Apparently, Femi Majekodumi takes a big bite out of life. When he is not shuttling between his many homes in Lekki, Victoria Island Abuja and Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, he is taking Caribbean cruises, attending wines tasting with the trendy crowd and playing golf. Then, there is the politics.

Dr. Majekodumi first found local fame as the owner of one of the largest hospitals in Ibadan, but the GP insists politics is his first love, a romance which purportedly began as a primary school pupil adoring the great Obafemi Awolowo.

For a man that started out with the great Awo as his mentor, it is inexplicable that Femi Majekodumi ended up in PDP. But then, the Ogun State governorship aspirant is a man of many parts. In this interview with Morenike Taire in one of his island homes, he tells us why he thinks he should have been considered.

Femi Majekodumi

I recently interviewed Mrs Ajesola Majekodumi, the eye specialist, and asked her this same question. What is it about the Majekoduimis and medicine?

Let’s just thank God. There are many more that you don’t know. She’s my in law, very nice woman.

How easy was it for you making the transition to politics?

I wonder if I should see it as transition because politics has been part of my life since primary school. Even when I was supposed to know little or nothing about politics, I was in Abadina school University of Ibadan and we were playing block politics. Some of us were members of the Action Group, while others were members of NCNC.

Which one were you in?

Action Group. I was so in love with Awolowo. We were just shouting about politics. There was egbe afenifere in those days and I remember all those funny and abusive songs; as well as praise songs in favour of whether Awolowo or Zik.

What did you like so much about Awo?

The thing that was really attractive in those days, 1959, was the way and manner they carried out their electioneering campaign. Awolowo was all -in- all to many children in those days. I remember vividly the helicopter flying around, praising Awolowo in the sky.

If you had became governor, how would you have used your office to promote the fashion industry?

I must confess I‘m someone who likes fashion within and even outside the country. As far as my electioneering activities are concerned, I have to put fashion at the bottom of the ladder. My programs will be mainly masses oriented.

We have so many problems all over the place. I believe in fashion, I’ve always been fashionable. But as far as politics is concerned , I will go for things more meaningful, more realistic to the common man.

In the UK the government is heavily involved in the fashion week. That’s because it’s a billion dollar industry over there and it has not been able to be come an industry in Nigeria because government is not taking advantage

I’m in politics to improve the lot of the people. On two different occasions, I was a member of the panel of pageants like Miss Nigeria. Even in the university, I was fashion conscious and I like pretty things: nice food, nice women. I don’t drink and I don’t womanize but I try to associate with anything that is nice.

How would you describe your personal style if you were to use a word?

I can only say what people say about me: I’m quiet, easygoing, a smooth operator.

What is a smooth operator?

I don’t know. I believe it’s an attribute in anything you’re doing. Even in politics, if you’re a smooth operator, you can manage any situation. All I can say is that I will never dabble into anything illegal.

Are you a wine enthusiast?

Not really but I have so many friends and so at one time or the other, I take wine.

What are your definite passions?

I play golf, I travel a lot and that is my real passion. Technically, I’m a medical doctor. I’m in the medical business and oil and gas. I’ve been to many parts of the world. Since I travel constantly, I see it as part of taking vacation. I am a workaholic. Even when I am supposed to be on vacation, I must have associated with business- meetings and things like that. One thing I enjoy when I travel abroad is the relaxation, having to change my regular course and schedule. I usually work over 16 hours a day. Even if I work 16 hours, the setting will be different. When I take my family out, we go to the seaside, beaches. I’ve always made it a point of duty to assist my friends. Gone are the days when I played lawn tennis, squash and so on. I was a great athlete in secondary school (Olivet Baptist School, Oyo) because I went as far as the whole Western Region.

What is you personal philosophy?

It borders on hard work, honesty, humility. I try to entrench these in every aspect of my life and to all I have because when you abide by those three things, you can never fail.

How does that work with Nigerian politics?

It works everywhere. If people could be honest, hardworking and humble. Humility encompasses many things, perseverance, patience and so on. Somebody that is humble will be Godly, will learn to be patient. Once one is missing, then there’s a problem. You can imagine someone who is humble, hardworking but is not honest. It’s just like having somebody who is honest and humble but not hardworking. He is a lazy person. They just have to go together.

What is your opinion of women in politics?

A lot has been said and there is so much pressure nowadays, the need to encourage women. Gone are the days when women were seen to be in the background. I shared the feeling that women were being oppressed.