Bankole Critiques Nigeria's Ethnic Focus in Politics

At his 85th birthday celebration at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Bankole expressed strong criticism of Nigeria's political system, labeling it flawed and overly focused on ethnic origins. He argued that political leaders should be evaluated based on their competence and performance rather than their ethnic backgrounds.

Bankole emphasized that the preoccupation with ethnic representation distracts from governance and development issues. He questioned the relevance of a candidate's ethnic group, citing the example of Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, who is the first Black person to lead the party.

He noted that in England, her ethnicity is not a topic of discussion, which he believes highlights the shortcomings of Nigeria's political discourse. Bankole also condemned the practice of imposing political candidates based on ethnic calculations and called for a shift in focus towards performance and ability in leadership.