left music for politics.I'm sure that's no news to most of you.The story has been out for a while.But 9ice had a very interesting interview with Sun News where he reveals a lot.He also took a swipe at his baby mama Tony
Payne.Enjoy excerpts from the interview.
Your poster is everywhere indicating your interest in politics, why are you quitting music for politics?
9ice-Yes, I want to leave music for politics. Next year January, I will be 35-years-old and I’m not praying to still be in music at that age. I am serious about politics now. If you listen to my music, you would notice that politics has been part of me; it’s in my blood. When I started initially, I talked about being your brother’s keeper, and that’s why I studied Law at Lagos State University before I dropped out to concentrate on my music career. I hate when things go wrong. When two or three people are having issues, I love to get there to settle their differences. I have passion for politics and it has always been in my blood.
If you go fully into politics, most of your friends and fans will miss you?
9ice-I will say they will love me more by the time they see the plans that I have for them. I have so many plans on my mind. Imagine if the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was a politician, he will not just criticize the mistakes of our leaders but also correct them. Imagine if Wole Soyinka was to be the president of this nation, people like him are only preaching the truth and criticising the government but they are not ready to get into politics to make corrections. I am tired of preaching, I want to contribute my own quota for the sake of my people. We have graduates riding commercial motorcycles (okada), selling meat etc, their certificates are not being used but they are shouting that the government is not doing well. There can’t be any change if the youths don’t stand-up now to do something to help the country.
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| i am leaving Music for politics-9ice. |
Who is Tony Payne to you?
9ice-She’s nothing more than we have kid for each other.
Recently, Tony Payne says every political aspirant is looking for what to eat, are you sure she’s not referring to you?
9ice-Hmmm, if it is because of what I want to eat, so be it. Thank God I can drink my garri in the afternoon and eat beans at night without any stress. I can even drive my car to wherever I want to go. I can go to my friends’ houses to watch DStv, even if I don’t have it in my house, glory be to God. 1 Kings 19:7 says: ‘and the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee’. I don’t allow anything or anybody that might want to distract me in my journey, because the journey is too far. It’s not about what I want to eat but what I want to contribute to the development of my people.
What are your plans when you eventually become a legislator?
9ice-I come from Ogbomosho North Local Government Area, which is my constituency; we have other local government areas populated by farmers. They have maize farms but they don’t have good roads and water. 80 per cent of the farmers still use cutlasses and hoes. If they are given tractors and they are introduced to modern farming techniques, they will not only cater for themselves but they will also cater for people in other parts of the country. Even if it is only onions that they plant, so many states will benefit. Aside from Ekiti and Ondo States, I have never seen any other western state that is more educated than Ogbomosho. But after their education, the people still go back to ride commercial motorcycles, engage in farming, transportation etc. For youth empowerment and employment, I am going to organise workshops where people can learn many things like how to make soaps, toiletries, threads, candles, fashion designing, hairdressing, catering, electronics, carpentry etc. Immediately, they complete their training, we are going to give them some money to start up their businesses. We are going to make provisions for LAUTECH students because they don’t have hostels; we are going to provide accommodation at a cheaper rate. We will also provide transportation for them. There would be scholarships for primary and secondary school students including free transportation. In my constituency, WAEC fees will be paid for students. I will donate my salary for four years to widows and people who cannot work again, I will give them stipends every month.
You are coming out under the umbrella of APC, have you been nominated as their candidate?
9ice-No, but every member of the party is eligible to aspire for any position; it is now left for the party to choose or to go by election. Six of us are going for the same position under APC. The party will decide on how the candidate will emerge.
Let’s pray that you win, but assuming you didn’t win, how would you feel? Would you go back to your music?
9ice-My own politics is not a do-or-die; if my party refuses to pick me, life goes on. I will still support the person that won. I’m not doing what I cannot afford to do. Thank God, I am not owing any bank or anybody money, I can’t do something that I cannot afford, so I have no problem. But it will be recorded that Aboloore Akande vied for this post but didn’t win. People will know that I am not a spectator but a participant. For what I will do if the primary didn’t favour me, hum, I will go into business or any other thing that will give me money. Or better still, I will get back to my music career or talk to one of my friends to employ me in his company. Nothing do me, I am a Nigerian that knows how to struggle.