Category: Saturday Interview

Popular Nigerian film and music maker, Femi Lasode, returned to the country a few weeks ago from the United States of America where he had gone to put together a movie, titled: African Stolen Treasures. Although the producer of the popular epic movie, Sango, is currently writing his PhD thesis at the University of Abuja, he said he would be going back to America soon because he is working on getting investors for his epic movie to be titled: Queen Mother Osun. He spoke with PAUL UKPABIO on his lifestyle, his experience as a former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and his association with the late Afrobeats musician, Fela Anikulapo- Kuti, among other issues.

IT seems you have not been around for some time… Yes. I came back from the United State of America about four weeks ago. How long did you stay in America and what were you doing there? I was in the United States basically to edit a movie I have just completed. It is titled: African Stolen Treasures.

I was also doing small screening around some cities over there, to get a feel of it and also get a feedback. It seems you have more or less relocated to America… Yes, I have actually been going back and forth from America, though when I come like that, I spend most of my time in Abuja where I am doing a PhD course at the University of Abuja. I am looking at the media and I am very fascinated with the modern day distribution of Nigerian movies. It is one thing for the Nigerian government to say that they want Nigerian arts and culture to be a foreign exchange earner, but what have they put in place to ensure that it can be done in a successful manner? What I have been trying to do basically is to research on the modern day distribution technique. Yes, Nollywood movies can be seen abroad, but are they there legally? Does the government benefit from it? Does the country benefit from it? Do the producers benefit from it? That is the issue.

So, that is my focus with the PhD programme. So when will your latest movie be here? The movie is ready, but we have not done a major screening locally because we are trying to get a sponsor for the premiere in Nigeria. After that, it will go to the cinema. That is where we are now. But even then, my latest movie, which is waiting to be premiered here, is a warm up for the epic movie which I want to do next. And that is the movie on Osun. It is called Queen Mother Osun, which some people have started seeing as Sango Part 2.

There are two epic films I want to do next, and they are heavy budget. You know that with an epic movie, you cannot just rent somebody’s house or use your cars, since you are going to be depicting time. You have to build sets. I had to build sets in Lekki for African Stolen Treasures which I have just completed. But with an epic movie, it is different. When we shot Sango, we went to Kwara State, Ikorodu and some other places to build sets. When we finished shooting the movie, we had to leave the set behind, which was a sad experience. Why was it a sad experience? We should have a film village where we can build sets and leave them there to be used another time. With that, we can shoot and reshoot movies. We have been talking of a film village for some time now, but where is the government? There has been no action from the government.

If we have to shoot an epic film like Osun, we have to be as realistic as possible. So we have to build sets in Osun State. And the way it is done abroad, when you build sets for such epic movies, you are supposed to hand over such sets either to the university or to the Osun State Tourism Board, because movie sets are tourism sites in other climes. But the challenge that is even on ground right now is that we are trying to do this movie at a time that the state itself is financially challenged. But again, they are not the only ones that can supply the funding. There are international grants. For instance, Osun groove is a UNESCO, world tourism site. People come to Osun annually, but what do they take back when they come? The answer is nothing. But if they have a movie, for instance, that they can take back with them, that tells the story. It will make sense. And I believe that the movie should be dedicated to the Late Susan Wenger who came all the way from Austria to develop the groove.

UNESCO and other bodies can give grants. Did you meet Susan Wenger when she was alive? Oh yes, I did. I even interviewed her as part of the preparations for the epic movie. What kind of person do you think she was? Maybe we got her at a time she was ready to talk. She was lovely, intelligent and dedicated to the groove. Maybe that is the reason she was called Adunni Olorisha. So I believe we should do the Osun story just like we did the Sango story, not just for ourselves but for generations yet unborn. How long do you think it will take to make the film on Osun? The shooting will take 90 days. Where will the location be? That is exactly my concern. It is an epic story. It will be for the benefit of the state. The sets ought to be used and re-used even for tourism. So the sets will be at Osun or at a film village.

I also believe that every state should have a film village. In Hollywood, movie sets are tourism sites, and that generates its own income. What should be the ideal size of a film village? A film village should be at least one hectare, but it shouldn’t be limited to that size. Movie makers can come in there and do movies. Let me share with you the experience I had shooting ‘Sango’ movie, and I hope you can use that as a guide. When I went to screen ‘Sango’, at Atlanta, do you know what the organisers asked me? They asked whether they should wear our traditional dansiki when coming for the event. Immediately, they saw it as a cultural event.

There was a thirst and hunger for African things. Have you seen any other film on Sango after I did mine? On the day I screened the movie, people came wearing different types of African designs and clothing. And guess what? I, the film maker, was wearing jeans and T-shirt! It is an irony. It never occurred to me that as an African event, the dressing ought to also be African. So out there, there is a thirst and hunger for what is African and the African Americans are ready to find their identity. To buttress my point, every Osun Osogbo festival, you see them coming from all over to attend the festival. Like I asked earlier, what do they take back? That is where I come in. I will be putting the story on film soon. Do you have a cast in place for the proposed Osun film? That is another big issue. Some school of thought have arisen, saying that the cast should be Hollywood actors. But I think that Africans, Nigerians especially, are very sensitive about such things.

They will ask you, ‘Are you telling me that there are not enough actors and artistes in Nigeria that you have to bring people from outside?’ No matter how good a Clarion Chukwurah is; no matter how good Genevieve Nnaji or Omotola is, none of them can play the Queen of England more realistically than their kind in England. So, that’s my point. Movie making is about believability. We can’t put a white man there to come and play Osun. Will there be a role for Susan Wenger in the film? Not really, because we are talking about an epic film, and when you are shooting an epic film, you are referring to a certain period in history. So in this epic of Osun, we would be looking at the 15th Century. Susan Wenger had not arrived then. As a foremost film maker in Nigeria, what was the reception like for you in the US? I screened in Atlanta. But let me give you an analogy to answer that question. You see, Black Panther hit box office record.

It made over one billion dollars at the box office. What is the story about? It is about African women warriors, but it was based on fantasy. However, there were the real African women warriors; the Amazons of Africa; Dahomey warriors who were used to fight the Egba people of Abeokuta in those days. The point I’m trying to make here is that if you want to make a billion dollars at the box office, you need backing. The reason why ‘Black Panthers’ has been successful is that they had Hollywood money backing it. And that is the difference. That is why I’m insisting that the next level for Nollywood is coproduction like it happens abroad. Americans or Black American investors collaborating on production with Nollywood should be our next step. I am happy that we are slowly getting there.

