You are currently viewing Nigerians are desperate for true change, only an ADC Government can deliver the dividends of democracy – Gbandi
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He is one of the Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora with a strong passion for supporting efforts at national rebirth in Nigeria. A focused, enterprising, and well-established patriot with strings of successes and footprints, Kenneth Gbandi belongs to the new breed of Nigerian professionals oozing with innovative, contemporary development ideas that apply to the Nigerian situation. In this interview with The Podium Media’s publisher, Ademola Akinbola, he unveils his plans as he vies for a seat in the Nigerian Senate on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Here are excerpts …

Tell us briefly about your birth and childhood years

I am the last of 10 children (seven males and three females) born to Chief E.C. Gbandi, a prominent chief and son of the Akwukwu Igbo Kingdom. Until his death in 1992, he was the great Inwagwe Oji-Iba of Akwukwu Igbo. My mother, Ezinne Victoria Akuchukwu Gbandi of St. John Anglican Church of Akwukwu Igbo and Ada Ogbo, was also a very prominent women leader in Akwukwu Igbo, in Oshimili Local Government of Delta State, Delta North to be precise.

My parents dedicated their time and resources to the service of Akwukwu Igbo. Being the Benjamin of the family, I was very close to my mother as one might expect. My mother was someone you would call a typical African mother. She was a church leader, a teacher, sewing mistress with over 40 apprentices in her prime business days.  She was also an entrepreneur, a baker, a soap maker (Soda), a farmer, and a political leader (women leader) with the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN). Even at that time, my parents were the Chairman and Women Leaders respectively of two different political parties based strictly on ideologies, much to our confusion and that of the whole village at that time.

Growing up in a family with many relatives and apprentices was very interesting but confusing as it was difficult to differentiate between apprentices, my siblings, or relatives so everyone was an uncle or Aunty. Everybody in the family must carry out housework, either fetching water from the stream or firewood from the farm and other chores. I could sew clothes at the age of 7, and at 12, I was already my mother’s Business Manager, selling clothes in the village and town markets across Delta North. I could bake and process cassava and the daily early morning fetching of stream water before school was mandatory.

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My mother was running the family like a boarding house with a strict division of labour in the house. I was the Benjamin of the family and was highly loved by my parents, my siblings, and everybody in the household, but that did not spare me occasional disciplinary actions from my siblings, especially my immediate senior brother, Charles. 

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Growing up with nine siblings could be a blessing, but it has its disadvantages. As the baby of the house, you are answerable to everybody, including all the apprentices, relatives who are my senior. But I equally had more than enough share of the love and goody-goodies as everyone wanted to share something with me. I must add that some of my seniors left the home very early to study outside the country, so I have very little memory of them. But eating together was one of the experiences I enjoyed for obvious reasons. Sitting at my fathers’ feet at weekends and holidays listening to the adventures of my grandfather, the great Ekumke warrior, was something that I looked forward to and lessons learned followed me to date. It is natural that the lessons learned have influenced my life as I am passionate about service, have consideration for the plight of others without giving up on my principles

What has been your experience been like living in Europe?

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It was a cultural shock at first. The film and TV glamour about Europe were different from reality. My first trip to Europe was to Greece in 1994, to visit my senior brother, a medical doctor, and the head of the pain therapy department in a Greek Hospital. His wife was an associate professor, now a full professor of Law, in one of the universities. They both wanted me to study in Greece but for the language and writing style, Greece was a beautiful place. I remembered being the only black man on the bus and the streets of Thessaloniki for months. Any African on the street was automatically like a blood brother, picking up conversation immediately to my disappointment most times when most could only speak French or Greek. My experience in Greece prepared me for life in Europe, and in Germany in particular.  

In Germany three months later, I stubbornly saw myself standing on my feet. From clearing supermarkets in the morning before going to language school, to working in hotels after school and on weekends for my upkeep in Germany, I worked hard to establish myself. Looking down 28 years down the road, living in Europe has opened me up to different world views, the issue of colonialism, race, geopolitics, and advantage of good governance, and why some countries are rich, and some are poor. I have also profited from Germany’s well-known traits such as discipline, dependability, punctuality, innovation, and resourcefulness. 

