Category: Saturday Interview

Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa is a businessman and politician. He was the National Republican Convention presidential candidate in the botched June 12, 1993 presidential election. Ahead of June 12 anniversary next Wednesday, Tofa spoke with Assistant Editor, LINUS OBOGO and reflected on the date, May 29 and October 1, and concluded that he would rather that Nigeria sticks with the Independence Day as Democracy Day. He also faulted President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, arguing that his decision was rather hasty, among other issues. 

Excerpts:

Just last week, May 29, the government held the 14th anniversary of what has come to represent Nigeria’s Democracy Day. What is your general assessment of Nigeria’s 14 years of unbroken civil rule?

First of all, let me say that the worse form a democracy is better than the best form of military dictatorship. Despite my disappointments over the last 14 years of this new democracy, the freedoms we enjoy, even though with some distortions, are preferable. We have benefited a great deal from the criticisms and ideas of Professor Wole Soyinka, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Mr. Femi Falana. If only our leaders listen, we would have made better progress.

My main complaint about President Goodluck Jonathan has always been the dearth of good and competent advisers around him. My friend, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, is a very experienced leader. Mrs. Okonjo Iweala, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman and the Minister of Agriculture are excellent in what they do. But only Pius is a true politician, and people like him are a minority in the government. Many of his other ministers are not an asset to the President, either in the efficient running of their ministries or politically. Many have not done him and will not do him any good politically.

I strongly recommend that the President reshuffles his cabinet as soon as possible to mark two years of his presidency, and appoint a mixture of very competent technocrats and able, experienced and popular politicians into ministries he is convinced they will make a mark. He must also come away from that myopic policy of placing appointed ministers as leaders of the PDP in states where there are elected governors. This exposes the President’s deficit politically.

In all, we have not done as well as Nigeria should have done in the last 14 years. Reason: utter corruption, lack of competent advisers, political chauvinism and general impunity. We must all share in the blame. But the President must take the lion’s share, as the leader.

It is my candid advice that the President should summon a mixture of about five elders and others with unquestionable integrity, from each state to meet for a few days in Abuja and review the situation in the country, and also offer their advice as to the best ways to promote unity and sense of belonging and to repair the damages done in recent times.

Opinions remain divided between those who still question the May 29 date, some who insist it should rather be October 1, and others who feel it should have been June 12. Where do you stand in all of this?

Personally, I would prefer October 1, as everybody can identify with that date. We became independent as a country on that date, and we have to constantly remind ourselves that we are still on the road to becoming a nation.

June 12 is a controversial and a very divisive date.

Beyond the tokenism of transiting from military to civil rule on May 29, is there anything tangibly worth celebrating in your view?

People do celebrate dates and occasions for good reasons. Freedoms are vitally important, as without them, humanity is doomed. We can celebrate these freedoms as I said, but with reservation. That is, without the freedom to be secure, and without the joy we need to celebrate our unity, which is now in tatters, the celebration is meaningless. Most Nigerians have become poorer, but not just as a failure of democracy to produce its so-called dividends, but because the democracy we practise is riddled with corruption and nepotism. These are the ills we have to cure our society of.

I advise that these dates, whether democracy or Independence, should also be days of prayers. But we rather budget billions of naira for bogus ceremonies which in reality which are undeserved. I cannot see what hungry and angry people can celebrate. I looked at the President’s face during his broadcast, and he did not look at all happy. Something was clearly worrying him, and we all know what it was!

Much as you have tried in some of your public comments to convince Nigerians not to go on crying over spilled milk and rather move on with regards to June 12, 1993 debacle, the issue has continued to stick out like a sore thumb. As a prime participant in the election process which was subsequently annulled, what collateral damage would you say it has had on our politics 20 years after?

A sore thumb, indeed! And it stinks. Anyway, I had promised not to discuss June 12 again because it does not help anything. It is now a subject for those who lack the intellect to help this country with anything positive that will move us forward. If any lesson had been learnt from it, let those lessons guide us to plot a better political culture for this country. But those who have nothing better to say or do can continue talking about it. I suggest that the elections we rig at every level, in every election, allowing “unelected” people to represent or lead us, is an equally serious matter, if not worse. People should focus more on current issues that will make our electoral process and governance better. What matters to young people who were toddlers in 1993, is education and employment, not June 12.

Those who have followed your evolution as a politician would attest to the fact that you are of a conservative stock. But today, you are counted among the liberal political elements in the country?

I am only conservative in keeping and nurturing our collective values. We are a very decent and traditional society, in both our individual make ups and histories. I think, our diversity should have been our greatest asset, if we had bothered to appreciate them and use them for our collective good. I am not a liberal in the sense of Western Liberalism, where every sin goes. I am a good Muslim and do relate very well with good Christians. My liberalism is only in the sense that I believe everyone should be free to pursue his or her innate desire to improve himself or herself and the community generally, so long as these are done in accordance with the laws of the land. That is one reason we named the political association I formed and led: The Liberal Convention, which joined the National Republican Convention NRC, of which I was the presidential candidate in 1993.

You once spoke against those who called on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign over alleged leadership ineptitude as well as his handling of the security crises in the country. You even went ahead to praise him for not being a dictator. What are your thoughts on the imposition of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States?

I personally believe that President Jonathan is not a bad person as an individual, and did not start out with evil intentions. His basic misfortune is that he lacks good advisers, and some of his tribesmen have almost reduced him to a tribal leader. Secondly, the unnecessary debate immediately before and after President Umar Yar’Adua’s death as to whether he should be sworn in or not as a full President, plus the result of the 2011 elections, as well as the utterances of some people, somehow indicated to him that a section of our society loathes him. These negatives have stuck in his mind and have seriously confused him. The current debate about where the presidency must come from neither helps matters. My opinion is that such noises are unnecessary in a democracy. People will elect whoever they like, and whoever it is must be allowed to rule.

Again, in a democracy, where someone is elected, you cannot call upon him to resign. Either organise his recall, or he loses an election that will return him to office, if you have the wherewithal. He was not appointed, so why would you call upon a president of a country to resign? Don’t elect him next time. That’s democracy.