It is inevitable. Why is it slowly coming? Why can’t it be done straightaway? The point is that American investors are saying why should we put down money and do films with you when the next thing is that we will see the movie on the street? We took some of our film ideas to the last Cannes Film Festival. Let me show you their reply (brings out his phone and shows the interviewer investors’ responses). They complained about the substandard state of Nollywood films and piracy. That is their feeling; that there is no control over here. That is their opinion. What is your own opinion about the Nigerian movie industry? The truth is that in front of the camera and behind the camera, we have good talents. If you give Nigerian professionals the right equipment, you will get quality jobs.

Basically, we lack the equipment to deliver the standard quality. But there are lots of talent here. You have been in film making for quite some time. What has been your main stay? I must say it is the passion. I love editing whether it is movie or music. For instance, you cannot have a good movie without a good soundtrack.

They go hand in hand. The only problem I am having is that I am not making much money from it. Where then does your main income come from? What has given me money in Nigeria and has remained the best sector that anyone can make money from apart from oil is property. Film making is just a passion. You have also been involved in the Nigerian music industry… Yes, music is something I have been involved in since my days at St. Gregory’s College in Lagos, when I first saw Fela who used to come to our school then to perform at our college party. He had returned from England then. I remember once when he came and his song, Jeun k’o ku, was reigning. That was what everyone was singing while we were at the boarding school. We used to sneak out to watch Fela play. There were other bands then which were equally popular. Fela had the Sunday Jump. We used to sneak out after church, and when we returned, our dad would be waiting for us with a cane (laughs). My dad would ask, ‘Do you want to become a Fela boy?’ And before you could reply, you got six strokes of the cane. But that didn’t stop us from going to Apapa from Ikoyi to be at those musical shows.

Those were the days before Fela recorded his songs ‘Gentleman’, ‘Ikoyi mentality,’ ‘Ikoyi blindness.’ Before he recorded them, he used to play them during his shows. Again, St Gregory College was known for its school band. But I was in the set before Ofege. So that was how you got involved in music? Yes. But that was one side of it. The other side is that it was we the ‘aje butter’ (silver spoon) children that were usually invited to the NTA children’s party at Ahmadu Bello Way. We had big uncles there. People like Friday Ifode, Segun Olusola. We used to go and watch them while they were producing such programmes like Bar Beach Show, Saturday Square, Art Alade Show and others.

That was where I got inspiration for film and music production. We had such access to NTA because my dad was a big man at P&T which later became NITEL, and he was on the board of WNTV (Western Nigeria Television). For me then, it was a very fascinating experience watching them produce programmes at NTA. When those uncles came round to our house, they told us, ‘Come let’s go to NTA.’ So why didn’t you work with NTA when you finished school? I wanted to do that but my dad said no. He told me that I could always come back to that, but first, I should go and study something that would earn me good money.

He insisted that I should go and study Business Administration, which became my first degree in an American university in Washington DC. My master’s degree was in Communication Arts. That is the business aspect of communication. People say you were close to the Late Chief MKO Abiola. What brought you together? He was a family friend. At a point, I wrote a book which was sponsored by him. The book was titled:’Television Broadcasting: The Nigerian Experience.’ That was also the time when Chief Abiola had a bookshop. The book idea was my master’s thesis which I showed him. So he told me to turn it into a book.

During that period, I used to go around with him. That was how I got to meet Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade and others at daytime parties in the late 70s. Chief Abiola knew my dad in Abeokuta, and you know he was at ITT, a telecommunications company, why my dad was at Post & Telecommunications. So we were family friends. He was a fascinating individual with his philanthropy. In fact, he was always dashing people money; both the poor and the rich. When was the last time you saw Chief Abiola? I can’t readily recall. But the funniest thing is that when he was campaigning for June 12, I was in school in America. I was thinking that my uncle was going to become President; that when I returned, I would have something doing. It turned out but a dream. You also have a philanthropic side, because you are known to have helped many artistes I got that from him (Chief MKO Abiola). But I always had a dream that all the Nigerian artistes need is the right equipment.

Yes, I have had cause to be of assistance to quite a number of artistes. I worked with Daddy Showkey, Alariwo, Plantashun Boyz, Yinka Davies, Oliver de Coque, Sunny Okosuns and others. Also, when I was in New York, I worked at a radio station and the station used to promote African artistes. Some of such artistes were Sunny Okosun, KSA and Fela who all performed at the Apollo Theatre. I was the only African working there and was usually showcased by the radio station when African artistes came around. What was growing up like for you? It was fun. I grew up in Ikoyi and we were referred to then as the Ikoyi boys who went regularly to Ikoyi Club. We loved the cinema there in the club. The suya was great. We lived a stone’s throw away from the Ikoyi Golf Course.

My mum was industrious. She was a nurse but later became an entrepreneur. I had a particular gift that she liked. Whenever she sent me anywhere, I used to come back with something better than she expected. Soon, she started depending on me for her business. That was how she started sending me to China, Singapore, England and so on to bring things for her. I used to drive my mum then to Togo, Ghana and so on. I have never told anyone this, but it is because I was doing well for her that she gave me the money to produce my ‘Sango’ movie. It was out of the profits that I used to go and load her containers abroad.

On the defections from APC, R-APC and coalition of PDP and other parties

THERE isn’t any threat to the chances of our great party. I don’t see how the coming together of some dissatisfied members would rock the boat for the APC. I don’t see how that would affect the chances of President Buhari in 2019. Those who have said they want to take over the party, how were they chosen? Are they soldiers? I believe their action is the height of desperation. And some of them are the very ones who were troubling the party in some states. For instance, those who took the party to court without any belief in the judicial system are now ganging up to attempt to sabotage the party. Again, I think we should know the turf for politics.

I believe that they are strange bedfellows who are angry for different personal reasons; besides, their projection has been defeated. If people congregate because their personal expectations are threatened or not met, how does that translate to a political problem capable of defeating the incumbent? The party will adequately contain this ambition-induced storm in the tea cup. On the chances of the APC in Rivers I watched the present (PDP) administration gradually uprooting the monumental gains of the past administration, forcing the state into a reverse gear. As a patriot, I owe our people a duty of rising up and speaking out. An elder shouldn’t just condemn wrongs, he should do something about them, hence my joining the APC. All we see the present administration do today is what I call cosmetic service and project delivery. And I know that real growth is based on strategic, deliberate planning and development- centered policies. I am in the APC to support the progressives to give our state purposeful leadership. Gov WIke’s performance as ‘Mr. Project’ You can call anybody any name depending on your focus and motive as they call the Governor Mr Project. Some can hail you to gain materially; others would flatter you because you enjoy to be celebrated. I am an accountant and my focus is on the management of resources.

