For the longest time, I stood at the edges of politics, observing, analyzing, and if I’m being honest, judging. Politics, to me, was an arena for the unqualified, the unscrupulous, and the uninspiring. It was where school dropouts, barely literate power brokers, and men of questionable character thrived. It was a place where the best of us stayed away, convinced that our sophistication, education, and ideals were too precious to be tainted by the murky waters of governance.

Like many others, I lived my life building in my own lane, chasing excellence in my private pursuits, and foolishly assuming that I could somehow remain untouched by the failures of the state.

But politics doesn’t afford you that luxury.

No matter how brilliant, hardworking, or accomplished you are, the decisions made by those in power will permanently shape your reality. They determine whether the roads you drive on will be safe, whether the economy will support your dreams, and whether the next generation will inherit a future worth fighting for.

At some point, I had to confront the uncomfortable truth: I lived under the rule of people I would never hire. I would not trust these men and women to run a department in my company, yet they had the authority to make decisions that affected the entire nation. And here I was watching, lamenting, analyzing, but doing nothing.

Either I remained a sophisticated fool, applauding my wisdom from the sidelines while my country crumbled, or I stepped forward and did something.

I chose to do something.

The Moment It Became Clear

There wasn’t a singular, dramatic moment that pushed me into politics; there was no lightning bolt of epiphany. Instead, it was a slow, painful reckoning. A realisation that dawned on me in fragments:

  • When I saw brilliant minds fleeing the country, searching for dignity in foreign lands because they had lost hope in ours.
  • When I witnessed the sheer waste of potential in young people forced into survival mode, their dreams sacrificed at the altar of bad governance.
  • When I realized that no matter how much wealth or personal success I amass, there is no escaping Nigeria, a broken system, the rot seeps into everything.

And yet, I also knew this: Nigeria & Africa do not have to be this way.

The continent should be leading the world. We are rich in human and natural resources, overflowing with talent and possibility, but we have been held back not by a lack of potential but by a lack of leadership.

If we get governance right, Africa can become a $30 trillion economy in my lifetime, delivering one of the world’s highest Human Development Index (HDI) scores. This is not an unrealistic dream. It is a mathematical, economic, and historical possibility. But to get there, we must fix the thing that holds everything else hostage: the quality of our politics.

I had two choices: do nothing or do something. I chose to do something.

What I Want to Achieve

I want governance that translates into real, tangible change, not in five decades, not in the abstract, but in the daily lives of ordinary Nigerians and Africans. I want to :

  • Elevate the quality of politics to attract our brightest minds, not just those who see it as a shortcut to power and wealth.
  • Strengthen democracy and ensure accountability so that governance is no longer a game of deception and manipulation but a process that serves the people.
  • Unlock Africa’s potential by ensuring that policies, institutions, and leadership align with the continent’s vast resources and human capital.
  • Drive good governance outcomes for 1.2 billion Africans, making politics & democracy work for the people, not just for those in power.

My Guiding Principles

1. Stand for the People and Protect Their Interests

Power is only legitimate when it serves the people. A singular question will guide every decision: Is this in the best interest of Nigerians and Africans? This means standing against policies, practices, and systems that concentrate power and resources in the hands of a few while the majority suffer. It means fighting for a governance model where competence, character, and capacity determine leadership, not wealth, tribal affiliation, or godfatherism.

2. Integrity and Accountability

Integrity is not just about avoiding corruption; it is about a deep, unshakable commitment to the truth, fairness, and accountability. I will hold myself to the highest standards, ensuring that every resource entrusted to me, whether financial, political, or social, is managed with responsibility and transparency.

Public service is a sacred trust. I will be accountable not only to the people but to a system of governance that demands honesty, performance, and tangible results.

3. My Pact with Nigerians and Africans

My prayer is not to become what I am fighting against. Power corrupts even the best intentions, and history is littered with once-idealistic leaders who lost their way. That is why I will build accountability networks and partners to keep me grounded in my values.  I will work to build a world where government truly serves the people and delivers measurable results, not just today, but for future generations.

My Thesis for Change: Fix Politics by empowering and mobilising a critical mass of the good guys. 

If we are truly serious about transforming Nigeria and Africa, we must be willing to act decisively, effectively, and at scale. There are no half-measures, no illusions. Fundamental transformation will demand courage, coordination, and an unrelenting commitment to building systems that work for the people.

I firmly believe that Fixing Politics is the master key to unlocking Africa’s vast potential.

But Politics doesn’t fix itself. It must be fixed by a critical mass of stakeholders across society, working with a shared purpose to create a governance system that delivers.

This is the work I have committed my life to, not just in thought, but in practice. My role is to mobilise, equip, and empower these key actors in the nation-building process, connecting movements, building institutions, and shaping leadership pipelines capable of delivering outcomes that matter.

To Fix Politics, We must activate:

i. Political Leaders – A critical mass of values-based politicians with competence, capacity, and character must emerge, win elections, and govern effectively. I am committed to investing in identifying, mentoring, and building the platforms and systems that support their rise and success.

ii. Citizens – A critical mass of enlightened and engaged citizens must vote wisely, demand accountability, and participate meaningfully in governance. Through civic education campaigns, digital engagement tools, and grassroots mobilisation, I will work to build a new political consciousness across Africa.

iii. Public Institutions – A critical mass of ethical, professional, and high-performing public servants must be cultivated. I will support policy reform, institution-strengthening initiatives, and capacity-building programmes to ensure governments can deliver.

iv. Regulatory Agencies – A critical mass of committed actors within INEC, the judiciary, and security agencies must uphold electoral integrity, justice, and the rule of law. I will champion reforms, accountability mechanisms, and citizen oversight to ensure these institutions serve the people.

v. Non-Profit Organisations – A critical mass of impact-driven CSOs must be empowered to scale their reach, influence policy, and fill governance gaps. I will partner with, fund, and build the capacity of civil society networks that are rooted in local realities and driven by data.

vi. Political Class & Parties – A critical mass of visionary political leaders must transcend self-interest to build issue-driven, ideology-based political movements. I will invest in reshaping the political culture through values-based training, platform design, and strategic advisory.

vii. Media – A critical mass of independent, fearless journalism must hold power to account and inform citizens. I will collaborate with and support media platforms committed to integrity, depth, and public interest reporting.

I intend to serve as a builder, a strategist, a convener, and a doer, bringing the private sector’s operational rigour into the heart of Africa’s political and governance challenges and helping to re-engineer the system from the inside out.

My political work will revolve around building a critical mass of stakeholders that will act decisively, effectively, and at scale to address the pressing governance challenges facing Nigeria and the continent.

What I Bring to This Political Journey

a. Private Sector Efficiency

Governance and politics do not have to be synonymous with inefficiency, waste, and incompetence. I will bring the private sector’s discipline, systems, and innovation to transform operations, strategy, technology, communications, policy design and execution, mobilization, fundraising, advocacy, and legislative engagement.

b. Innovation and Results-Driven Thinking

Governance must be about solving real problems, not just endless debates, summits, and white papers. Every issue has a solution, and we will find it, implement it, and ensure it delivers tangible results that people can feel in their daily lives.

c. Strategy, Execution, Results

Every big idea must be backed by a clear strategy, implemented through disciplined execution, and judged by measurable outcomes. I will combine vision with action, harness people and resources, and build the strategic roadmaps that translate political aspiration into real, lasting impact.

This is not just about politics for me. It’s about fundamentally changing the trajectory of an entire continent.

Fix Politics, Fix Africa.

Signed
Century Favour