The Boiling Point Platform, initiated by Ayo Arowojolu, a seasoned media professional and unrepentant activist of good governance and development is undoubtedly one of the most important platforms accomodating Nigerians within and outside the country who desire greatness for the country.
According to Arowojolu, “the Boiling Point platform is made up of over 200 personalities drawn from among professors, Judges, royal fathers, journalists and entrepreneurs.”
ValidViewNetwork reports that the platform provides opportunities for people to share their opinions, learn and unlearn towards taking informed decisions.
The platform derives its strength and richness from its diversity in terms of membership, opinion, school of thoughts and political leaning. The platform allows various opinions to boil under an atmosphere of civility and decorum. No wonder, the platform accomodates all strata of the society, ValidViewNetwork reports.
The first session of the boiling point online meeting held on October 16, 2022 with Retired Commodore Kunle Olawunmi
as the guest speaker was still in the air. It was a display of raw commitment to the Nigeria project.
No doubt, the success stories of the first edition raised the expectations concerning the second.
The choice of the controversial broadcast presenter and media professional of the Arise TV fame, Mr Rufai Oseni definitely prepared people that were not even members of the platform to join in the boiling session. Rufai is undoubtedly one of the most popular journalists in Nigeria and he has won several awards like the Nigerian Media Niteout Awards which voted him the best media personality in Nigeria. Rufai may not have a background in Journalism but he spoke like a Professor of Journalism during the online meeting.
There was a change in role. Rufai known for his hard-line questions was on the hot seat. The same Rufai who would fire “shots” and volleys no doubt knew the import of change in role particularly in a diverse platform of intellectuals. He was with his breast plate of intelligence displaying in-depth mastery of the subject matter and firing on all cylinders to the admiration of participants.
The topic : “Nigeria 2023 Presidential Election: Challenges, Reality and Myth” was well dissected by the journalist who took his time to provide baseline information on all the issues raised. It was clear that his views were not of sensationalism, parochialism but of nationalism.
The interaction provided an opportunity for Rufai to clear the air on the series of misinformation concerning the widely circulated video on his violation of traffic rule in Lagos State. According to him, the doctored video was released to prove a predetermined narrative. However, rather than weaken him, he has become more emboldened and determined towards ensuring that the media is accorded the needed respect.
In his opinion, “the political class is the same regardless of party. They are striving to manipulate the thought process of the electorates.”
He identified identity politics as the greatest challenge ahead of 2023 election. In his words : ” Identity politics is the major challenge facing the 2023 presidential election. The problems confronting the country are beyond tribe , ethnicity and religion. To salvage the country, we should begin to look at real issues of poverty and unemployment.”
Speaking on the political parties, Rufai lamented the poor attitude of Nigerians by not interrogating the manifestos and urged the media to step up the game.
” I am not in support of any political party but only crave for good governance. My disposition to raising issues with the candidates is the same. Unfortunately, none of the political parties has a manifesto that indicated how the problems bedeviling Nigeria can be solved”.
Rufai at the interaction commended the President, Muhammadu Buhari for signing the electoral law which would strengthen the success of the 2023 elections.
” Elections will hold. I can assure you that President Buhari will do everything necessary to see to the success of the elections. INEC is also already to deliver to us a credible election. However , we should be weary of saboteurs.”
Speaking on the politicians, Rufai lamented that the politicians are deliberately gaming the voters to create voters’ apathy. According to him, ” the voters are ready. The politicians are gaming the voters to dribble the system to voters’ apathy in order to gain advantage but the voters should be wiser this time around”.
He attributed the challenges of the nation to the gullibility of the citizens who have been weaponised by poverty thereby affecting their decision process. He lamented that the intellectuals who should provide direction have become liabilities to the country.
Taking a swipe on academics who falsified results in the process of conducting elections, Rufai lamented : “How will a Professor change results because of money. One of such was incarcerated recently and that is the type of liabilities our intellectuals have become. My greatest fear towards salvaging the country is the intellectual class “.
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From all indications, Rufai has intentionally chosen his path to be different from the majority. He is not afraid of being a lone ranger and is determined to stand tall against harassment and intimidation. He is equally not ready to switch game and become the mouth piece of anyone. In his words : “I have rejected opportunities in the past and I will reject again and again. “My passion is to deepen the course of public participation in the governance of the nation. I desire to be a vanguard in public discourse and it is not part of my passion to be a mouth piece”.
Nigerians must not stop talking. Whoever emerges as the President, we must keep engaging the government in constructive criticism and analyse issues empirically” , Rufai suggested.
No doubt the tripodal approach recommended by Rufai to take Nigeria out of the woods is a food for thought.
According to Rufai Oseni, ” the short term approach is for platforms like Boiling Point to continually engage the people towards stimulating a conscience breaking. The medium approach is for families to develop a right attitude and finally , the long term is for the nation to be intentional with national reorientation agenda.
The moderators of the program comprising an accomplished veteran Public Relations icon, Mr Eddy Ademosu and erudite academic and Senior lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Dr Oluwatosin Oyetayo did a marvelous work.
Commending my Rufai Oseni and all participants, the Convener, Ayo Arowojolu affirmed that the platform shall continue to interrogate issues on various aspects of the nation towards ensuring that the leaders of the nation are on their toes to do the right things, ValidViewNetwork reports.