The proprietor, Ilaji Hotels and Resort, Chief Dotun Sanusi, has stressed the need for fairness in leadership in order for the country to attain meaningful progress.
Sanusi spoke on Saturday while responding to questions at the end of the two-day capacity-building workshop, organised by the South-West Group of Online Publishers held within the Hotels and Resort at Akanran, Ona Ara Local Goverment Area of Oyo State.
The industrialist condemned what he called the pervading biased and lopsided leadership and mentorship in the country.
He, however, expressed his repulse for sycophantic attitudes, saying, “I don’t believe in criticising or condemning unnecessarily but rather in seeing what we can do to make things better.
“Things will work out fine for the country if the leadership at the national level can be fair to all and the country is run purely and absolutely on merit.
“Nigeria has the resources and it is made up of brilliant people. However, we are not realists. We are too tribalistic and we are not honest. That is why the system is not working.
“Our leadership has alienated the culture of the people. The current Nigerian Constitution should be dropped; it does not allow for accountability and fairness.
“The problem of this country has to do with good leadership and mentorship. We need to change our national orientation and culture. We have compromised honesty and integrity in the quest for money.”
Sanusi, who declared that he had no interest in politics, said he cultivated greater passion in serving the people.
He explained that giving back to the society, especially touching the indigent residents of Ona Ara Local Goverment Area, ranked among his topmost priorities.
According to Sanusi, Nigeria has what it takes to attain greatness. He lamented, however, that national growth and development is only attainable if the Federal Goverment imbibes the spirit of fairness rather than bias in leadership and mentorship.
Sanusi said his desire to give succour to the downtrodden stemmed from his upbringing, stressing that the society, especially the Church, contributed immensely to his success story.
He said, “My decision to build the hotels and resort here (Akanran) is because of my passion for humanity. I wanted to give back to the society where I was born and raised. The Church contributed to raise me.
“I have moved around and lived in many places. I decided that after moving around, first I need a place that has history of backwardness. You give back to where you don’t expect anything in return.
“Ona Ara Local Goverment Area has a deep history of depravity and socio-economic backwardness. Among the 33 local government areas in the state, it has the poorest infrastructural development and the lowest Internally Generated Revenue.
“We all know the history of the Agbekoya. They were domiciled here. The local government area has a history of neglect. It is fighting against injustice which arose from unlawful taxation and which was accountable for the sufferings of the people.
“Although I am a Christian with Muslim background, I am a realist. I know that God will judge us by our passion for humanity. I want to ensure that the people around me are happy and that is what gives me joy.
“I bought Rolls Royce and some people said it is because I wanted to display opulence. But that is not the reason. I bought the car so that the poor children in my local community can feel and taste what they see as luxury.
“Several times, many children of the poor will approach me to enter the car. I will oblige them. I will allow them to go to their various houses, riding in the car.
“I am doing this so that these children will not feel inferior to their counterparts who have rich backgrounds. I want them to know that they too can enjoy what other children are enjoying in the big cities and rich homes.
“I am not interested in politics. Rather, my legacy will speak for me. It is not about the huge money you accumulated and put somewhere. The essence of living is about the joy and smile you put on the people’s face,” he said.
