Nigeria is suffering ‘cos Yorubas ‘ ve been left out – Bucknor-Akerele

By Bashir Adefaka Mentioning the name of the former Lagos State deputy governor, Chief Louisa Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, calls to mind, images of her running battle with her former boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu between 1999 and 2003.  But there is more to the urbane 72-year-old former lawmaker. Her entry into politics and the nine-vote victory that took her to the Third Republic Senate remains a dramatic pointer to her resilience.  Bucknor-Akerele, besides being a former Deputy Governor, a Senator and Chieftain of the democracy pressure group, NADECO was once  a journalist. She spoke to Vanguard on burning national issues. Excerpts: HOWwould you say journalism in your days and presently compared to the process of nation building? I think certainly when you look at the struggle for democracy; you know I was then a frontline member of NADECO, at that time journalists were the people who actually fought and supported us in the struggle for the restoration of democracy. Journalists are people of integrity: they believe in what is right and

publish what they think is the truth.  That used to be the attitude in our days and I don’t think it has changed now.  But I would just like to advise my colleagues in the profession to continue to carry out their assignments in a way that will continue to uphold the standard of the profession in the eyes of the public and not the other way. What could you remember about your growing up as a girl? Well, growing up as a girl was very pleasant.  It was a different Lagos from what we have now.  Even right up to the 60s, it was a different Lagos.  You know, that time Lagos was a much smaller community.  There was not this huge influx into Lagos and so most Lagos families knew each other. continued