Nollywood actor Desmond Elliot has opened up about his unexpected transition from the screen to the political stage, crediting former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole for introducing him to President Bola Tinubu and laying the groundwork for his political career.
The Lagos State House of Assembly member representing the Surulere Constituency spoke in an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.
Describing his early political connections, the 51-year-old actor recalled how Adams Oshiomhole invited him to meet Tinubu in Benin.
“One certain day, Oshiomhole told me—Comrade Senator—that Asiwaju (Tinubu) was coming to Benin. I think the next week or two weeks later, he asked me to come, to which I did. As Asiwaju came, I was on the table, and I was in awe seeing great personalities.
“Adams stood up, asked me to come, took me to Asiwaju on that table and said, ‘This is my son.’ He said, ‘Yeah, he knows me; he knows me.’ And he said, ‘He’s interested. This is my son.’ Asiwaju says, ‘Okay,’ now links me up with Sunday Dare, who then was his PA, because you can’t meet Asiwaju all the time,” he stated.
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Elliot recalled how Tinubu took a liking to him early on, expressing surprise that a young actor like him would be so interested in politics.
“And I’ll tell you one of the remarkable things that happened. One day, we went to visit Asiwaju. And then, the man just, for some reason, loved me. I don’t know, maybe because he just thought, ‘This young boy who is having a career, what is this boy coming to look for here? But I was always talking with Uncle Sunday: ‘Oh, I want to see Daddy. I want to see Asiwaju.”
He recounted a memorable visit to Tinubu’s home with fellow actors during an election period when Tinubu was no longer running.
“And then one Sunday—it was one of these elections a long time ago—he wasn’t running. We went to see one of the aspirants—myself, Jide Kosoko, Mike Ezuruonye, and Chinedu ‘Aki’ Ikediezie —just like, you know, this particular aspirant was coming to see. And then we talked, and Uncle Jide just said, ‘You know what, let’s go to Asiwaju’s house.’ Then he was the former governor.
“We’ll just go to his house like that. You won’t believe me—we got there like seven. We didn’t leave there till after midnight. He was talking to us like we just woke up in the morning and said, ‘Daddy, good morning, we are going out.’
“We, the actors, were just sitting there, and we were gisting with him, talking with him. Certain things happened in his government—he told us what he did to make certain things move. When we came out, Uncle Jide Kosoko was saying, ‘I said so; I told you guys. ‘You see, you see.’ I was so excited.”
‘Drifting To Politics’
Long before stepping into politics, Desmond Elliot said his passion for public service had been ignited in the 1990s, inspired by the late Chief MKO Abiola.
“In the mid-90s, when I started reading about MKO Abiola—Gospel truth—I became fascinated. I became very interested,” he said. “I didn’t have much money, but there’s this newspaper they used to sell in those days. I would read about this guy. I would read his story. I got so encouraged, and something kept pricking my heart, you know, that this is where you’re supposed to go through.
“In my heart, I’ve always known that everything I would do, I would have to walk with God on it. So one time I was praying, like, ‘God, okay, what of my life? What am I going to do?’ And he says, ‘No, just look at it one day at a time.’ As every day comes, everything begins to unravel, and you begin to understand,” the actor stated.
He credited APC chieftain Fouad Oki for mentoring him politically, even while he was still focused on his acting career.
“Even while acting, I’d visit Uncle Fouad Oki in the evenings to discuss politics. I was learning. My wife didn’t even take me seriously at the time,” he said.
2023 General Elections
On the subject of the highly publicised 2023 election for the Surulere constituency, Elliot addressed his face-off with fellow actor Olumide Oworu, who contested under the Labour Party banner during a time of rising youth political engagement.
“I wasn’t angry at Olumide. He’s a smart, intelligent Surulere guy. It wasn’t about him. I was hurt by colleagues—people I’ve worked with—who endorsed him without even a conversation.”
Elliot argued that political continuity, especially in the legislature, is key to real progress, citing the example of former Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
“Look at Gbaja. His impact grew term after term. That’s how institutional change works. It’s not just about one election—it’s about building capacity.”
Gender Status
The actor has been making headlines over his gender status, given his unconventional outfit choices.
He, however, in a 2024 viral interview, refuted claims that he was gay. But addressing the clip with Chude, Elliot expressed frustration at how the media spun his response.
“I didn’t even know that question was coming,” he said. “I said for the record, I’m straight. But my pastor later called me and said I shouldn’t have even answered.”
The politician emphasised the importance of staying grounded amid public scrutiny.
Source: Channels TV
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