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 What are your core values and abiding principles?

The Bible is my guide, and as hard as it is to achieve, I am guided by the golden rule, do to others what you want others to do to you. I also believe that hard work always yields positive results. My friends say that I am loyal to a fault. I don’t know if I agree with them. Loyalty is loyalty. I like being loyal to my friends and keeping to a collectively agreed line of action as long as it is for a positive cause, and as long as it brings goodwill and betterment for all. I am extremely passionate about service and have high consideration for the plight of others without giving up my principles.

What motivates or inspires you in life?

To be directly or indirectly involved in making a difference in the life of other people, especially those that cannot return such favour or services.

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What drew you into partisan politics and what is your Vision?

As I stated earlier, I come from a lineage of service, so it is only natural that I will follow in the footsteps of my parents in selfless service. I am passionate about service and have humbly distinguished myself through the quality and inclusive representation of Nigerians and Africans in different places across the world. I have served in Germany’s Hamburg’s Senate Foreigners Advisory Council representing the African Community as Chairman of the Anti-Discrimination Committee of the Council for three years. This allowed me and my colleagues to positively impact the lives of Africans, and contribute to an inclusive society in Hamburg.

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Since 2015, I have been a member of the German-African Communication Concept Committee under the German Foreign Affairs Office, Africa division, dealing with the migration of Africans to Europe. More than 2,500 migrants died in 2017 according to IOM statistics, and many more are believed to have perished in the transit countries such as Libya, and the majority of them are Nigerians seeking to escape youth unemployment and the harsh economic situation in Nigeria in search of a better life in Europe and the Middle East.

The irony, however, in my view is that youths from mostly India and China are migrating to Nigeria and are succeeding in establishing successful businesses. This trend should be reversed, in my view. Troubled by this development, I led migration enlightenment programmes in Nigeria to inform my compatriots, especially the youths, of the danger of unplanned migration to avert the loss of lives in the Red Sea and the Libyan Desert, while providing information on safe migration to Europe and the potentials at home.  As the Director of the African-German Information Center (AGIC), my team and I have been providing coaching and integration services for the recognition of migrants’ certificates, especially for Africans, including Nigerians, and how they can integrate into the country economically, socially, culturally, and politically.

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Under the initiative of the Embassy of Nigeria, Berlin, I was a foundation member of the Nigerian-German Consultative Business Forum with a focus on facilitating business and investments in Nigeria working with captains of industry in Germany, as well as business and investment agencies. Our inputs contributed immensely to the facilitation of business and investments in Nigeria. The vision is that with better economic conditions in Nigeria, our youths will be less desperate to undertake very dangerous journeys across the desert and red sea in search of a better life.

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I pride myself with all humility as a formidable bridge that sees enormous opportunities in translating global best practices into local solutions to make the Nigerian society responsive, accountable, and eager to innovate to achieve sustainable development for its citizens. This was my motivation to serve my country when I was elected as the President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization under the auspices of NIDO Germany from 2013 to 2016. Following my transformational performance in advancing national development through diaspora engagement, the continental body of the same organisation elected me in 2016 as the Chairman and board of trustee member of the umbrella body, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Athens. My successful engagement, commitment to service delivery, accountability, and probity earned me unprecedented re-election in Austria in 2018, making me the first person to achieve this feat since the establishment of NIDO. From less than 13 chapters on my first election, I handed over the organization with over 22 chapters in 21 countries.

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Under my global co-ordinating leadership of NIDO World, and together with my fellow continental Chairperson, and through a cordial working relationship with Senator Rose Okoji Oko, Chairman, the then-Senate Committee on Diaspora & Civil Societies (of Blessed memory) and Hon. Rita Orji, then-House Chairman on Diaspora, National Assembly, provided a special briefing on the House Rules, Etiquette, and Protocols and eventually facilitated a joint Plenary Session to welcome the NIDO Leadership representatives on February 26th, 2027, on our mission to lobby for the passage of the Diaspora Commission Bill (NIDCOM Bill). The 8th Senate kept its promise to Nigerian Diaspora to pass the Diaspora Commission Bill on or before April 2017. The Bill was passed on March 30, 2017, making it one of the most important legislations for the Diaspora to date and bringing the great work of my predecessors and great Diaspora icons to a successful closure.

