Exclusive Interview with Dr. Ifeoluwa Wole-Osho (PART 1)

Dr. Ifeoluwa Wole-Osho

As Nigeria gradually sets its sights on another electoral cycle, conversations around leadership, representation, and grassroots development are becoming increasingly important. Across the country, aspirants are presenting their visions for a better future, while voters seek leaders with the competence, character, and commitment to deliver meaningful change.

In this exclusive interview, OlomoTiMES sits down with Dr. Ifeoluwa Wole-Osho, a respected professional and aspirant for the House of Representatives, Alimosho Federal Constituency, Lagos State. He shares the inspiration behind his decision to seek public office, his plans for the people of Alimosho, and his perspectives on the pressing issues affecting one of Nigeria's largest and most dynamic constituencies.

From youth empowerment and economic opportunities to education, healthcare, infrastructure, and effective legislative representation, Dr. Wole-Osho offers insight into the priorities that shape his vision for Alimosho.

Join us as we engage him in a candid one-on-one conversation, exploring not only his political aspirations but also the ideas, values, and leadership philosophy he believes can help transform Alimosho Federal Constituency.

Section 1: Personal Background 

Welcome to show today Dr. Ifeoluwa Wole-Osho, please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Dr. Ifeoluwa Wole-Osho. I am an engineer, researcher, technology entrepreneur, educator and the People’s Redemption Party candidate for the House of Representatives in Alimosho Federal Constituency.

I studied Physics, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Energy Systems Engineering. I have worked across energy, education, artificial intelligence and digital commerce. I am also the founder of Ajé, a technology platform developed to improve trust and safety in digital transactions. At this stage of my life, I am bringing those experiences into public service.

Tell us about your upbringing and family background.

I come from a family deeply rooted in education, Christian service and public responsibility. My mother has spent more than two decades building and managing a school in Alimosho. My late father, Rev. Olanrewaju Olawole Osho, worked in the oil industry and devoted much of his life to children’s ministry, teenage ministry and Christian education.

My maternal grandfather, Rev. Col. Matthew Oluwapamilerin Keripe, was a physiotherapist, Nigerian Army officer and Methodist minister. He rose to become Director of Chaplain Services in the Nigerian Army. Their lives taught me that faith and professional excellence should eventually produce service to other people.

What values did your parents instill in you that continue to guide your life?

Faith, education, responsibility, persistence and integrity.

My father taught me to take work seriously and to understand the technical details of whatever responsibility I accepted. My mother taught me consistency and the patience required to build an institution over many years. Both taught me that ability is not enough; you must use it in a way that benefits others.

They also taught me not to treat public or organisational resources as personal property.

What was growing up in Lagos like for you?

Growing up in Lagos exposed me to both the energy and the contradictions of Nigeria. Lagos teaches ambition because you constantly see people creating businesses, solving problems and surviving difficult circumstances. At the same time, you see how much potential is wasted by poor infrastructure, weak planning and institutions that do not always respond to citizens.

My family life became rooted around Akowonjo, Ikotun and the wider Alimosho area. I saw schools being built, churches growing, businesses opening and families working hard to improve their lives. I also saw roads deteriorate, young people struggle to find opportunities and residents gradually lose faith in government promises.

Where did you receive your education, and how has it shaped your worldview?

I earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics with Electronics, a master’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a PhD in Energy Systems Engineering.

Scientific education taught me to respect evidence. It trained me to ask whether a proposed solution can actually work, how it will be funded and how its results will be measured. Engineering also teaches humility. A bridge does not remain standing because the engineer gave an impressive speech. The calculations must be correct.

That approach influences how I think about governance. Policies should be tested by results, not merely by intentions.

Outside politics, who is the real you?

I am a scientist, teacher, writer, husband, entrepreneur and naturally curious person. I enjoy building things, whether it is a company, a digital product, a research project or an institution.

I am also someone who enjoys serious conversations about science, philosophy, religion, economics, technology and human behaviour. I can be intense because I like understanding how things work, but I also enjoy humour and do not take myself as seriously as people sometimes assume.

What hobbies or interests do you enjoy when you are not working?

I enjoy reading, writing and learning about behavioural science, technology, philosophy, politics and space exploration. I also enjoy comedy because humour often reveals truths that formal speeches try to hide.

I like conversations that connect apparently unrelated subjects. I can begin with physics and end up discussing Nigerian political behaviour, religion or the future of artificial intelligence.

How would your friends describe your personality?

They would probably describe me as curious, persistent, loyal, direct and argumentative.