The governor is running a magical government, one that feeds the eyes and leaves the people with no substance but debts and wasted resources. Nobody can adequately assess the government as the state’s budget is shrouded in secrecy. When you say projects, how many people-oriented projects has the administration started and completed? And at what cost. The sectorial assessment shows that the government is only interested in the beautification of Port Harcourt. Now, while that is not a bad thing, you would agree that any parent whose only investment on his child is polishing the child’s shoe for outings is irresponsible. All we see in the state in the last three years are the completion of projects 80-90% executed by the previous administration and the painting or renovation of old public buildings. What else has he put the people’s money on? We were all here when the previous administration embarked on the construction of model primary schools across all towns in the state.

That administration built health centers and hospitals across the state, nobody can dispute these. There were massive PPP and foreign direct investments in the agricultural sector, the manufacturing sector and even the hospitality sector. The state challenged Lagos for investors’ attention but all of that is now lost. The state under Rt. Hon. Chuibike Amaechi became a safe haven for all, but all the gains of that era have been washed aground. Wike’s 3rd Year Anniversary Projects, awards Yeah, we see the jamboree, but how much value does that add to the lives of the people? If a governor goes about commissioning roundabout constructed on existing roads, then you can assess the policy thrust of such government.

Do Nigerians not know the motivation of many awards conferring organizations? Are awards not offered to the highest bidder? Have you ever voted for anyone to win an award in this sense? We once had a governor who was proclaimed ‘a golden governor’ yet out of office, Rivers people were asking, where are the achievements or legacies of that administration? My friend, corruption is a global trend. Those who taught Nigerians corruption are foreigners. Did you hear the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Emma Okah, explain how they secured the World Habitat Award? He said they saw the advert and applied. I am not going to challenge you to investigate the process; I will limit myself to the fact that the commissioner’s explanation reveals the administration’s orientation of eye-service. On the Power of Sports, I will ask? What has Wike done for sports to command the attention of sports administrators and journalists? Has he done one percent of what the late MKO Abiola did for sports? Has he done what former Governor Orji Kalu did for football? My friend, isn’t it clear that some smart Nigerians conspired with some foreigners to fleece the governor of scarce state resources in hard currency?

Rivers APC crisis and how it impacts on the fate of the party in 2019

Crisis? The unfortunate misunderstanding in the APC Rivers State cannot be called a crisis. It is a very little matter and would soon be put to rest. It depends on what you see, what you expect and what you know. What do you call a crisis? A man wakes up and goes to another to say I want to run for an office, and the person says I will not support you.

I accept that everyone has a right to aspire to any office as long as he meets the constitutional requirements. I also know that everyone whose support is required has a right to give it or withhold it. If that is the genesis, then there can’t be a crisis. However, I must acknowledge that certain selfish elements have exploited the situation and  disagreement.

I know both gentlemen and I believe the distinguished senator would do the needful while the window is still open. There is just no way that the ambition of Senator Abe can rock our boat.

Amaechi vs Magnus Abe tussle, governorship ambitions

Why do you think Senator Abe approached the Honorable Minister? Now, he went to Amaechi because he recognized him as leader, right? If your leader doesn’t want to support your ambition, should you attempt to pull down the roof? If you went to him because you recognize him as a leader and he gives you advice and you reject it, should the clock stop ticking?

I wouldn’t subscribe to the rumour that Abe’s group is working in league with the other party to frustrate our electoral chances. I believe Senator Abe is a decent man that can’t stoop so low. But there are clear indications that the senator’s men are working on a conspiracy script. Amaechi is his friend and leader, he should get back before his cheerbleaders push him down the cliff.

On the cancelled APC congress in the state…

(Cuts in) I know nothing about any cancellation and won’t comment on an issue that is unclear. Just so I am guided, who went to court and when? I was informed that some alleged dissatisfied party members went to court seeking to stop the May 5th ward congresses. The information was that the court adjourned till the 26th of June; so who went to court again? And what court did they approach?

Firstly, everyone in the APC in Rivers State ought to be loyal to the leader; otherwise, you are a bad party man. I am particularly attracted by the former governor’s leadership style which is robust and pragmatic. He is visionary, people-oriented and detribalized. Such a leader would naturally attract the loyalty of many.

Well, I accept that there is tension across the state, the social media space is a battlefield and this has the capacity to instigate crisis. However, you would agree with me, that the state is relatively peaceful because the Federal Government has a mature disposition. Cast your mind back to 2014, 2015 when the ruling party was the PDP and the governor here was APC. He was tormented and harassed by the Federal Government and her agents and servants in the state. The Police Commissioner was a bully to the Governor and the Federal Government frustrated the state in every imaginable way. Even our God-given oil wells were wrongly ceded to a neighbouring state.
If you hate Amaechi and punish the entire state, are you a good person? The Port Harcourt airport was rendered useless and was listed as the worse airport in the world! I am talking about a time when the APC wouldn’t campaign freely in Rivers State, and her members were killed in dozens.
Today, it’s the other party that is still threatening the Federal Government. Nigerians are now seeing that President Buhari, a retired General, is more democratic than those who claim to be democrats. Sincerely, even critics of President Buhari are acknowledging his maturity and that has helped stabilize our state.
On the Rivers State Government establishment of the Neighbourhood Watch Agency
Again, I think it is callous and self-seeking. If a governor shuts his ears to the deafening opposition to his controversial proposal and yet signs it into law, then you must know that the interest is not the people.
What is important to me at this point is that nobody cries when the new government retains it. Rather than think of ways of reviving the agricultural investments of the previous administration and encouraging private sector investments, the government is focussing on engaging youths in the name of Neighborhood Watch to form a private army as speculated.
If the motivation was noble, the target would be the arrest and control of the illegal crude refining which is killing Rivers people slowly. The security agencies in Rivers State are currently doing well, so why the blind engagement of an army of youths?
The timing, desperation, the inconsistency and the drivers of it all point to the fact that it is politically motivated. Everyone in the state believes that Gov. Wike established it to attempt to distract the security agencies during elections.

