Former Your View host and Managing Director TVC Entertainment, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, has explained why she supported President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections citing past favours and the opportunity she calculated it to be.
Speaking on With Chude Podcast hosted by Chude Jideonwo, the television host revealed that her family’s long-standing relationship with Tinubu influenced her decision.
Chude had said he expected she would join government after her involvement in the elections, noting that she was close enough to the first family to call the First Lady for advice.
Responding, Afolabi-Brown said, “So then, so then yes, and because we have a history.
“My father was president of the Nigerian Bar Association and he was a human rights activist. When he was very ill, the governor at the time, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, stood by my mother. I mean, he cared for my dad.
“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.”
She, however, clarified that her career was not handed to her by Tinubu.
“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,” she said.
When asked why she chose to participate in Tinubu’s 2023 campaign, Afolabi-Brown said the decision was personal and deliberate, stressing that she was not compelled but acted out of conviction.
On her involvement in the 2023 elections, Afolabi-Brown 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.
“I mean, 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, that you’re supporting this guy? And yes, I was sceptical, no doubt about that. But there’s nothing wrong with me having a personal view.
“So I said, you know what, I’m going to support him openly. And that’s when I accepted. And again, it’s not every day you get an opportunity to work on a campaign. I mean, I was working closely with the media team. And I thought it was a good opportunity. So yeah, I took the job. And it was really worth it.”
Afolabi-Brown admitted that working on Tinubu’s campaign raised questions about her ability to remain neutral as a journalist, but she dismissed the doubts, insisting that her work spoke for itself.
Acknowledging the criticism, she said, “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 also took pride in the success of her long-running talk show, Your View, which she created and bowed out from on August 29.
Reflecting on the programme, she added, “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.”