I ask many questions and do not easily accept something simply because it has always been done that way. I can be stubborn, but I am learning that conviction must be balanced with flexibility and that not every disagreement needs to become a prolonged argument.

Who are your biggest role models, and why?

My parents and my maternal grandfather are among my most important role models.

My mother has demonstrated what it means to build and sustain an educational institution through difficult economic conditions. My father taught me persistence, intellectual curiosity and technical seriousness. My grandfather taught me discipline, service and the humility to begin again beneath one’s status when there is something new to learn.

I do not regard them as perfect people. Part of honouring them is recognising both what should be continued and what must be improved.

What is one life experience that changed your perspective forever?

Recording conversations with my father and grandfather before they died changed my understanding of time and inheritance.

My father battled cancer for seven years. My grandfather survived an earlier cardiac emergency before eventually passing away. Knowing that their time was limited made me begin asking questions and recording their stories.

Listening to those recordings after their deaths taught me that we often assume there will always be another opportunity to ask important questions. It made me more conscious of what one generation owes the next and eventually led me to write KESHO.

Section 2: Journey into Politics

What inspired you to venture into politics?

My decision did not come from one dramatic moment. It grew from years of observing how institutions work and how they fail.

I have worked in engineering, research, education, technology and entrepreneurship. In each sector, I saw capable Nigerians struggling against systems that were unnecessarily difficult. I became increasingly convinced that solving individual problems was not enough. We also needed people willing to improve the laws, budgets and institutions that shape those problems.

Politics is where public priorities are converted into legislation, funding and oversight. I decided that criticising from outside was no longer sufficient.

At what point did you decide public service was your calling?

The conviction became clearer as I reflected on the lives of my father and grandfather and began writing KESHO. Their careers repeatedly brought them into institutions where they had to decide whether to remain silent, adapt or attempt to improve what they found.

I also began engaging more directly with people in Alimosho. Their concerns were rarely abstract. They were about schools, jobs, roads, health, insecurity, business conditions and the difficulty of accessing government.

I realised that my experiences in technology, energy, education and institution-building could be useful in public service.

Why did you choose the People’s Redemption Party?

I chose the PRP because its historical identity is rooted in people-centred politics, social justice, accountability and resistance to the idea that political power belongs permanently to a small elite.

Nigeria needs parties that stand for something beyond winning elections. The PRP gives room for ideological discussion and offers younger candidates an opportunity to participate without pretending that politics should remain the private inheritance of established politicians.

Its emphasis on putting people first aligns with my own convictions about public service.

What makes the PRP different from other political parties in Nigeria?

The PRP has a history connected to ordinary people, particularly workers, farmers, students and citizens who are often excluded from political decision-making.

Its value should not be measured only by the number of offices it currently controls. Its importance lies in offering an alternative political tradition: government as an instrument of social development rather than a mechanism for distributing patronage.

However, no party should be praised only for its history. We must demonstrate those values through the candidates we present, the way we finance campaigns and how we behave when given responsibility.

Did your family support your decision to run for office?

Yes, but not without serious questions and concerns.

My family understands that politics can be demanding, expensive and sometimes hostile. They also know that entering politics can expose a person to pressures and compromises that are not present in ordinary professional life.

Their support is therefore not blind. They expect me to remain conscious of why I entered and not allow political ambition to change the principles that led me there.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced since declaring your ambition?

The biggest challenge has been building a genuine political structure without treating every relationship as a financial transaction.

Many people have become accustomed to a political culture in which support is immediately connected to payment. This is understandable in a country where people face serious economic hardship, but it makes long-term political organisation difficult.

The challenge is to build trust, communicate a serious agenda and still recognise the immediate realities people are facing.

Have you ever considered giving up?

There have been difficult moments when I have questioned whether the process is worth the financial, emotional and personal cost.

Politics can make serious people feel foolish because noise, money and established structures often appear more powerful than competence or ideas. But those moments have also reminded me why new people must continue entering the process.

What kept you going?

The people who have volunteered, supported the campaign and believed that another kind of politics is possible have kept me going.

I also think about my father’s life. He experienced rejection, expulsion, professional obstacles and delayed opportunities, but he repeatedly found a way to begin again. His example does not mean persistence is always the correct strategy, but it reminds me not to mistake one difficulty for a final verdict.

What lessons have you learned from your political journey so far?

I have learnt that politics is about relationships before it is about speeches. People need to know that you respect them and understand their daily realities.

I have also learnt that good intentions are not a political structure. You need organisation, data, volunteers, communication, resources and people who can translate ideas into work.

Most importantly, I have learnt that conviction must be joined to patience. You cannot build trust with communities only when you need their votes.

To be continued...