The progressive Chinese-Nigerian relations which have been on the rise in recent times got a fresh boost with the partnership agreement signed by the Zhejiang Normal University, University of Abuja and Heritage Africa-China Research Institute with the aim of promoting mutual cultural and economic development. In this interview with Deputy Editor, Nation’s Capital, YOMI ODUNUGA, and Correspondent, ROSE OKEKE, The Director of the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, Professor Liu Hongwu, speaks on his passion to positively change the narrative and engender mutually beneficial relations between Nigerians and China. Excerpts:

We know you once studied in Nigeria and you have been here a couple of times. One is curious to know what brought you to Abuja, the nation’s capital this time.

The purpose of coming to Nigeria is for this conference, titled: ‘A new era for China-Africa cooperation, partnership for peace, security and development’, jointly organised by the Gusau Institute and the Centre for Nigerian Studies at the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University. This programme is meant to bring together scholars to brainstorm to bring about peace and development in Africa. I studied History and Nigerian Culture at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) about 30 years ago, and coming to Nigeria is like returning home. I have also been promoting relations between China and Nigeria, and the best way to accomplish this is to promote the culture and history of Africa and Nigeria, in order for China to understand the African continent better.

So, what is unique about Zhejiang University?

Zhejiang University is located near Shanghai. There are lots of Africans doing business in another city which is also near the University, called Yiwu and the Yiwu International Trade City is the largest wholesale market in the world. Let me also note that between China and Nigeria is a 47-year relationship, as China formed diplomatic relations with Nigeria in 1971.In our institute, we have over 40 scholars from various African countries. Our institute has several different research centres for Economic, History, Culture, Educational, and Films and Media Studies. The Films and Media division aims to promote Nollywood films because the consumption in China would be very profitable, because we have over 1.4bn people.

In what ways would you say the institute has been able to carry out its agenda?

We have country-based centres for study. These include the Centre for Egypt Studies and Centre for Nigerian Studies. The Centre for Nigerian Studies was established as part of cooperative efforts between Nigerian and Chinese scholars. I wish to give back to the Nigerian community by developing this centre. The Executive Director of this centre is a Nigerian and his assistant is a Chinese scholar. The centre serves as a think-tank between African and Chinese scholars. Also, we translate ancient documents pertaining to the association between China and Africa as well as other parts of the world.

Having studied in Nigeria and, naturally, exposed to our culture, is there a way one can tap into the cultural differences to engender peace in Nigeria and Africa at large?

With respect to culture, China and Africa as a whole have strong diversities, and thus different perspectives and diverse modes of development. Therefore, we must have in-depth interactions to understand each other. These diversities should be made into resources to promote development. China has cultural diversities within herself, but these differences serve to unify the country. We know that we are in the era of globalisation, a global village where people interact with each other. We should find platforms to exchange ideas and interact with each other. If we let diversity divide us, it will cause insecurity and conflict. Recently, the Chinese president Xi Jinping started championing a common cause for humanity which entails that our diversity should not cause separation. All cultures are good, none is superior, so we should identify and bring these differences together to be able to foster amiability and unity. We have been able to carry out this agenda because the institute has different departments and centres with the institute carrying out research on African history. Also, we have programmes and seminars for African institute leaders and universities. We partner with these institutes and send Chinese scholars to them for short or long-term study of African culture. We have lots of African students studying in China on government scholarships. We have African museums with different artifacts from ancient civilisations, such as Nok. Last year the Chinese government sponsored 6,000 students from Africa and, currently, we have over 10,000 self-sponsored students from Africa studying in China.

How has China benefited from its relationship with African countries?

China’s work in Africa has encouraged the acceptance and recognition of China by the international community. Promoting the development in Africa has given China a voice in the United Nations. Also, the Chinese economy has grown rapidly because investors are investing in these foreign lands. Chinese economy is transforming from a manufacturing base to an innovative one. Moving this to Africa will promote development to become a leader in economic development. Income generation is low in Africa and that is why China is focused on promoting industrialisation in Africa. The Western perception between China and Africa is seen as a threat to the world, but they should see it as an opportunity to bring about a positivechange to the development of Africa.

What are some of the challenges that hinder Sino-African interaction and relations?

The number of Chinese scholars that study and understand African culture is far too few in number. Only few of them know about the African way, and vice versa. Few African scholars have in-depth knowledge and understanding of African culture. Second is the huge gap in language difference, language barrier. The government has made it compulsory for us to promote scholarly exchange and close this gap. As a research institute, our interests are not limited to government and politics alone. The film industry is another part of it. There are plans for Moses, the Director of Heritage Africa/China Research Institute, to visit the institute to determine how we can promote culture. We should have an open mind as to how to promote cultural understanding. We look for these partnerships because culture is a new way that can generate income for African countries. If we shoot a documentary and send it to China broadcasting stations, more tourists would want to visit the location of the documentary and we have over a billion population. This promotes tourism as there is no formal tourism partnership between China and Africa. We hope to take part in the upcoming AFRIF festival and are looking for investors to aid us in this. Media is a very important tool to promote cultural understanding. Our Films and Media Centre has produced a documentary, titled: Africans in Yiwu and it is being broadcast in Beijing.

For the Most Reverend Julius Oludotun Ogunseye, the Archbishop of Lagos Province and Diocesan Bishop of Lagos Mainland of the African Church, it has been a long winding road to the top despite the fact that he exhibited signs of divine calling even as a little boy. Early in secondary school, he discovered a music talent he felt could decide his future career. Subsequent events, however, forced the Chairman of Ogun State Christian Pilgrims Board to change his mind, as he recalls in this interview with PAUL UKPABIO

How did you come about a career as a clergyman?

I remember my mum told me that when I was a little boy, the plan of God was already evident in my life. My mum recalled that even as a little boy, I used to get up at night, going from one room to another and praying for them one after the other. She said they had never seen such a thing before. I also remember that when I was a little boy, there was this prophet from the Church of the Lord who came for a crusade in our locality. He called me aside and said that what God told him was that I would work for Him in His vineyard. But he said he did not know in what capacity I would be working, whether as a pastor or as a prophet or an evangelist. But the Lord told him I would work for Him. He went further to say that if I went into any other profession, I would be wasting my time, because God had already designed a role for me in the church. Did you heed the advice? Well, many things happened afterwards. Later, when I was in secondary school, I became a member of the literary and debating society.

