Engineer Afisu Olabimtan is a United States – based structural engineer and President of APM, Dallas – based engineering firm. He is an indigene of Ilaro in Ogun West Senatorial District of Ogun State. He is the owner of Yewa Frontier Hotel and on Saturday, December 27, his Yewa Frontier 102.9FM Radio, Amusement Park and Cinema newly set up in Ilaro were inaugurated by the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland Oba Kehinde Olugbenle. In an interview, Engr. Olabimtan bares his mind concerning Ogun politics, Yewa Frontier Radio and other issues
Congratulation on your new investments in Ilaro. What propelled you to bring such innovations to your place for the first time?
It’s prompted by love. The love for my people. I’ve said it many times, it’s been almost 50 years that I left our land in search of good education, better life, but I always keep in the mind that I wanted to give back to my roots and that is what propels me to come in and continue to do what I am doing. That is the motivation.
With this business you just established now, how do you think the works can benefit from this.
I am very encouraged by it. I tell you that during the testing period of the radio station, I had the privilege of listening to the radio operations through the radio garden and each time I get up in the morning I hear what people have to say and there’s so much appreciation. It actually uplifts my spirit and that is the appreciation that this is a long-awaited need. It is one thing to know what to do for people and the other is also to satisfy their need and I think this is a real need for the people and they appreciate it.
We have seen it in some situations that people, particularly Politicians do establish a radio station or TV station as a mega-phone for them to contest elections. Are you going to vie for elective office in 2027?
Absolutely not. People should understand, I tell people that we are all made to do different things in life. My purpose in life is to be an engineer, to be an innovator. I am not cut out to be a politician and I have no intention to be one. I’ve lived almost 50 years in the United States. I’m satisfied with the United States and I am comfortable there. So there’s no intention. Let nobody makes the mistake harbouring the thoughts that people are going to see me involved in politics. It is gravely mistaken. There’s no intention to be a politician in Nigeria.
Sir, considering the ‘innovation and development’ the project represents in Yewa and Ilaro, do you intend bringing more of it here and Ogun state in general ?;;
“Yes, it’s a part of a grand plan that I had because of my engineering background. When I was given the opportunity, I was asked to address a small need for the community and when I came in many years ago, I said: ‘no I can do more..’ My capacity allows me to do more so I had a grand plan and that plan includes what you see being inaugurated. When the Kabiyesi called me a year ago, he said, ‘ you remember you wanted to do this,’ I said ‘I wanted to do it’. The hindrance has been the lack of infrastructure that has kept me for months. But I am seeing the improvement today. You know aside from what I’ve done in Ilaro, I’ve done several projects in Lagos before we did this. And that provides the source of funds. There is no intention for me to take profit, I’ve never profited from anything I’ve done in Nigeria. There is never a need for it. There’s that endless opportunity. My return is what people appreciate and the feelings and the fulfillment that I get from it.
Many investors face so many challenges trying to invest or bring development’ to rural areas. For you to establish such a project here it means you have your people at heart. what’s your advice for the federal law and state law in terms of road infrastructures and other infrastructures?
Well, one of the things that has happened with Nigerians, I have been in overseas, is that there was a myth in the beginning that we are rich and I’ve always told people we’re one-source country and we’re not rich, I live with the rich people. I know what rich is, and this is not rich. But for a long time even when I talked to my comrades back in the US, they would say oh the only problem in Nigeria is corruption. I said no that’s not your problem, your problem is poverty. There is not enough source to feed Nigeria. When I left this country, I think Nigeria was a population of 57 million people, now we are 200 million plus people, and the resource is not enough, so they blame people. It’s not all about corruption, it is the lack of infrastructure. When I left this country, Nigeria, China, India, were all called third world countries. Look at where we are now. We are going downwards, China and India are going up. Look at where we are because our planning was poor. People do not have vision and like they say in the Bible that ‘without vision the people perish.’ That’s what happened to Nigeria
What number of employment can this project provide for your people?
I lived here, I grew up here, I left this country when I was 20 years of age. You know there has always been a stigma for our people and that is why we are so marginalized. Even when I was a child when I would want to go to Ilaro, people would say, oh don’t go to Ilaro, it’s the bush people, the witchcraft. I had to encourage and motivate my own family to visit Ilaro. Even when I would come from America, they would say at the time stay with your uncle, don’t go to Ilaro. The fact is that we created this fear of ourselves. Like I said, we have done two developments in Lekki and they are making money. And I called my brother, and I said listen, it is time to go back home. At least for me, I am funding the project. My goal is how do we fund this place. You have enough money coming from the two complexes. It’s a great investment. It is in high paying area, you have enough money to run this place that I would at some point will not have to fund it from my pocket. My goal is create opportunity. And those who say oh you could have built this in Abeokuta, no it’s not about that. Let Abeokuta’s time come.This Ferris Wheel that I built, in fact when the people gave it to me principally maybe there’s one more that someone just built in the East, that’s the only one that i know.
Why didn’t you build this in Abeokuta where people can come?
No, we need the people to come to us in Ilaro and Yewa. That is the goal. The whole goal is employ as many people as we want, as the complex can take. The challenge though we need to find the people who take this investment to heart, to take pride in what we have, we need to have pride. and to take care of what is ours. That’s how you grow. Nobody is going to do it for you. Believe me, if the Nigeria continues on this same path, you will find yourself going back downwards. Even the wealthy countries are afraid of what is to come. AI is taking over things and it is going to continue. So, if you don’t have somewhere to start with, you’re going to find yourself living further downward.
