Bimbo Daramola His Genuine Love for Nigerian Youths

Bold, daring and energetic, former legislator and convener of the Nigeria Skits Industry Festival and Awards (NSIFA), Bimbo Daramola, in this encounter with Vanessa Obioha reveals a compassionate side of him as exhibited by his love for Nigerian youths and everything they stand for

Do not call him a politician! Even though he has worked in the corridors of power; from chronicling former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s transition from prison to Aso Rock, to representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency,  from 2011 to 2015, Bimbo Daramola does not easily associate himself with the coveted description. Ironically, he still engages in politics.

His aversion, as he explains it to me on a sunny afternoon, stems from the perception surrounding it.

“I believe very strongly that societies are built by different people. And I don’t think it makes a lot of sense to outrightly cede the society to politics and politicians, particularly when it will come across, if you contextualise it very properly, that politicians are falling short on the estimation of the Nigerian people. An average Nigerian does not believe that politicians have done well by them. They feel that politicians are opportunists, ambitious and take advantage of them.”

As much as this perception holds sway in society today, Daramola sees warpage in that discernment. According to him, there are morally corrupt professionals in other fields who are not politicians but since bad politicians seem to be in the majority, that reputation is like a badge.

Tall with an athletic build and a face framed with a white beard, Daramola’s disposition is bold and daring. He asserts this fact, citing his Facebook posts as a thorn-in-the-flesh of many corrupt ones. During his legislative days, he was known for his audacious stance on some national issues. For instance, he moved a motion titled ‘Emerging Threats to Nigeria’s Internal Security and the Need for the Establishment of Department of Homeland Security,’ to address the menace of security challenges facing Nigeria.  Looking at the spate of insecurity in the country today, Daramola admits that sometimes, he feels a sense of déjà vu as some of his concerns are playing out.

As a young man, he played football, but now his sporting activities are somehow limited. He also wanted to be a medical doctor but could not stand the sight of people in pain. He describes himself as a very sensitive person.

“At the centre of my being is the fact that I’m conscious about what happens to the next man. If a man is in pain, I feel his pain and this is one of the reasons I got into politics in the first place. So, I set out to do everything that will cushion the pain of others.”

He continues: “That was why my first choice of study was medicine. I remember that every time we went to the hospital those days if I see people crying, I cry. I’m still very emotional.”

He recalls a recent event in Zambia where he met with young people and broke down after learning of their plight.

“I know some of them cannot afford  school fees and it reminded me of how unfair life could be.”

This passionate side of him has endeared him to younger ones. He confidently thumps his chest that to date, he is the most friendly politician to the youths in his state.

“Except the naysayers, in Ekiti today, everybody knows that I’m the widest acceptable currency among young people. They play with me a lot.”

His love for young people is woven into his brand.

“If you ‘profile’ me today, the ultimate defining index of my brand is my love for young people,” he says.

Daramola’s understanding of the youths is profound. He is aware of the sense of hopelessness they exude concerning national issues.

“The greatest worry that they have is they think they don’t have a nation anymore.  They’ve seen over time that the country is slipping through their fingers. And every time some of us who are a little bit on the elderly side begin to talk about the good old days, the question on the lips of young people is when will they be able to say that? When are their own good old days going to come?”

Beyond these fears, Daramola is also aware of some of the shortcomings of the youths.

“Today we’ve raised a generation of young people who are in a hurry. What defines them is brevity, convenience, and quick turnaround time. You could almost say that they are laid back and all of that, but the truth of the matter is that you cannot divorce the realities of social media from what has become of these young people. A lot of them live off their mobile devices. You can’t expect a man or a young boy who’s been raised in an information age to behave like a stone-age man. It won’t happen. It is the same way that their values are going to be very different poles apart. I believe very strongly that what we need to do is to bend double.

“I wrote something about the late Sylvester Oromoni and the lessons that we need to learn so that he won’t become another statistic. Let us go to play where these kids play. Every one of them has a mobile device, why don’t we have a toll free line where they can call and report cases of bullying,” he argues.

The way Daramola sees it, raising young ones today should be a shared responsibility. However, he believes that entertainment can be used effectively to address these challenges.

“In those days, how many parents would allow their children to shoot skits or even become a musician? But today, we now know what these guys are doing with themselves. And so now they’ve become role models and inspiration to so many people. And so, nobody wants to go the way of you have to read about this to inculcate this.”

His uncanny knack to celebrate young people led him to launch the Nigeria Skits Industry Festival and Awards (NSIFA). The event seeks to recognise and celebrate skit makers who entertain a staggering online followership with their skits. It is the first of a kind to hold in Nigeria.

Daramola discloses that he did not set out to start NSIFA but was intrigued after realising that many of his friends with high pedigree are fans of skit makers.

“I was like any regular person who watches skits on their mobile devices. The whole idea started the day I realised that a super-rich friend of mine watches skits. I was surprised because he is a medical doctor with a busy schedule and yet he finds time to watch skits. So I began to connect that there are so many influential people who derive value from these young ones.

“For instance, when we went to see the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, he revealed that Lasisi Elenu was his favourite. So, if we enjoy their skits in our private moments, why don’t we come out and celebrate them? Why are we not giving them worthy value and recognition so that they can inspire and encourage others?” he asked rhetorically.

Gradually, he began to toy with the idea, meeting with industry greats to rub minds on the plausibility of the idea. He got resounding feedback and within months- set the ball rolling. Although the ceremony was initially scheduled for late last year, the untimely passing of a key member of his team led to a postponement. It is believed that the ceremony will be held in the first quarter of 2022.

Daramola’s ultimate goal for skit makers is to help them achieve a better status beyond internet sensation, a term he vehemently opposes.

“These guys have been branded as internet sensations and the likes which are somehow derogatory. Not too many people have given it to them that for them to be able to shoot skits and generate between 2.3 and 7.9 million followers, it means they are talented, creative, dedicated, resilient and determined.  That must be celebrated first before now coming to the end of the spectrum to say they are influencers or content creators. Yes, I agree they are content creators and  influencers but how much influence can you actually give to anybody through skits?”

He argues that such profiling discourages corporate brands from identifying with skit makers.

Brands don’t want to identify with masturbatory experiences. They want to associate with an enduring coital experience. No brand wants to do something fleeting because they have brand values, and they want to interpret their brands in the context of who the ambassador is.”

The bigger picture according to him is to have the President of Nigeria decorate a skit maker for their contributions to the economy, to the lives of Nigerians in the society.

It’s been more than four years since he left the House of Representatives and Daramola is not shy to say he missed being a legislator. He however wished the current legislators could do better.

“The seventh house did a lot for this country. We sat on a Sunday, not only for the significant value of that, but the sense of dedication and patriotism that we had,” he says.

Although he didn’t get to study medicine or become a football star, the graduate of Geology is grateful for having teachers as parents. The moral values they instilled in him have made him the man he is today.

“My parents were teachers. And that was how I cut my teeth with the values that I espouse today; the values of industry, determination, being forthright or speaking truth to power, paying the price even when it hurts and doing the right thing. I thank God for the opportunity to have teachers as my parents,” he  concludes.