I was also a member of the scripture union. I had a musical talent which made me to join the church choir. I later started practising the organ and started playing it for the church I attended. I became an organist. In the 1980s, I worked for Imarcel Chemical Company, which had a branch in Abeokuta. But my dream to be a musician changed one day when as a member of the Christ African Church choir, where I was also an assistant organist, a church, which is now the missionary diocese at Abeokuta, I was called and told that the church wanted to give me a scholarship to a seminary, the College of Theology. I was shocked. I told them I would discuss it with my parents.

I accepted the offer after the discussion with my parents. I was warned by my parents that I should think deeply about it because being a servant of God is not an easy job. More so as I was still a young boy. But then, I also had a spiritual father who is late now. He is the retired Bishop of the African Church who retired as the Bishop of Lagos Diocese. At that time, he was the Registrar of the African Church College of Theology in Ifako. I went to meet him and told him that I wanted to go to the College of Theology. He listened to me and laughed. I didn’t know that he was even the one who originated the discussion of the scholarship for me. He said he was happy for me. Why do you think you were chosen? There were actually three of us that were chosen. Two of us were younger and were both members of the choir, while the third man was an usher in the church. Among the three of us, I was the only one who accepted the offer.

The first year, I did the ordination course. After that, I was ordained as a Deacon of the African Church on December 19, 1984 at the Cathedral in Lagos and was posted to my church. That my mentor I spoke about earlier was the Archdeacon of the church. I became his Assistant. He was the Vicar in charge as well, while I assisted him. My life had changed. I later went back to school in 1985 for a Diploma in Theology and finished in 1986. I was posted to African Church in Oko- Oba, Agege, where I stayed for six years. From there, I was posted back to St James’ African Church, Idi Ape, as an Archdeaconry Chairman. After two years, I was elevated to the post of an Archdeacon in 1993 at the Cathedral Bethel in Lagos.

I was later moved back to Abeokuta. At that time, it was a serious job because I had about 24 churches under me and still had other parishes under me. In 2001, I was consecrated as a Bishop of the African Church at the Cathedral here in Lagos and was posted to Ife-Oshogbo Diocese with the headquarters at Ile-Ife. I spent about three years there and back to Agege in Lagos where I spent another five years. I became an ArchBishop of the African Church and was posted to Lagos where I am now. I have been in this position since 2005. What is the next position after this? (Laughs) There is no other position. We spend only 10 years in this position. After that, I am expected to leave the church or go on retirement. But I thank God that by the time I would have spent 10 years in this position, I would have become 65 in age and would be due for retirement. So, my timing would just be accurate. Everything would work together for me.

Now that you have reached the pinnacle of your career as a priest, do you have any regret? I must confess that I have been a lucky person in that all the things that I have laid my hands on in this ministry have been good and pleasant. I do not have any regret whatsoever. I have taken everything that has come my way in the good strides of gratefulness to God who has guided my steps in the right direction. My prayer now is that till I finish my ministry, I should have no regrets. Over the years, what have been the challenges you faced in the ministry? As it is, I shouldn’t cover the glory of God that has been upon me all through the years with ingratitude! So for everything, challenge or no challenge, I thank God. Nonetheless, there is no way one would be a man of God and not face challenges.

As a matter of fact, challenges are natural occurrences with a man of God because those are the problems that you are supposed to solve. So whenever I faced challenges, I usually have my weapon, the bible, to use to solve it with prayer to God. If you were not a clergy, what else would you have been? I would certainly have been a musician. I actually had my own plans of what I wanted to be in life before I was called by God through the church into the ministry. After I left secondary school, I started perfecting my plans to become a musician like I said. That is why Papa Ebenezer Obey and I are close today. Papa’s son, Shina, and I went to the same school. As a matter of fact, when I was in secondary school, I had already formed a band. It was Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey who advised me to go to school and come back later to become a better musician.

I remember then that Shina Obey and I met and he took me to his father who sat me down and encouraged me. He said education is important; that if I continued with education, by the time I would be ready to become a musician, I would be a better musician. I remember that Papa Ebenezer Obey used Fela Anikulapo Kuti as an example for me. He said that the fact that Fela went to study music also contributed to the success of the kind of music he was playing. So I took Papa Ebenezer Obey’s advice.

I was waiting to go further in school when God called me through the church. Did you ever meet with Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey again? Of course, I did. We have been having a good relationship. Even before I was consecrated as a bishop while I was still at Ile-Ife, Papa Obey used to come to stay with me in the church for three or four days whenever we were having a revival. And here in Lagos too, he has been our revivalist each time, bringing his entire band and instruments. Last year, he was here, and this year too, he will be around. Did Obey recognise you at your first contact with him after school? He did. But I went down memory lane with him because I was meeting him again as a minister of God. So, on that particular day, when we were seated together, I asked him if he could remember Shina’s friend who came to him, asking to become a musician.

He recalled the incident and laughed. Though I was still seeing his son, after that, I used to call Papa Obey on the phone to pray with him. Sometimes, I send people with prayer messages to him. Did your interest in music end when God called you? No, it didn’t. The passion for music, which started in Abeokuta Grammar School where music was a top priority, continued. Even when I was a young minister of God, I later went to Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education to study Music and got a certificate for it. What was your plan at that point? My intention was to develop my knowledge of music and also to be available to teach music at the church’s College of Theology.

Again, I also intended to build music notes for our church hymns because it was not available. But then some members of the church did not understand my dual roles. As a matter of fact, they felt sometimes confused because sometimes I am mostly serving as the organist and sometimes as a minister. So they were jokingly telling me to choose one of the roles. That led me to Emmanuel College where I did a degree programme in Religious Studies at the University of Ibadan. After that, I went to Crowther Seminary at Abeokuta for Masters in Divinity. From the look of things, you are likely to have picked your wife from the choir… (Laughs) Yes, I got her from the ministry. I actually felt the need to marry early.

And that was the position of the church too for those in the ministry. But all the girls who came to me then were not ready for marriage. I was lucky to have married the daughter of a fellow minister of God in 1989, where I was a serving priest. I believe it was the Lord’s arrangement. Right now, she is a lady evangelist. We are working together and she is helping me a lot with my ministry. Sometimes when I am at work, she takes people to ori oke (the mountain) where she prays for them and they pray for me and my work. Was she surprised when you picked her as your wife? She was not, because we were in the same church where she was a member of the choir and a lay reader.