With regards to the state of emergency imposed on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, I was not in total support of it, because at the stage we were in before the declaration, when a Reconciliation Committee was inaugurated by the President, it should have been allowed to run its course. And if it fails, then the imposition of the state of emergency would be justified. Having said that, however, my opinion, which I expressed before, is that we should pray for our country and also for the success of the action taken in the interest of all concerned.

You appear not to be favourably disposed to the zoning of the presidency as a political arrangement. What will be your position should the APC decide to zone its presidency?

It will be a serious mistake for the APC to zone the presidency at this early stage of its development. If any section/zone of this country is axed from this aspiration, it will be fatal. A national convention must be held, and all aspiring members of the party must be allowed to present themselves for election.

I have always advocated that what Nigeria needs is a Nigerian president, not a sectional or zonal or tribal leader as president. While rotation makes some people comfortable, I am sure Nigerians will much prefer a president that cares for all the people, listens to them and acts on their needs with dispatch, equity and fairness; a president who will make Nigeria a country of “know how”, instead of “know who”; a country where all Nigerians will feel equal sense of belonging and security wherever they choose to live in their country.

What zoning has done most is to ingrain in our psyche the false notion that with our own at the helm, we will be better off. This has been shown not to be the case, except for the few thieves around the seat of power. If that has been the case, then the others will be worse off.

This situation draws us further apart into our tribal and sectional cocoons. And, when you talk of a zone, you later find that there is so much rivalry within the zone, as most would want the benefits or appointments to go to their states. And, within the state, you degenerate into the local government, and then the clan. We are damaging our unity by refusing to learn to be one; by not doing much to appreciate who is just and honest, but who is our own. This is a major problem in this country, and we have to make a serious u-turn to the direction of reality, if we want to survive as a united country.

Now, with regards to the APC, this party to be has some other serious issues to be careful about. These are internal and external sabotage. Some bad people are up to something very sinister. If APC is sabotaged, we will have very serious problems managing this democracy. That may be the beginning of the end of it. Whether or not APC will win any election, the fact that the opposition may become stronger, is in itself good for our democracy.

You were quoted in your response to Asari Dokubo’s threat as saying that the North will be better off as an entity than the South South, should the latter break away from Nigeria. How exactly did you mean?

The North truly cares for the unity and integrity of this country. There is no section of the country that truly cares for the unity and integrity of this country than the North. But this nationalistic stand is taken by some pools as a weakness, or as lack of an independent and prosperous future for the North. Far from it. I will be the last person to call for the dismemberment of our dear country. But, I will also be the last person to admit that the North cannot stand on its own, if necessary. I love this potentially great country, but I hate some of the rascals, from whatever section they are, that seek to promote disunity and the destruction of our country for clearly myopic and utterly selfish reasons. Many of these people are ignorant of history, or are just mischievous. I hope, Mr. Dokubo and others who made similar utterances will have the good sense to apologise.

The North will never consider the option to dissolve this country. But if some irresponsible people steer the country in that direction, my only advice is that there must not be any war to keep the country as one. Another civil war will be futile and it will destroy everything. We will all be the losers, as no single viable country will arise from the ashes of the old one. So, it is better for us to manage what we have. President Nixon, when resigning from the US Presidency after the Watergate scandal said something like this: ‘You will never appreciate how glorious it was when you were on top of the mountain, until you find yourself at abyss of a deep hole’. But if we cannot find a way to stay together, even after a national conference, then we must sit and negotiate separation as we have seen done successfully in some parts of Europe. But, we must pray to the Almighty not to bring that moment. May we be forgiven by Him in whose hand lie our destinies. May He cause us to come to our senses and resolve to revive our unity and live in justice and peace.

Nobody wishes to see any war to force this country to be one. The next war will destroy everything everywhere. So, what’s the point? We better negotiate and separate peacefully. That way, we can still have some dealings with one another. But, may the Almighty God forgive us and forbid this tragedy.

What is your comment on the crisis rocking the Governors’ Forum?

The President is already the President. He should not have bothered with the governors electing whoever they so wish. If I were the President, I will never interfere with such elections, like those of the leaderships of the National Assembly, the NGF etc. If I were the President, I will let them elect whoever they wish, and I will get him/her by my side. If I were the President, I must know how to do that easily and without rancor. But when a President or a governor has some sinister agenda, he resorts to this types of interferences. The President should work for the country, and should get the support of everyone concerned.

Dr. Kune Igoni is the Managing Director of the West Africa Conferences and Exhibitions, a platform for rallying players in the power, steel and home and office equipment sectors together through a yearly exhibition. In this interview with BIDEMI BAKARE, Igoni, who was the Special Adviser on Adult Literacy to President Goodluck Jonathan when he was the Bayelsa State Governor, bares his mind on salient issues. Excerpts:  

What is your assessment of the electricity and steel industries? Quite frankly, I can say in the distant past the electricity sector, as we saw with NEPA and later PHCN, was synonymous with total darkness. But somehow in the recent past, successive governments have so far done well in improving the situation. The NIPP projects, for instance, have been going on well all over the country. Projects, supervised by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, are going on well, while new transmission, generation and distribution stations are built all over the place. But I believe strongly that in the near future, with the cooperation of NNPC through the gas delivery outlook, definitely the power situation in the country would improve.

On steel, we know that Nigeria has one of the best steel industries in the world with Ajaokuta Steel Company of Nigeria. Ajaokuta is on record to be one of the best in terms of infrastructure, facilities and investment. Unfortunately Nigeria has not been able to exploit this advantage and that is why we are where we are.

Because steel production has been recognised as the driver of growth, countries like Zambia, Uganda and South Africa continue to make huge investments in capital expenditures. They enact and implement various policies resulting in the increase in steel production capacities in their countries. Unfortunately Nigeria has not got the right chord. I believe if the steel industry is put in its rightful place, the country would move faster because steel is the driver of industrial revolution as well as the platform for modern technology to thrive.

