Culled from Civics Weekly, August 3, 2026 edition
IN this edition featuring the Civics Weekly's tradition of publishing facts required to sustain readers trust, the publication is not about enthralling reading alone. It is far more about exciting history.
When the magazine unveiled Hon. Kehinde Olaide Joseph as clincher of the Legislator of the Year 2025, there would be no doubt that not a few would readily attach it to his idea of pioneering Philantro-politico in Alimosho for a new history. But in his interactions with Civics Weekly, he revealed more of history that centres around his about four decades of political career. In this serialisation of the interview, beginning with this publication, we bring to you the phases of the history as he revealed them.
IT IS A COUNT DOWN TO THE FINAL AWARD DAY CEREMONY ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Que: The Assembly Fracas; I mean, the impeachment saga. Though now resolved, but are we seeing any backlash of it – victimization, vengeance or anything of sort in the Assembly?
It has come and gone and it was a case of no victor, no vanquish. That is what I'm going to say about it. Like the Speaker use to say, we are brothers and sisters, but at times, issues will surely set in. And when that happens, the best thing is to know how to resolve such issues. And I'm going to give it to Mr. Speaker himself, Right Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa. After the Saga, he believes that we are all human being. He had learnt his lesson, and we too, we have learnt our lesson. The best thing is that for development of the state, we have to forge ahead.
Except when you are here that you will understand the legislative arm; it is not just an integral part of the government. It is the government! You could also see it yourself. It (impeachment saga) happened for just close to three months. But during the period, it was more or less that the state was stagnant. We stood still and nothing seemed to move in government. But thank God, at least, that one has gone and everybody has moved ahead. We have learnt our lessons. We are just even beginning to understand ourselves.
Que: The matter was believed to have been resolved on the basis of 'Party Supremacy' having its way. Would you want to see it that way?
To us, and for those who like it or not, Asiwaju is our Oga. And to those of us that have known him for many years – you know I told you about when he contested for the Senate that I was part of his SDP delegate team. So, for those of us that know him very well, we know that he understands each and every member of the House very well. Immediately we went there (Presidential Villa), he told us what to do and everybody followed suit. Everybody knew it was the final. So when you say it is the supremacy of the party, he is also the party! He is the government; he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we believe so much in him.
Que: At the Aso Rock where you met with him, report identified you as one of the vocal defender of the cause of the impeachment. We wonder you were not afraid to talk your mind, given the opposition of Mr. President to the deeds in the first place.
Yes, many of us were there. At least on that day, Baba had time for us. He devoted the day to our issue, treating us as his children. He gave us a rousing welcome such that we were able to feel at home. And the Asiwaju I know, he did all that to reassure us of our security against any feeling of potential victimization or any backlash for whatever we could say. He actually wanted us to bare our minds wholehearted. In fact, the President showed himself to be a more friendly person than I knew of him ever before. Given all this and under that atmosphere, I will ask you back: that ‘how would a son be afraid of his father?’ That was how I read the ambience we were at the time. So, being with him, I didn't have anything to fear because I believed I did not commit an offence. You can see that after that meeting, peace returned to the state.
Que: After all that, how would you describe the State of Assembly's harmony?
That one has come and gone! We are brothers and sisters. We work together, we do things together. People (of the Assembly) don't even remember it except some of you the external people that will come and be asking us such question. To us, we don't even remember anything like that ever happened or existed. It has come and gone. This is government. We are voted for and those who voted for us did not do so for us to come and fight here. They voted for us for development of the state and that is what we are working in harmony to achieve right now.
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