We were already seeing and discussing. It was a process that was inevitable. The parents even saw it coming too. Let’s talk about your personal ministry, because I noticed that you attended to a crowd of people, anointing them with oil… Yes, I have this ministry called ‘O to ge!’ meaning enough is enough. I started it at the church in Agege when I was there. And when I left, I handed it over to the Bishop that is there now. Over here, I started another one, which is also now doing well. It is a two-hour prayer session on Thursdays where I anoint the sick, pray with people who have challenges and give them water that has been sanctified. We have been having testimonies about the goodness of the Lord. When you eventually retire, what will you be doing? I have handed over that matter to God.

And I think He has already given me a ministry in ‘Oto ge’ and it is a special calling on its own. Perhaps I will have a prayer camp where I can attend to people and minister to them as God leads. How do you combine your role as a bishop with your travels? It is the grace of God. You know I am the Chairman of the Ogun State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board. In the course of the year, we lead the pilgrimage to Israel, Italy, Rome and Thessalonica, and sometimes I travel on my volition to London, America and so on. Sometimes I am invited abroad by ministries and churches. Pilgrimage is an important aspect of Christianity. It is one thing to read the bible and another thing to visit the historical settings of the bible and see for yourself and pray there. The place where Jesus was born is still there, and like other such places, people go there to pray. There are lots of testimonies from people who have gone there and came back with one healing or another. Pilgrimage makes the bible come alive. The bible is an intervention of God. It is an inspiration of God.

What have been your challenges at the Christians Pilgrims Welfare Board? The governor has been cooperative. He has been up to the task despite being a Muslim. He has been supportive and we have a cordial relationship. I actually got to know him in 1999 when I was an Archdeacon. He came to our church in Idi Ape. That was where we met. How much time do you have for your family? That is the lifestyle of a minister of God. I have just finished attending to about 300 people individually. When I leave here, I will go for a wake at Agege, which will last into the night. From there to Abeokuta in the morning for a burial. From Abeokuta, I will go straight to a management meeting at Maryland here in Lagos, and so on. We need God’s grace to be with our families because the people we attend to are also our families. In between all that, I create time for the family. It is better now as a Bishop. In my earlier days in marriage, it was tough, because as an Archdeacon, the work took me everywhere.

As part of Nigeria’s outing at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has mounted a world-class cultural exhibition in Moscow, Russia.

The Nigerian Cultural Exhibition Stand, which is heavily embellished with the nation’s arts, crafts and historical materials, has continued to witness impressive influx of Nigerians in Russia, friends of Nigeria and a wide range of other spectators.

The cultural centre, which is the central point for rallying support for the Super Eagles in Moscow also provides a platform for showcasing Nigeria’s cultural strength in Russia.

On Friday, June 22, during the Super Eagles’ encounter with Iceland National Team, hundreds of Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike thronged to the stand to drum support for the Super Eagles while also appreciating the rich cultural products of Nigeria on display at the stand.

Overwhelmed by the large turnout of Nigerians and foreigners to the stand, the Director-General of the council, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, thanked the mammoth crowd who sang, danced, drummed and waved the Nigerian flag for their support and solidarity.

He pointed out that the passion and emotions displayed at the stand was a clear testimony of the power of culture and football to foster global unity, peace and sustainable partnership.

The high point of the Friday’s event was the decoration of foreign fans of the Super Eagles with Green-White-Green Nigerian mufflers and Nigerian hand flags.

Mohammed Fawehinmi is the first child of the late legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi. In this encounter with HANNAH OJO, he shares his June 12 experience.

I was actually studying Law at that time (during the June 12 struggle), so most of what I got to know was through my late dad because he was briefing me every day. There were times when he called me and said: “We are not going to take it, Babangida is a crook. This is totally unjust, and we would not take it”. He said that we should not worry, we should focus on our studies because it was my younger sister, Mrs Biobaku, and I as at that time. For me, it was a time of depression. There was another time he was picked up and put in Ikoyi prison; then shortly after that, they put him in Kuje prison and locked him up with Femi Falana, Femi Aborisade and other persons.  It was a time where I suffered, and I thought all these things should have stopped.  These leaders should know that for citizens to be doing this, it is best for you to even look at the reason why citizens are doing this, probably you can change things to improve the lives of people. Lots of people died from the struggle. I lost lots of good friends, it was very painful for me. Something just told me when MKO declared himself as president elect that this might be the end. You know, the man that we were dealing with was a Machiavelli; he was not a positive one, he was a negative one.  He was the one who will chase power by every means possible. so something just told me I don’t think Abiola was going to get out of that place.

So, it was like you had a premonition?

Yes, I had my premonition, but it wasn’t something I could have told my father because he might have probably disowned me if I did. So, I kept it to myself and we were praying that Abiola would be given his mandate. When M.K.O died, my dad was a total wreck; he sat down on the floor crying for days not able to eat; mucus was coming out of his nostrils. His mum had to step in to tell him: “you have tried your best; the man too. God will restore whatever has been stolen from him; so if you want me to continue living, get up!”. That was when he got up after three days of not bathing and eating. He just kept saying: “they have killed this man! Babangida must not get away with this!”.  There were times he would just stare into open space. for us when you see your dad like that, you can’t be happy. Babangida really destroyed the conscience and the fabrics of this nation all in his quest to hang on to power.

At the time you confessed to being depressed as a result of the daily accounts of the struggle given by your dad. did it give you a personal resolve or a philosophy that you arrived at as a result of the June 12 Struggle?

The most important thing was that I finished my degree. Law was my second degree; my father’s advice was that I should have a good career and that I should just remember that whatever happens, you give the best.  Law is something that I was born into, I’ve always read about it. I have watched so many lawyers that have passed through him, argued and prepared cases.  I learnt everything about law in his chambers, even though I studied it in the university, so I had heads up over and above everybody. so at least I knew that if I study it and go to law school, I can’t suffer. I had been there all along when my father was detained, I saw him 11 months later. That was under General Yakubu Gowon, who later released him and apologized. Gowon was the only head of state that locked him up and apologized.  One thing we like President Muhammadu Buhari for is that he (Buhari) never arrested him. What Buhari did was, he went to FRCN and said nobody should touch my dad. Eventually they became close, they were good friends. Buhari, Generals Abdulsalami Abdusalam and Muritala Mohammed were the only ones that did not lock him up. All the rest did. The most brutal ones were IBB and Abacha. IBB kept him in a cell where you have poisonous lizards and rats.  When he told us, he had to battle with lizards and rats, I understood because I went there personally. General Olusegun Obasanjo too said my dad stole a camera that belonged to the Federal Government worth N5,000.  My dad was charged, he was discharged and acquainted. Obasanjo was still not satisfied. It was a big joke because every time my dad travelled, he always bought cameras and he even gave some out.

