Why I Backed Tinubu In 2023 Elections – Morayo Afolabi-Brown
Former Your View host and Managing Director of TVC Entertainment, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, has explained that her support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections was based on personal conviction and her family’s long-standing relationship with him.
Speaking on the With Chude podcast, Afolabi-Brown recalled how Tinubu supported her family when her late father, a former Nigerian Bar Association president and human rights activist, was seriously ill.
She said, “When he was very ill, the governor at the time, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, stood by my mother. He helped with medical bills. And then the things were really tough for the family. And he was there for us. And then my brother came back home. He helped me, held my brother’s hand in politics. He was somebody that stood with us.”
Afolabi-Brown clarified that her career was not influenced by Tinubu, stressing, “It wasn’t through him I got my job at TVC. It had nothing to do with Asiwaju. It was a fact. I didn’t get my job through him. And I went there purely on merit.”
On why she joined Tinubu’s 2023 campaign, she explained, “I got a letter from the women’s arm of the campaign saying that I’ve been selected to work. Now, I had two choices. Say no or support him, because I actually did support him. Because I believed in his candidacy. So it was my job. And it was my own personal decision. So I said, you know what, I’m going to support him openly. And that’s when I accepted.”
She admitted she was sceptical at first but likened her decision to Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of Barack Obama. “I always remember when Oprah held up Obama’s hand when he was running for office. And I had to go back and check morale. Are you sure it’s something you want to go public about? And yes, I was sceptical, no doubt about that. But there’s nothing wrong with me having a personal view.”
Afolabi-Brown added that working on the campaign was “really worth it” as she worked closely with the media team. She, however, acknowledged that her political involvement raised questions about her neutrality as a journalist.
“Well, the truth is that it’s a perception. The perception is always reality. Because the truth is that I think TVC is probably one of the most objective stations. It’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth,” she said.
Reflecting on her long-running talk show Your View, which she exited on August 29, she said, “We were 12 years in May. Honestly, I’m proud of where we are 12 years after. I’m really proud of the work the entire team has put in to make an awesome show. And I love the fact that many more people have replicated the format, which is really great.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