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Both as Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora and CEO of African-German Information Centre, tapping into the transformative energy of the youth to advance national interest have been my greatest passion. Over the years, we have rolled out initiatives that seek the all-around empowerment of youths. One such initiative is the Youths Capacity Building and Business Development Training (YCBBD) which seeks to reduce the high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria. The Project was conceived to enhance local skills through a sustainable transfer of knowledge from Nigerian Diaspora experts in collaboration with experts in Nigeria to create economic and social prospects for Nigerian youths. The training curriculum was designed from Kolb’s experimental learning model. It adopts activities that combine active participation in a classroom with reflective thinking, and practical application of skills gained, from real-world experience to improve learners’ knowledge and competence.

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In sports and entertainment, I co-founded and served as the first Sports Director of Nigerian Football Club Germany (NCG FC), one of such in the history of Germany. I also founded and served as the Executive Director of Miss Africa Germany and Miss Nigeria Germany organization.

In 2004, I founded Heritage Media Network, a leading African – European community Media network for Germany & German-speaking regions of Europe and the Global audience. The goal was to bring Nigeria and Africa leaders and business opportunities before the European society and to promote Nigeria and Africa as the destination for financial investment, culture, entertainment, and new goals.

My selfless service has won me several awards, including, the State Award for Outstanding Service (NYSC), Edo state (1993),  TV Special Award from TIDE und Studio-Hamburg, Germany (2013); Best Media/Promoting Black Heritage Culture and Awareness, Atlanta USA (2013); Nigerian European Union Best Publishers Award, Spain (2015); Diaspora Man of the Year, The Voice Achievers Award, Netherlands (2016); Male Role Model of the Year (2017): Professional & Business African Women in Europe, AWE (2017); Ghana-Nigeria Diaspora Man of the Year (2019); Leadership & Achievement Awards, Nigerian Community Germany (2019) among others. I believe such selfless services are needed in politics if we are to rescue Nigeria from its current state.

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Give us an assessment of the state of affairs in Nigeria, and how do you intend to make a difference?

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Nigerians in our villages, towns, cities, and even those abroad, irrespective of personal comfort and international accomplishments, are seriously worried about Nigeria and the set of the current leadership. Political corruption, criminal insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, poverty, youth unemployment, poor infrastructure, increasing regional agitation, and insecurity across the country are the order of the day, yet the political class seems unwilling or incapable of solving these problems.

Internationally, it is no longer news that Nigeria has been labelled, rightly or wrongly, the poverty capital of the world. She is ranked amongst the first four terror nations globally. It is also estimated that 87 million people in Nigeria are living in extreme poverty, while six people fall into extreme poverty every minute in Nigeria. This is the worst anywhere in the world as of today and the end is not yet in sight. In the last seven weeks, I have visited cross-sections of Nigeria, especially in Delta North, including respected traditional rulers, Christians, and faith-based organizations, organized women groups, youth organizations, schools, and the elderly in our society and the story has been the same.

They are fed up with the situation and looking for anything better than the current situation.  For the past 22 years, the two main political parties, PDP and APC have commercialized and corrupted our political system and space. Personal greed has become the centerpiece of public policies in government. Money baggers invest millions of naira into these two parties by purchasing expensive party forms and expressing interest in running for positions with the hope that they will win and make a profit from their investment. Even when they have no realistic chances of winning, they still count on the return on investment via juicy appointments or contracts worth millions or billions of naira after the elections. For them, it is always a win-win at the expense of the masses they claim to represent.

After 22 years of PDP-APC governments, this cycle of pain unleashed on “innocent” Nigerian people has resulted in approximately 87 million people living in extreme poverty and this figure grows by six people every minute while the cabals, their kids, and relatives are getting richer. In 2021, Nigeria remained the poverty capital of the world, and unless drastic steps are taken, this dubious title will stay with us. We must choose a different direction and implement different policies as quickly as possible. Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are tired of the PDP and APC style of governance. The people are desperate, and an ADC government would deliver what the people need. Given the hunger in the land and the current level of poverty, there is no doubt that a new solution is needed now.