What was the impact on the larger family when your dad was involved in the struggle?

What the larger family did was to engage in prayers.  We prayed that he will not die in the cell and happily, he didn’t die in the cell, he died in the hospital. so we gave thanks to God that he made 71. And you know, our family after a while, we have to train ourselves to get on with life.  We hoped for the best but expected the worst. The experience is something that I don’t wish for any family because if you are not strong-willed, you will not be able to go through it.

M.K.O and your dad was one of those recognized as the people who fought for the June 12 struggle; do you think the Buhari government should do more to immortalize the memory of these men?

I believe the federal government can do more because those two men fought for democracy and they sacrificed everything, and they lost their lives at the end of it. Buhari has done this, let’s see what the next government would do because those two names should never be forgotten. Those two names gave us this democracy we are enjoying today. So the justification that they are never to be forgotten is for the government to convene a supreme national conference. Let us have a totally new constitution not one that is battered. Let everybody say what they want; it is not something that will take long. you choose your representatives; you say what it is you want you pass, you pass the communique and then you nationalize it. Everybody agrees how we are going to move forward.  Buhari should make sure that the rule of law is entrenched and tackle the economy. He should chase away poverty. we are rich in resources, management is the only thing we need. He should pick up people who can handle it. if you know you are competent enough, go in there, get technocrats who can organize this country. you will be surprised what good will come out.

What’s your admonition for the current dispensation?

I hope that president Buhari will move swiftly to stop these senseless killings because our soldiers have the capacity. He should stop herdsmen killings because our soldiers are capable. And then he should try and do a quick cabinet reshuffle; he should use as many technocrats as possible within the next six months. Even though 2019 is almost here, you can still do a lot in six months. You can revamp the economy in six months if the right people are there.

Alhaji Thabit Adewale Sonaike National Amir (president) of the Companion, an association of Muslims in business and professions, who is also the Deputy Managing Director of Courteville Business Solutions (An auto reg company), in this interview with PAUL UKPABIO Quiting my bank job was

Being an Amir of an Islamic religious body like yours is an enviable position. Did you dream of becoming one in your lifetime?

IT is not out of place that someone should have an ambition, focus and a vision but by the special grace of God, I had a normal upbringing with no indication that I would one day rise to a position like this. It was never on my mind. I grew up in a humble family where all what was needed was to know God, pray to God and be happy. But the kind of association I grew up with, the kind of association that I got involved with determined how I shaped my thinking and future. I grew up in Lagos, attended Yaba College of Technology for HND in Business Administration and there after, I went to Ogun State University where I did a B.Sc in Banking and Finance. I went to Ambrose Alli University where I had a Master in Business Administration. Career wise, I am a banker, I retired from banking in 2006 after almost 20 years experience, Right from youth all I ever wanted to be was a banker. So apart from my academic pursuit, I also qualified as a professional banker in 1995 when I became an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

I worked in four banks before I retired. I worked in Oceanic Bank which is now ECObank, UBA, Metropolitan Bank and First City Merchant Bank. I rose to be a regional manager before I left. Now that you are presently the Amir of a large muslim organisation, do you still do circular work? Yes, I am the Deputy Managing Director of Courteville Business Solutions (an auto reg company) pioneer the auto reg for motor registration in Nigeria. We specialise in software solutions for the economy. We are listed on the Stock Exchange since 2009; we work with the Lagos State and 22 other states in the federation. We pride ourselves for being a great house of export of knowledge. We specialise in skill knowledge. When we started, there were no other companies offering our kind of service though there are now. We operate in four other African countries.

At what point did you decide to toe the path of faith and leadership? While growing up I did not attend a formal islamic institute but rather I grew up to learn about Islam from going to the mosque with members of my family, but when I got to the secondary at Ijebu Ode, the consciousness came because we the muslim students began to meet to pray in a largely dominated Christian environment. The school granted us permission to hold our worship separately. That gathering was what metamorphosed into Muslim Students Society in that school. The association had always been in existence since 1952 but arrived our school in early 70s. In the higher institution, I gained more consciousness of the Muslim students society and of the Lagos area unit of the Muslim students society of Nigeria. I was the PRO of the South West Muslim Students Society of Nigeria for quite some years.

I was also the Financial Secretary of the body. We were having meetings consistently. Immediately after I left school, I needed to continue in the faith and that was how I joined The Companion. And since then I have been a member of The Companion, which is an association of muslims in business and professions. It is a male dominated association. Though we have a female wing. Does membership indicate that the organisation influences the lifestyle of the members? Of course. That is what we do. We teach ourselves Islam; we teach ourselves the way of life.

Basically we believe that Islam is a way of life. And that is the teaching of the Koran which states that God did not just create us to stay like that, that He created us to worship Him and He gave guidelines as to how to worship Him. We have the Koran, the teachings of the Prophet’s hadith and we have opportunity to also learn. We are not just an association, we meet regularly. There is no weekend that we do not meet for a programme. Every Sunday we have a gathering in every locality where people are taught how to be a better Muslim, teaching people how to live a life worthy of emulation and we also want to be sure that you are not just operating in isolation. So even when you say you are living your life as a muslim, how does the non-muslim see you? Those are the kind of teachings that we teach ourselves and how we can benefit from the knowledge of Koran from those who know more than us. We go beyond that by catering for the needy. We give support to those in bondage and so on.

But can a member join any other islamic religious organisation as well? You can also at the same time be a member of other islamic bodies depending on how you are able to mind your time. Being a member does not stop your association elsewhere but as a member, we monitor what you do and how you do it. We have to be sure that you are following the teachings of Islam, the teachings of the Prophet, and living a life labelled after the companions of the Prophet who are also the light. So far what has been the most challenging moment of your life? That was when I had to choose between leaving the bank and joining the organisation where I presently work. It was the boldest decision I have ever had to make.

It required a lot of grit on my part; that is because I was comfortable in the bank and the organisation I wanted to join was a new experimentation. I thank God that it has worked out well. How did you arrive at the decision to leave the bank and join an organisation that was a start-up project? There were two things that shaped my decision. The first was the fact that as a muslim, we preach non-interest banking because Almighty Allah does not want us to get involved in loan for interest because it is always punishable for the borrower, and that it is better when business is done on a non-interest basis. So that was always in my consciousness all the while I was working in the bank. Even though I trained a s a banker, I was also always thinking of leaving because of my faith. As at that time, there was no alternative. In such a situation I had to make do with what was available. However, the decision to leave banking was not easy.