One cannot talk about infrastructural development without talking about steel first. You cannot talk about building materials without talking about steel first. Steel is tied to development. So I think if the steel industry is looked into properly, government can generate foreign earnings from it.

What are the underlying issues affecting these industries?

Well, I have said that the power sector is doing very well. As a Nigerian, I am hopeful that it would be better in the near future. One of the biggest problems we have in the power industry is the workforce. They are used to working as government workers. You can imagine a place where you have monopoly and are doing a job that is pretty difficult for somebody to dismiss you when you are found wanting. That is the situation we find ourselves. I believe that by the time would thrive. Government-owned parastatals are seen as assets that belong to everybody to exploit. So I think the government should go ahead with privatising these companies and get to the end of the reform process. But they should make sure that the workers receive their benefits because whether we like it or not, even in their imperfections, even in their unpatriotic behaviour, they have served their nation.

The Ajaokuta Steel Company has been in the news for quite some time over its controversial sale.Do you think the sale of the company was justifiable in the first place?

It is very necessary for government to divest from major sectors. Like I have said, if you have civil servants running the place, they don’t run it professionally. If you like get the best person and make him the GM of the place. The person cannot run it the way a private investor will do it. For instance, Dangote is doing well in major sectors of our economy .As a matter of fact, I think government should hands off these strategic sectors. It should get itself busy with providing infrastructure alone and not doing business because government is not good at doing business.

Look at the fertiliser plant at Onne, for instance, the plant was before seen as patronage for politicians. But as the government hands off, it is now one of the best and infact it is going to be the biggest in West Africa because it is now in private hands. So government should concentrate on defence, providing infrastructure, housing, good roads and good education rather than doing business. It cannot be doing this and do business at the same time.

The controversy on Ajaokuta is the same politics of government. During our power and steel event last year which Ajaokuta Steel Company attended, what we saw was an eye opener. When we spoke to them, it was surprising to know the fact that there are other minerals apart from steel which Nigeria has in abundance. But government is not looking at those minerals with the intention of developing them by inviting investors like they did in GSM and all that. The government can do an international publication on all the minerals for would-be investors to get the idea of the minerals that can be invested on. But first and foremost, I believe we need subsisting laws like the Power Sector Reform Act 2005 for the power sector in this country for this to be possible. Nobody would come and do business when the law is not clear.

Perhaps, that takes me to the issue of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). I have always said it that the thinking of so many of us is that some people are just throwing up issues to frustrate the passage of the bill. When you look at the PIB, interested parties, whether from the North or South, are just playing politics with it. This is because when you go to the NNPC, for instance, you would not see more Niger Delta people than people from other parts like the North. Nobody takes statistics of who are employed in NNPC. So I am at a loss when some senators say the 10 % fund for the host communities is too much. I see it as funny. One thing we must understand is that a lot of investments are being held down due to the non-passage of the bill. Brass LNG and Olokola LNG are typical examples of investments being held.

As much as we have our different opinions on the bill and its interpretation, even at this level of its non-passage, I believe that it is not a matter of tilting to any area. The most important thing is for us Nigerians to get the industry working. It is a highly competitive industry. For the past 10 years, the industry has been virtually stagnant. The IOCs are making new and huge investments in other countries, and more countries are joining the oil and gas producers train. I think the various versions of the draft bill have clauses protecting the immediate environments, I mean the oil and gas producing areas. Even if it is not adequate for now, clauses in the bill ranging from setting up the Petroleum Host Communities Fund in which some percentage of the net profit of the oil and gas companies operating in the area is set aside for the development is highly welcome. The Bill also sets out to end gas flaring by a flare down date to protect the health and safety of the environment.

Therefore, Nigeria cannot afford to continue losing investments in the hydrocarbon industry by not passing the bill into law as the bill has in place reforms to take full advantage of our resources and potential to drive the industry to benefit all Nigerians in all facets of developments. The non-passage of this all important Bill has only succeeded in driving away investments to other investment friendly countries like Ghana, Angola, Libya and even South Sudan

Could it be right to say that the economic non-viability of Ajaokuta was a reason for its sale?

Irrespective of the factor that led to the sale, what I am saying is privatisation is the way to go. Even with the current state of Ajaokuta, I believe experts would have come in to ascertain what part of it is still okay. The experts would also have discovered the aspect of it that cannot be managed because of modern technology. So it is a matter of government calling international bidders and putting it on sale. Again, I understand that some Indian companies bought it sometime ago and there was controversy as the succeeding government came in and cancelled the transaction.

What I think is required is for the government to come up with a strong policy backed by law through the National Assembly to protect the sanctity of any Backed by law through the National Assembly to protect the sanctity of any contract that is entered into by any government whether in or out of power. No doubt, before any such decision on sale is made, I am sure due process would have been followed. So a strong policy would have prevented the current controversy going on.

Do you think proper independent study was done on the viability or otherwise of Ajaokuta steel by both local and international professionals before the recommendation for sale?

I think this is not even the issue. The recommendation for sale should be the policy of the government. If government agrees today that we cannot do this power thing and wants to sell it off, it can go ahead provided there is a policy. Once you have a policy in place, it is the bidding thing that would then follow. Government cannot even appoint people to dictate to her how much her assets should be sold. Even if it is appointing people to look at the cost, it is the international bidding price that would determine how much the asset is to be sold.

Take for example the GSM, when the government was issuing these GSM licences at very high costs, a lot of people were wondering and saying nobody would be willing to buy. But today if you consider how much these telecom companies have made, one would understand why the companies went for the licences despite the supposed huge costs. They knew how much they were going to make. Right now, more people are interested in investing in the sector because of the huge potential returns in it. So whatever it is, it is the government policy protected by the law that matters in the end.

For the steel industry to attain its full potential, it is believed that issues of infrastructure, power and utilities must be adequately addressed. How can we address the issues?

That, to me, is simple again. The only problem Nigeria has is power. There is no other problem. We have got the market, we have got the purchasing power, we have got human resources, the only problem is power. And I believe the government is doing something about this.

