Entrepreneur, socialite and a member of the House of Representatives representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency, Shina Peller, speaks with TOFARATI IGE on his political career and other issuesThat was even before I set up Quilox and Aquila Records. With the way things are done in Nigeria, someone like me should not even be in politics. But my involvement in politics is truly not for myself but for the people.
Firstly, I don’t intend to step down from politics because for me, it’s all about interest and commitment. In an interview sometime ago, I had said that if they ever ‘see my legs in politics, they should cut them’ because I didn’t think I would ever go into it. My business was working well and I also had plans to make Quilox a pan-African brand. I wanted to have branches of Quilox in Kenya, South Africa, and other places.
You have a lot of business interests but you seem to concentrate more on Quilox and Aquila Records. Is that deliberate? I believe that the worst thing in life is death and it is inevitable. So, for whatever I want to do, I run a risk assessment. I knew that the worst thing that could happen in politics was for me to lose the election and I would go back to my normal life.
I have since realised that Nigeria’s challenges are numerous– but we can’t continue to complain and watch from the sidelines like spectators. That was why I decided to roll up my sleeves and get involved in the nation’s political process.The journey, so far, has presented several learning opportunities to embrace and understand the problems of the people I represent and to strategically provide long-term solutions to them.
I wouldn’t want to single out anyone, but generally speaking, I have been able to overcome some of the challenges, dating back to the campaign period and now that I’m in the green chamber to serve my people. It is expected that these challenges will not reduce.