Many have asked how I want to make a difference. One thing is for sure, doing nothing as the ship of Nigeria sinks is not a good plan at all. Nothing will change if we leave governance to those people with no vision or mission. It is obvious that although the Diaspora is made up of highly skilled and qualified Nigerians driven by their love for Nigeria and passion for sustainable homeland development, our efforts are not yielding maximum returns in terms of improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians. This is because the majority of the leaders are either unwilling or incapable of doing the right thing. All our efforts will amount to nothing if our leaders do not make our homeland receptible to these efforts. If I could make a change in the Diaspora, I can do the same in Nigeria.

This current political climate calls for the audacity of hope and courage. The shining examples of great Nigerians such as Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Chief (Dr) Newton Jibunoh, the desert warrior, and many Nigerian living legends, must be vigorously replicated to reflect the full potentials of Nigeria. A country that will be fair and just to all, where everyone is treated with dignity and has equal opportunity to attain their God-given potential.

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So, after long consultations and prayers, I have decided to take the service of my Nigeria to a higher political pedestal by humbly presenting myself as an aspirant for the position of Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Delta North Senatorial District under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) political party, one of the leading political parties in Nigeria.

My first Bill as a senator will be to address income inequity and to put a stop to the irresponsible “Jumbo” senate salary and benefits. While awaiting the passage of the Bill into law, I will dedicate a considerable chunk of my salary to support a sustainable Youth/Graduate Startup program to create wealth for the people of Delta North and Nigerians. I will equally dedicate a considerable portion of my salary towards healthcare support for the most vulnerable in my constituency, especially women and retired senior citizens that have worked and served us for years but unfortunately are still waiting for their pensions.

From day one as a senator, I will build cross-party alliances to remove big money out of politics and make our electoral system fit for purpose, such that your character, compassion, and vision especially as young Nigerians will determine your journey into politics, and not how deep your pocket is, or how connected you are. The expected massive youth involvement in politics that will bring about a new set of transformational leaders will remain elusive if big money continues to play a central role in our politics. We already started this at the party level, and we will scale it up to the national level.

As a senator, Delta State will champion a paradigm change in our approach to international development. Dipping into my Diaspora exposure and experiences, we would change the current “beggar” status. We will seek no handouts. Rather, we are a State with huge reservoirs of resources offering mutual benefits to international partners. We will build global investment and partnership alliances making towns in Delta North examples of global twin-city and global partnerships. As a Senator representing Delta North, we will enter a new era of comprehensive development and commitment. Our state and people will experience the rebirth and renewal of our natural resources, tourism, education, agriculture, and healthcare. Our constituency will experience growth in youth capacity building and business development in Agriculture, IT & renewable energy.

We will develop Agricultural enclaves in all the nine Local Government Areas together with our German partners. We will open up local and international markets that will create thousands of jobs. We will continue with our youth capacity building and business development strategy that has trained over 200 youths in Delta State, to make Delta State, Delta North, in particular, a regional IT hub and business incubator: Under IT, we will intensify on our ICT drive and business efficiency so that Delta youths will have the enabling knowledge and capacity to use optimise IT platforms. We will align with Professor Moghalu´s Fish for Life Digital Skills Initiative, Chukwuka Monye´s Technology Sectors Initiative, Dr. Favour Ayodele´s Internet of things initiative, and the Smart Initiative from Joyce Nsaka and Dr. Davison Israel that aim to lift Nigerian youths out of poverty.

Delta State is blessed with abundant natural resources. We will roll out a maritime template that will create wealth for able-bodied men and women in the State, creating subsidiary employment. In collaboration with The African – German Information Center (AGIC), my organization in Germany, we will implement the Skills in Solar and renewable energy programme designed to train youths that have attained a minimum level of education. The goal is to create an energy society that is flexible, friendly, sustainable, and affordable, and above all to make a conscious effort for a transfer of solar technology to Delta State.