Yes, there could be the security problem, but there are countries with worse security situations and their economies are thriving. I believe that power is number 1 and security is number 2. Once these two things are taken care of, Nigeria would be one of the best environments with the favourable investment climate in the world. At least to some extent, we have been able to prove that we have political stability. Infact, I want to give kudos to the president and his team for that. Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world where anybody can abuse the president anyhow he likes and gets away with it. To me, that is the best dividend of our democratic experiment. So we are not doing badly; the problem is just power which I said if the government goes ahead with what it is doing, things would change for better for the country. So, in a nutshell, I support government’s decision to sell these assets for private people to take over.

Do you think we have proper and adequate planning in the execution of our power projects?

The term proper planning is a relative one. What is proper planning to me may not be the same to you. But I believe strongly that having planning is one thing but the actual thing is implementation. Because, to me, I have said government must have the political will to open up and privatise these industries. No matter the amount they want it sold, let there be a proper bidding process. There should be transparency and openness in the process of handing over the process of international companies bidding for these assets and the process of paying wisely for these projects. So it is not a matter of planning to me; it is a matter of getting the right things done by the right people and government divesting and allowing private investors to come in.

Let’s talk about your upcoming electricity, power, modern homes and furniture exhibition and conference; what is the event meant to achieve?

The Annual Electricity, Steel, Modern Homes & Offices Exhibition and Conference 2013 Event with the theme ”New Markets, New Possibilities,” which is in its second year running is geared towards bringing together all power, steel, modern homes and offices equipment manufacturers and industry players across the globe to the heart of Africa, Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, from 28-30 May.

With Nigeria recording a current trade surplus of about 9.2 Billion USD and balance of trade of 14.6 Billion USD, investment in the sub-region is taking a new turn as the market is becoming more attractive to global economy key players looking to reach developing economies for business.

So,the forum intends to encourage the fostering of partnership of all key players to bridge the gap between the demand and supply infrastructure and services delivery through competition and responsiveness to opportunities.

Kindly tell us more about your background

I was born on Sunday August 25, 1946 in Kaduna. My father was a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State, while my mother was of Sierra Leonean extraction. I had my formative years in Kaduna. I had my primary and secondary school up to high school level in Abeokuta. I attended the University of Ibadan for just one year before I changed my course of study and university to Obafemi Awolowo University then known as University of Ife. There, I obtained a degree in Electronic Engineering in 1971. I immediately went abroad where I had my post- graduate studies, an Msc in Electronic Engineering and specialised in Micro Waves. I worked briefly as a development engineer at in the UK before I went on to do my doctorate degree at the University of Success. I obtained my Ph.D in 1978. Immediately, I returned to Nigeria to continue with my employment at the University of Ife where I served for over 29 years before I went into voluntary retirement in 2002 having commenced full ministerial work at the end of Year 2000.

One may ask how I got into ordained ministry. It happened that my mother died when I was fairly young in 1957. Then my father’s cousin, the late Bishop Jonathan Soremi Adeniyi, in order to help him (my father) adjust to the situation as a widower, requested that some of us should come and stay with him at our native city. He was the principal of Abeokuta Grammar School. After some time, I came under his influence as an Anglican priest who later became a bishop. My being ordained today in the ministry is really an act of grace from God and an instrumentality of Rtd. Rev. Jonathan Soremi Adeniyi. I became a deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1981 and to the glory of God, I have occupied every position in the Anglican ministry. I moved from being a deacon to a full priest, honourary canon, statutory canon to becoming a venerable archdeacon, a provost, a bishop and today by the grace of God an archbishop in the Anglican Communion.

With your educational records, would it be right to say that you were born with a silver spoon?

I don’t know of any silver spoon. I thank God my parents were fairly well to do. My father was a banker and he happened to be among the first set of Nigerians that the British Bank of West Africa tested out as bank managers in the early 50s. He was a banker and rose to be a manager. By the virtue of his career, one could say that he was well above average and that robbed off on us.

What has changed since you became an archbishop?

Nothing has changed about this creature. I remain the same servant of God just that responsibilities have increased. We are trusting God who caused it to happen to grant us the grace of office to meet the challenges and the demands of the office as the Archbishop of the Lagos Province of Anglican Communion.

It would be nice to know how you met your wife.

I was an undergraduate in the University of Ife between 1968 and 1971. She gained admission into the same institution in 1968 and graduated in 1972, she came in as a prelim student while I entered as a first year now a second year student. Both of us have had the grace of being born again and were both members of the Evangelical Christian Union (ECU). I enjoy Church music a great deal. She on her part was a talented and great singer, so we had something in common. While I was in charge of music at a point in time at ECU, she was one of the outstanding singers of the group. Over a period of time, I had a leading, a witness in my mind that it would please God for both of us to go into marriage relationship. After a while, I talked to her. She prayed about it and gave her consent. That was how our relationship blossomed into marriage on September 30, 1972 after she graduated. I had graduated a year ahead of her in 1971 and had actually gone ahead for my Masters degree programme, while she was completing her undergraduate programme. We have every cause to thank God for our marriage which is blessed with three lovely boys. Two of them are married. We are happy to have three grandchildren.

Has your marriage been a bed of roses all along?

Of course not but in totality, God has been very gracious and kind to us. We have had a lot of challenges and a lot of anxious moments. My wife had a road accident in 1989 and it is a miracle that she is alive today. I had to take her to the UK for medical assistance. It was a trying period. Our children have had accidents at various times. One had an accident on motorcycle when he was preparing to go into the university.

It was an anxious moment. Our first son had an accident as an infant and ended up in the hospital. It was an anxious moment. We have various anxious moments in life but we thank God that our trust has always being in Him. He has remained our help because He is always there to help us in our moments of anxiety.

I read that you were in the corporate world as chairman of Chams’ Board of Directors. Is that true?

Well, not in a corporate world as such. I happen to be very active in computer profession in Nigeria. As at the time God gave me the grace to obtain a Ph.D in Computer Engineering, it was a rare feat in the country. I have never been a businessman but have made use of my professional knowledge to benefit the profession in this country. Yes, I have been involved with Chams Plc right from infancy to about 20 years and have had the privilege of serving the company at the highest level as the chairman of the board of directors.

