In this episode, the Mic On Podcast hosted Dr. Stephen Akintayo, a multifaceted business professional and author, for a candid conversation touching on Nigerian politics, entrepreneurship, and social issues, including LGBT rights.
Dr. Akintayo’s perspective on Nigerian politics challenges conventional wisdom, particularly the notion of regional allegiance. He emphasizes the importance of meritocracy over a parochial line of thinking in politics, stating, “I think a lot of people have this concept that if someone from your region is contesting an election, then you owe it to support them. I think that’s pure nonsense.”
His support for Peter Obi in the 2023 Presidential election sparks interest. Dr. Akintayo suggests that Nigeria might need leaders with a certain toughness, implying that Obi’s rival, President Tinubu, might possess this quality more. “One of the realities that Tinubu’s government is showing is that Peter Obi actually might be too nice for Nigeria. Sometimes, if you are too clean, you really cannot get a dirty job done, and leadership is dirty!” he remarks.
Transitioning to socio-economic issues, Dr. Akintayo speaks on the importance of intergenerational knowledge transfer. He advocates for the documentation of success stories by renowned entrepreneurs like Tony Elumelu and Aliko Dangote, stating,
“What is going on in Nigeria is that the older ones (successful) are not teaching the younger ones. Why don’t we have a book on Tony Elumelu, Dangote, etc., on how they made it? The youths need to know where they started.”
The conversation goes deeper into governance, Dr. Akintayo draws attention to the influence of external powers on Nigerian affairs and offers nuanced insights into LGBT rights. He acknowledges the complexity of cultural, religious, and political dynamics, asserting, “My argument is that whatever your sexual orientation is, it’s a private thing. Until we run our country ourselves, until we can pick our leaders ourselves without Western interference, these things (LGBT tendencies) will continue.” He says.