The solar training is designed for the optimum acquisition of solar technology knowledge and skills within a very short time, modelled after the award-winning UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Decade 2012/2013 program. Youths will be equipped at the end with certification as solar technicians for street lamps, solar house installation of up to 20 rooms, and solar technicians for connecting generated solar power to a public power system.

To build a society where everyone is treated with dignity and has an opportunity to attain their God-given potential, deep reforms are needed. From day one as a senator, I will build cross-party alliances for deep constitutional reforms, including security sector reforms, resource management reforms, tax reforms, and Diaspora voting rights. Constituency projects will be all-inclusive and the needs of the community gauged via robust consultations and town hall meetings. I will not only advocate for, but will mirror Meritocracy, Equity, Solidarity, and Innovation (MESI) in the running of my office, especially Constituency Projects. We will find the answer if we don’t have one and I will work tirelessly to accomplish these solutions. We have done it in the Diaspora, and we will do even greater things in Nigeria and Delta State.

Why did you choose ADC? Why not PDP or APC?

ADC is, first and foremost, a party of ideas that is free from domination by a few individuals. It is a political party that is transparent and accountable to the electorate. It is an inclusive and diverse party that embraces all opinions on critical issues. It is a party where humanity is the core value. We cater to women, youths, Diaspora, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The just-concluded ADC Delta State Congress that I chaired brought all the presidential aspirants and stakeholders together united by the love of country and passion for selfless service. It was devoid of political bitterness and it was a reflection of what we are bringing to the table for a new Nigeria.

It is on record that ADC DN is the seventh geopolitical zone of Nigeria created by the visionary leadership of ADC to properly interface with Nigerians in the Diaspora across the five continents. The objective is to cultivate and galvanize membership across international frontiers, embrace dynamic best international values and ideologies and act as a catalyst for the transformation of our dear country Nigeria. So, it is only logical to join progressive minds to rebuild our country.

Do you believe the Nigerian political class can rescue the country from the abyss that it has been plunged into?

A German adage says that hope dies last. Like I said earlier, the current political climate calls for the audacity of hope and courage. If you look at the current crop of ADC presidential aspirants – Professor Kingsley Mogahlu, Chukwuka Monye, Dr. Israel Nonyerem Davidson, Dr. Favour Ayodele, Joyce Nsaka, etc, you will agree with me that they are not the typical Nigerian politicians. They are highly skilled, dedicated, and professional individuals who do not necessarily need to be in politics but for the love of Nigeria and Nigerians. I call them nation builders. We need people like them to build a superpower in Nigeria, and I am proud to associate myself with them. Nigeria and Nigerians have all the potentials it takes to be superpowers, and we will not give up until victory is achieved. Yes, we can rescue Nigeria from the abyss, but we need a new set of leaders come 2023.

What are your hobbies, what do you do to relax or unwind?

I love adventure, traveling, and meeting people, I love service and I love reading and watching political movies, especially espionage. At home, I love doing the laundry and helping madam with housework as much as possible.

Comment freely on Nigerians in the Diaspora, the refusal to grant us voting rights, and how we can be more useful to the country

Our Money is good enough for Nigeria and NASS, but our voices and our votes are not. It was indeed a very sad day for Nigerians in the Diaspora when the National Assembly (NASS) almost unanimously denied over 22 million Nigerians in the Diaspora their rights to determine who rules them, practically cutting us off from the upcoming elections. Diaspora remittances (cash sent back home by Nigerians in Diaspora) outpaced oil revenue in 2015, as the $21.2 billion sent home officially by Nigerians abroad surpassed the $19.6 billion oil export proceeds for those twelve months. In 2016 and 2017, Nigerians abroad sent home $19.7 billion and $22 billion respectively, which were higher than the $10.4 billion and $13.4 billion garnered from oil exports in the same period. This helped in sustaining the economy. However, they will give you 13.4 billion reasons why Diaspora voting is not possible but our money is welcomed. I am running for Senate not only to represent Delta North but also the Diaspora constituency. I will also be the voice of the Diaspora at NASS and I will not rest until the Diaspora Voting Right Bill is passed.

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