Now that you are an archbishop, would you still be involved in such corporate activities?

I have retired. I have actually retired from the board of Chams. On my election as the Archbishop of Lagos, I have retired from the board of Chams and strictly concerned with church matters. My position at Chams never competed with my church activities even as a bishop. I sat and directed four board meetings in a year and directed one annual general meeting once in a year. I quit because with God’s grace bringing us to this position of archbishop, it was desirable that I should completely leave such position in order not to mislead anyone.

Your position would demand you have tight schedule. Do you have social life at all?

Social life in terms of attending parties and visiting, I can say is almost zero. There’s so much to do. The diocese of Lagos Mainland Anglican Communion is a relatively young diocese. We are just getting to be seven years old so there is so much work to do in terms of provision of infrastructure and meeting several other needs. There are other demands coming from other dioceses to me now as an archbishop. My position doesn’t carry any metro political power over other dioceses but it has coordinating and administrative roles to play and it is a bit substantial. The position really leaves me with very little time to socialise and to visit. By the time you go through your normal day schedule there’s nothing you will seek for beside your bed, just to have some rest.

Lecturers are often faced with the twin-temptation of money and women. You were in the university system for almost 29 years, how did you cope with these?

I don’t know how you came about that opinion . I was in the university system for almost 29 years and didn’t have problem with money though the pay in the university is not the best. A university don knows that he’s not a business man, he knows that he is not a star. Univeristy work confers on you simplicity of lifestyle and you don’t really need too much to go through those things. It is an anomaly for anyone to view university work as a means of becoming rich. If you want to be rich, you go into business or the corporate world and not the university. You are meant to engage yourself in discovery, in knowledge creation, in building up skilled manpower for the world. Our major work deals with the intellectual component of developing our students. We are also saddled with the task of setting good examples for them. You don’t set good examples by flaunting money before your students. I didn’t have that temptation.

I also never had any problem with women. I had female students many of whom were my daughters. My wife and I adopted quite a number of them. They visited us and spent time with us. There are still a good number of them that remain as our daughters today. They are wives and mothers in their own right today but still relate to us as our daughters. Yes, we have very few university dons who want to take undue advantage of female students through sexual harassment but I dare say, and I am saying it with every sense of responsibility, that the problem has been extremely exaggerated by the Nigerian press. Worse things happen in ministries, the civil service and the private sector. Sexual harassment is worse in the society than in university system.

When I talked about money, I meant lecturers taking bribe or asking for bribe from students to pass them.

I am being very honest. I never heard of it in all my close to 29 years in the university system. It is an anatema for a university don to do so. When a lecturer awards marks to students, it is his own integrity that he is putting on the line. You are saying to the whole world that this person is competent in your subject. Why would you give mark not deserved for whatever reason to a student or demand bribe from students in order to give them marks? I can’t believe it that a lecturer would ask for bribes to pass students. I can’t believe it and it can’t be true. It never happened all my whole 29 years in the system. Any don that is caught doing that should be given a universal disgrace.

The Anglican Communion has spoken very well against homosexualism but I read that it has been very weak in condemning the practice of polygamy among the clergy and top lay faithful. Why is it so?

Facts are sacred and views are free. I do not know of any clergy man that is polygamous. Yes, I know there has been one or two cases of church people wanting to allege polygamy in the life of one or two clergy men but I have not come across one. As far as polygamy is concerned, I don’t know of any Anglican clergy man that is polygamous. On homosexuality, it is an abomination unto God the Lord. Bestiality, human beings having sexual relationship with animals is also a punishment from God. The same thing goes for sodomy. The ideal Christian marriage involves one man and one woman, nothing more than that.

If you find that any of your priests is a gay, what will you do?

Our church is one that operates on the constitution. For us in the Church of Nigeria, homosexuality is a statutory offence. I will apply the full weight of the provisions of the constitution against such a priest. There can be no room for homosexuals in our church.

Part of what I also read was that cult members have continued to take over burial activities of some members after church services. Could this be true bearing in mind the church’s war against cultism?

The Anglican Church that I know as of today has no room for cult members. At every ordination, the candidates are publicly made to pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ. They must publicly declare that they are not members of any secret society or cult and that they do not intend to join. Should they ever go back on that, they would pronounce God’s judgement on themselves. We have no place for cultism. Members of parish council must also come out publicly to swear before the church that they are not members of any secret society or that they have rescinded their membership. Cultism or secret society do not constitute any problem in the church today. We have clear views and our members know what the stand of the church is on this. You can’t serve God and mammon.

You were born in the North. How do you feel about the violence in the area?

I am very sad about it. God has blessed this country a great deal. Nigeria has known so much development in the past 60 years that I can recall but it is very sad that we have not outgrown parochialism, ethnicity and triabalism. As a little boy growing up in Kaduna, you have Yoruba to your left, Igbo in the middle and Hausa to your right. There were no fences. We ate tuwo with our Hausa neighbours. I can’t recollect how much my parents spent in buying rice. They came as gift from his Hausa friends. As a young man growing up in the North, you will speak three languages. I still understand Igbo and speak Hausa till today. My wife is from the South South while I am from the South West.

I grew up in a Nigeria where nobody knew whether you are Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo. I was puzzled when my mum told me that I am a Yoruba. I was like what does that mean? Am I not a Nigerian? Who is Yoruba again? I could not understand it. I should have a sense of Kaduna being a home to me even today but it is painful to know that we do not have a home in Kaduna again. Up till the time I was a university don, I looked up to Kaduna as my family home. It wasn’t until 2003 that I went to dispose of my father’s second house in the state. It was a dark day for me when I went to sell it.

My father died in 1967. All the while I was abroad, we had two houses there but when I saw the way things were going, it became clear to me that it was not wise to leave the house there and I went to sell it. My father was an Egba man and I claim my native city of Abeokuta but I thought Kaduna was my home. I still hold found memories of my childhood days in Kaduna. My prayer for Nigeria is that God will teach us to know the true meaning of brotherhood in the spirit of love, justice and equity. May God bless Nigeria.