Like I said, I was well paid, I had a good life though it was a borrowed life, which enable us to live an easy life because at the beginning of the year, we used to be given a lump sum paid upfront, that one had to pay back after a long while. But beyond all that, leaving banking to be part of a team that was starting a new process in Nigeria was attractive. Though it got me worried, but I didn’t have doubts about the ability of the people I was to join. Nigeria is still a development economy and there are still opportunities if only one can identify a gap and look for how to fill in the gap. I had to convince myself, convince my family and friends. I knew that as a man, I wasn’t in isolation. I needed to convince my family. I was lucky because I had a family that believed in what I wanted to do. And the people I teamed up with, were people that I had known for about 20 years. What was the turning point in your life? I can say that my marriage was the turning point in my life.

It was after marriage that I knew I had become a complete man. In Islam when you marry, you have completed 50 percent of your faith and when you find a good wife, you are at rest. That is because most of the time men are out there ensuring that all things work out well for the family. So when a man has a good wife, he can go to sleep about the home front and attend to other matters. Marriage did that for me. What encouraged you into marriage? As a muslim, I knew I would get married at some point in life. I also knew that the best way I could live my life was to also marry a muslim. This knowledge guided me all through when I was growing up. I actually met my wife at school while we were students at Yaba College of Technology. Guess what? We actually met at the mosque. What attracted me to her was her commitment to the faith, also her consistency in terms of being a good and conscious muslim. For the benefit of doubt, what are the processes for taking a wife among muslims? Yes there are processes for taking a wife in Islam Which start with who do you want to be your wife? you must ensure that she is someone with piety, someone that has certificate of good health and wealth. That is, she is not going to be a burden to you, that is, she is working or schooling or a career person, and beautiful too. Someone that would make you happy to the extent that you will not want to lust for another woman.

Then also the family background of the lady. Did your wife scale through all these criteria before you married her? (Laughs) She met with all the necessary requirements and even scored higher than my expectations. Don’t you think that your lifestyle appears boring marrying someone of the same faith and you stick around only in religious circles? Yes, it appears so but we know that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. So we have family picnics. We do not limit our selves to going to work, come back ad discuss Koran at home. We go on picnics not only individually, but also collectively. We go to the beach with our families and friends to build cohesion. We also have the eid-elfitri get together which is an avenue for us to enjoy, have fun nd enable our children to mingle and play.

Immediately after Ramadan, we all meet for funfair; people come with different kinds of food. It is always great fun with games. The Companion is not only in Lagos, it is in other states as well. It is a national association. You were at State House in Abuja few days ago, what was that about? Yes, we had a courtesy visit to the Vice President (Prof Yemi Osinbajo) as part of our four cardinal goals, which are: community engagement and good corporate governance, education and Dawar enlightenment. These are the four corner areas of The Companion activities. We cannot isolate ourselves from politics of the land. It was an opportunity to engage the government, commend and also point out areas where they can improve. We encourage our members to be involved in politics. The more people that are involved in politics the better because people must know what is going on in their country and find ways of contributing. People must participate. And our members scatter around all the different political parties. It is their freewill decision. One notices that modernity has crept into the fashion sense of your religion.

As the President of your organisation, how do you handle the issues of personal fashion sense and chastity? We do not encourage or allow ladies to wear clothes that are sleeveless or show certain parts of the body: or do tattoo. Ladies are encouraged to be properly dressed. If that is convenient, then the person is welcomed. Apart from that, there is freedom in personal style and fashion. As the leader of your religious body, what can you say of your your own style? I am naturally a casual dresser. When I was working in the bank, I had to restrict myself to suits because of the requirement of the job. But these days, I love to dress simple, unless I have engagements that require me to conform to a dress code. The important thing that dictates my appearance is to be presentable. At social gatherings like your usual picnics, how do you handle a situation where some of your members have more than one wife? You know some could come with all their four wives? If you are practising Islam, you must practise it intoto; that is, wholeheartedly. You don’t practise one aspect and leave the other aspect.

Allah has told us that I have not created you to do any other thing in this world except to worship me. If you have that at the back of your mind, then everything you do will manifest the worship of God. The prophet also said that Islam is not a religion that one practises without knowledge. Being a knowledge-based religion, it does not discriminate or dictate that this must be the way you live your life. But if you have a good understanding of the religion, it will make you live a particular favourable lifestyle. There is nothing wrong in a man having four wives and bringing all of them to the social gathering. They have to come together and operate as a family. Your corporate job entails that you shuttle between Nigeria and abroad, with such a situation how do you run the affairs of a large organisation which scatters around different states of the country? At this level, one must have proper planning procedures in place.

I can presently claim to be one of the widely travelled Nigerians either locally and internationally. There is no state in Nigeria that I have not been to by virtue of my work. But in terms of combining my secular work with the religious work, I can say that the religious work in most cases are on weekends when I have less circular work to attend to. Beyond The Companion, I am also the chairman of the Odogbolu Muslim Community in Ijebu Ode. I am always on the road. I enjoy that too and do not have any reason to complain. As regards the home front, I ensure that whenever I have space from work and religious activities, I spend the time with my family, either at home or outside the home. We also go on holidays outside the country and here in Nigeria though not regularly, but from time to time. My children are grown up now, three of them are in higher institutions and are not necessarily around. What do you see as most challenging so far for you? Being the National President, everyone looks up to me whether they are younger or older than me.

We have been together for over 30 years and have developed a cohesion. It is something that is good and enviable. On the other hand, we know that not all are well endowed, so for those among us who fall into that category, it is a challenge which we have to bear. Your source of inspiration? That has been my father. He believed in education. He used to say that we should seize the educational opportunity we had. He was not a socialite but a staunch muslim. The best he gave me was education and he motivated me to believe in my self. He inspired and mentored me. He was the one that encouraged me to read and till date I am still reading. Do you have memories that have refused to go away? I was about 11 when my dad took me to the boarding house. Then there were no phones, no immediate communication with the family once I was dropped off at school. We had to pass through the old road and between Lagos and Ijebu then; it could take three hours. At a time, I was sick and needed to come back home. I was shivering and took permission from the school. I travelled back to Lagos behind a truck shivering from fever. The wind was much and by the time I was in Lagos, the sickness was full blown and was worse. I thank God that I suffered that particular incident.