It did not come as a surprise when top flight fashion designer, Kehinde Ejiogu, declared recently that she was set to flood her Valerie Davids stores with her new line of clothes. In the last decade, she has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the fashion and style business, catching up with the big names and asserting her signature with awards that presently adorn her office. Exuding incredible talent, she combines her career with the challenge of keeping a home. She speaks with PAUL UKPABIO about the factors behind her rise to the top of fashion business, her lifestyle and her love for music. Excerpts:

Many people know you as a top fashion designer. How do you describe yourself?

I’ll describe myself as a bespoke professional tailor who specialises in structured garments. I must confess, my clothes fit excellently because I am a well trained designer.

How long have you been in the fashion and style business and how did you get into it?

I have always had a flair for it; I have been a creative person from childhood. I have been into cutting, sewing and designing. I had it in me and I pursued it. As a child, I used to cut anything. I was sewing for young and even for adults. It’s a talent I grew up with and decided to pursue.

At what point did you decide to take it up as a career?

I would say it was after I left the university. I wanted to sew earlier than that, but then if I had told my parents that I wanted to be a tailor, it would have been like I was going up against them. Nobody wanted me to do that at that point. So, I went to the University of Benin to study agronomy, though I had always wanted to sew. After UNIBEN, I went to London School of Fashion to brush up on what I had already started here.

All along, I had been sewing stuff right at the university. For me, University of Benin was exciting, but sewing was great. I studied Agronomy which was based in the Agricultural Sciences Department. I loved the sciences. Biology was the major drive that led me to study agronomy. It was fun. But right there on campus, I was making clothes for my friends. I sold some ready-to-wear tops for ladies, and I remember doing a couple of dresses too. I was exploring and I enjoyed that much then.

I got out of school and got married. So, by the time I had made up my mind to face the fashion world with my talent, I didn’t have my parents to contend with my decision because I was already married. I actually went back to school after I had my first son. My husband readily agreed and encouraged me.

London School of Fashion was exciting. I did intermittent courses because of my marriage. I shuttled from time to time. In London, I met students but I understudied Yemi Koshibah. He was a great influence on my life and business. I was an intern with him. He is indeed a fantastic guy.

What aspect of fashion appeals to you when you work?

I am a very creative person, I enjoy creating clothes. I don’t limit myself to a box. For instance, I can do a kaftan in a Valerie Davids’ way. I could do a structured, very high end avant garde garment. I just love to create. I could take a piece of article and make an excellent garment out of it. I am not limited to anything; I think I’m blessed and gifted. Beyond having honed my skill, I am naturally a creative person. I pick something and make a new thing out of it.

How long does it take you to make a new dress?

It depends. A wedding dress, for instance, like the recent one that was featured in Ovation magazine, took me about two weeks. Ideally, we have a check time of three weeks, but the bride needed it at that short notice. Also on a wedding dress, we usually expect a three-month notice. That apart, I can turn out ten items in two days. I work on cut-and-sew and all that. I do my patterns and I cut. I also have my fantastic machinists who work with me. I cut all my outfits.

What colours appeal to you?

Formerly, I used to have favourite colours. But presently, I do not think I have favourite colours any more. However, I love red, purple, olive green. You see, the truth right now is that I love every colourdiamond, bluethough I am not a very bright colour person. But I work with such colours anyway.

What about fabrics?

Like I said, I have this thing about fabrics. To me, every fabric has its own language, be it organza, silk or lace, they all speak their own languages. Once I see it, I immediately understand its language and flow with it. I am not one of those designers who are boxed. I work out of the box. I just flow with the fabric. I go right into the fabric and understand what to do with it. I am always ready to play with any fabric that comes into my hand. I don’t particularly like fabrics that limit my creativity. Even when I handle fabrics that I am not very good with, I still work on them and ensure that I arrive well with them at the end of the day.

Designers make clothes for people. So, what appeals to you to wear as a designer?

I am extremely simple. My style is very simple. I do not have much personal avant garde things to wear. For me, I love to wear jeans, jackets, T-shirt and basic short dress.

You create clothes for people to attend social functions. What does your own socials look like?

I guess it is lying down in bed and watching films (laughs). Oh, my work is so hectic, I don’t like going to parties that I can avoid. I love to be in bed watching films because that is perhaps the only time I do not work. Once I am up from the bed, I am working. So, I only attend socials that are compulsory for me, though I love to meet people. Even then, I rarely find the time to have that cherished moment of lying down in bed.

How do you cope as a working mother and home maker?

Oh, I have a supportive husband. I have children who are very understanding and supportive. My children are well behaved and fantastic. I must say that I am blessed. Also with years of experience, I must say that I have been able to juggle everything together and sort things out. I try to get my priorities right at all times, though of course, I get it wrong sometimes. That is because sometimes we are working day in and day out weeks on end, working and staying right there in the office.

When those times come as they usually do, my husband is usually a very good back-up for me. Otherwise, it would have been something else. So, when I find the time, I try very much to make up for those lost time and be with my family and we enjoy one another.

How did you come about Valerie Davids?

My son’s name is David and my daughter’s name is Valerie. We pieced them together and got Valerie Davids. The funniest part is that we had named our children before we gave birth to them (laughs). Valerie Davids actually fully started after the birth of my second child. But I was sewing before we got married. Long before their birth, we had spoken to God on the number of children that we wanted to have, and had even gone ahead and chose names for them before they arrived. Amazingly, our children came that way.

What memories do you have of your childhood?

Growing up was very interesting for me. I come from a very large family. My father was a loving gentleman, while my mother was strict. Between them, they molded us. We had our momentsthe good, the bad, the ups and the downs. I have lovely siblings and I am in the middle somewhere. As a child, I recall doing interesting things like cutting papers, drawing things, sketching clothes and sewing. It was interesting.

Let’s talk about women and fashion. As a designer, what will you say appeals to women?

The average woman wants to look stunning, no matter her social class or status. Women all want to go out and look comfortable. I realized, however that despite all that, women have different tastes and styles. What appeals to one may not appeal to the other. So, I try to meet them somewhere. My work, however, is personal. So, I try to know the individual. I try to know who they really are and then interpret their style and apply it.

I don’t use client A’s style for client B. We have clients that will come and say ‘Oh, I can never wear this.’ Meanwhile, another client comes in and says, ‘Oh, this is what I want to wear.’ I try to understand the individual and at the end of the day, I play up your pluses and play down your minuses. I make you look good, no matter your taste or fashion or style. Mine is to interpret a woman and make her look better than she would ordinarily look. We give a woman the Valerie Davids’ look.

When a new female client knocks on your door, do you get scared or worried about having to meet a new taste of fashion?

No, I never get scared. I ask a lot of questions which would enable me to interpret the person’s style and taste. I have to know who you are. If you play a little safe by not telling me about your style, there would be questions that I will ask to bring you out of your comfort zone and still make you comfortable.

Everyone who comes in for me is a new opportunity and a new adventure. Once I’m able to understand and interpret your style, I’m fine. It doesn’t matter who you are.

Do you stick to women’s clothes?

Yes, for now. But then, we’ve started doing men’s clothes gradually. We are hoping that in a couple of months, we will be able to do that more freely. As for children’s clothes, I am not into it for now. I do sew for my children once in a blue moon and also once in a while for the children of my top clients. But it is not what I regularly do.

What is your outlook on total wardrobe change?

It boils down to what you want and what you want the change to do for you. We, for instance, take into consideration the category of clothes that would get you that new look that you want. Is it casual, formal and so on? So, all these will determine the overhaul that we will put in place to change you with a new wardrobe.

How expensive are Valerie Davids clothes?

We actually have different categories. We have the basic, silver, premium and the premium plus. Once you are in, we fix you into a particular group.

These categories must be based on the divide between the rich and the poor?

(Laughs) Oh no, it is just a guide for us. No, it is not about how rich or poor you are. We actually have something coming up soon. We call it the Valerie Davids budget clothes. It is something that will be affordable. It will come as dresses,tops, trousers and so on.

Will it cut across everybody?

No, I can’t sew clothes that will go for everybody. People come to me to sew for them special clothes. There are people who bring me boxes of clothes. Maybe not everybody can afford what we do, but at the same time, our clothes are top notch. So, we deserve to work in that range and with clients who appreciate that range. I do not compromise on a Valerie Davids clothe, no matter what!

In recent times, you have not been participating in fashion shows. Any special reason for that?

I am not a fan of shows. I used to do ‘show’ when I started out, but not these days. I don’t think that they influence much. I was working a lot with a popular human interest magazine at a time. I did some fashion shows for many events too. But what I later noticed was that it took so much of my time and I didn’t understand whether it did that much for me. However, I will have a private show soon.

But I don’t think I am a show person right now, and that is because my hands are very full. I have been able to build my business more by referrals than any other way. People ask me why I do not participate in the Nigerian Fashion Show too. The truth is that my work is so tasking. I do not think I have that energy now.

Your business is located in Lagos Mainland area. Does that have much advantage, seeing that more of your clients are based on the Island?

I get my clients mostly by referrals. I am enjoying my location on the Lagos Mainland because most of my workers are on this side.

Now that you have a successful business, do you still nurse any dream?

Yes, I do. I want to soon see my business working without me. I am trying to train people to understand the art of pattern designing. We have a school that we are running here. It is called The Valerie Davids Fashion School. I’m hoping that in the next couple of years, I would have trained cutters, designers who would be back-ups for me.

Right now, I am doing between 70 and 80 per cent of the whole work. I am hoping to start my ready-to-wear line, which will be very different. I want people to wear my clothes around Nigeria. I want to have people walk into shops like it is done abroad, and get my clothes. However, I will still maintain my personal touch when I get the back-up because my clients recognise my personal touch, and to keep them, I have to be on ground. So, I will instruct but be involved.

Also, I need time for myself. I need time to travel. But I have to know that I have good hands to take instructions. Even then, I will still be involved because my style evolves regularly. I don’t keep a comfortable style; I change regularly. That is why you see fabrics everywhere around me. The next minute, I am creating a new thing. I have people who give me up to 40 fabrics and they want different things.

You are not just a designer and bespoke tailor, you are also into music. How did you come about that?

I am a music minister. I used to sing more before I got married. But now I sing in the choir in my church at High life Bible Church at Oniru Estate, Victoria Island. I am learning to play the saxophone and I love it. I guess creativity is in me and my daughter is like that already. She is nine and already draws very well. She came second in an art competition recently, while my son is more of an IT person. He is good with computers and already writing programmes at 14.

As a designer, what does beauty mean to you?

To me, beauty is beyond make up and clothes. When you are beautiful inside, it reflects on the outside. Beauty is being the best God has made you to be. It is about exuding so much that has been deposited inside of you by God. All things bright and beautiful is truly what beauty is about. Clothes should play up your beauty instead of playing your beauty down. I don’t throw fabrics on my clients; I structure clothes on them. My clothes are meant to give my clients a fashion experience. My clothes just have to do something to your beauty. I have seen people come in and wear my clothes and they cry. They cry because of the new look they get, which they didn’t know that they could have. My clothes bring out the best in you.

For every talented person, there is a source of inspiration. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I am a spiritual person. I am born again with the help of the Holy Ghost. The things I do are divine. I believe that God is very creative. I use the scripture that tells me that I have the mind of Christ, and that helps me a great deal to create. I am in tune with the Holy Spirit and that helps my creativity, because left to me alone, I will be burnt out. I found out that my strength is renewed every morning because I have connection with God. It is not about my talent or skill. Those are very good stuff for me though, but the heart of the matter is that daily, I draw strength from God, and that is why I can take every piece and make a master piece out of it.

In recent times, the American Cable News Network, popularly known as CNN, has had them all, from Christiane Amanpour to Sorious Samura to Nic Robertson, Michael Ware and many others. Somewhere in between these names, is our own Niyi Babade who also works with that big media organisation. And unlike the Japanese Mika Yamamoto, who was killed in active journalism war reporting in Syria, these ones have escaped death, sometimes at hair’s breath.
For his daring ability to cover extremely dangerous assignments, Nigeria’s Niyi Babade, according to him, was severally labelled. “In Reuters, they call me the ‘miracle man of Nigeria’ because of my success in going to war-torn zones to cover wars, dodge bullets, survive or just go to dangerous zones. I remember in Associated Press, they called me the ‘king of Nigeria’ and that was because of my ability to deliver at any point in time.”
In this interview with PAUL UKPABIO at his Ilupeju Lagos residence, Otunba Niyi Babade, who is the CEO at Niyi Babade Global Network Nigeria, shares with us, some of his journalism memoirs and his vast collection of documented materials on Nigerian history, as he positions to serve his country via politics in 2015.

IT’S not everyday that we find someone who has chosen covering dangerous assignments as a life style. How do you describe yourself?

I will describe myself as somebody who is passionate about what he does. I worked for Reuters, The Associated Press, CNN and for almost 16 years, I took charge of Nigeria, and nobody could beat that. I loved taking dangerous assignments that were difficult to tackle: Whether it was in the desert, high sea, mountain or land, I was there.

I can remember chasing the hostage takers in Forcados outside of Bayelsa State for three hours on the waters. Also up North Kano, where I went to cover a religious riot, I was at the assignment with a colleague from the BBC. Her name is Hillary Anderson. We were hearing gun shots coming from a particular house and as a reporter for radio which was beamed on satellite, she was already standing outside the house, giving live reports. But I suddenly remembered that I couldn’t do that. She could say whatever, but I as a camera man, to report an event to the world, my camera had to be beaming it. I cannot say, ‘I can hear bullet coming from inside a house opposite me.’

So the next thing I did was to run into the house where the bullets were coming from with my camera without looking back. I saw people there and I was filming straightaway. When I was coming out, I was overhearing her saying on her live report that the Reuters guy she came with must have been killed when he ran into the compound. She went as far as saying, she could not find me any longer, that she was already on her way to the airport. I met her as she was getting into the vehicle. When she saw me she said, ‘you are a very dangerous guy, you must be the cat with nine lives.’

There were lots of daring moments like that. I recall a Boko Haram incident in Borno recently, how we went to bust their headquarters and all that stuff.

But how did you get into journalism?

I had always wanted to attend a college. One day I was on Lagos Island, I went into a photo studio and a lady had just come to photocopy her admission letter into the College of Journalism, Fleet Street, London. There was a bad copy which was thrown into the waste bin. When she left, I looked it over, and saw the word ‘college’. I was excited. So I took it to my aunt, Aunty Tobi. I asked her what journalism was about. She explained that with a certificate in journalism, one can work in Daily Times. I fell in love with the word ‘Journalism’. When I returned to Efon Alaye Secondary School where I schooled, I got a white T-shirt and wrote boldly at the back ‘call me journalist.’

So in Form Three, people started calling me a journalist. We had a school magazine which I was already contributing stories to. At a point, I became the editor of the magazine. That was where it all began. After that, I continued with the career till I travelled overseas.

I liked photography too. I kept a camera with me. I was always taking photographs. I remember buying my first camera for N20. I was the leader of the boys scout. We used to go to the highest hills at Efon Alaye to take the pictures of flowers. That was how my love for photography started. Thereafter, I went to attend that college at Fleet Street, London.

Did you stay back in London?

No, I returned to Nigeria. I went to NTA Channel 7 to observe the National Youth Service Corps Programme. We were told that we would likely be employed afterwards. I ended up working there for two years without pay. We had our days, those were times when one got sent to juicy assignments like a governor’s event, where you were sure that you would be well favoured. One day my name was listed for such a juicy assignment. We were going with the Lagos State governor to Badagry. But before I could go upstairs to bring out the camera, someone had deleted my name and put another person’s name. I was now re-assigned to go and cover another assignment at Trade Fair complex. I was so upset that I went to the newsroom declining to go out for any other assignment.

While in the newsroom, I was flipping through the pages of a newspaper when I saw an advertisement, ‘cameraman wanted at Latola Films.’ That same day, I went there and had an interview. I met Kunle Bamtefa there as General Manager and Mr Shittu Fabiyi. I resumed there the following day. Latola Films was representing all the major broadcasting stations in the world then. It was here that I started having my experience of international journalism. Then, people were not just coming to Nigeria to occupy it the way it is being done now. CNN was not in existence then, but there was CBN, Disney, Reuters which did not have television then.

I later became one of the pioneers at Reuters Television. What the international broadcasting stations did then was that, whenever they needed anything, they called Latola Films which arranged cameramen or reporters to cover such assignments and shipped it to them. That was how I began to learn the process. I grew to become a production manager at Latola Films.

Somehow, the deal between Latola Films and Reuters soured and one day, I was driving when I got a call that a television station liquidated in Britain. Reuters bought their equipment and started television. They were now looking for a representative in Nigeria and since I had been doing things for them, I joined them. I became the television guy for almost nine years. I was sent to the London office for more training before coming back to work here.

But you sooner left for CNN

It was from Reuters that I moved to Associated Press. I told them that if they can pay my salary five times over, I would join them. It was funny. It was from there that I joined CNN. I had a colleague there too, Jeff Koinange, he was in Reuters too. He was my producer in Reuters. Anything I did, I sent to Jeff. So we ended up working together again. He left Reuters before me.

What do you do now?

What I do now is commercial stuff for CNN, it gives me an opportunity to do other stuffs for other international broadcasting stations. I am aligned with many of them. For instance, next week, I will be working most of the time for a French company that I’m doing things for. It’s good for me now because I am free to work for any organisation any time of the day. I have built that relationship with most of the foreign organisations that I have been working with. I am also in a working relationship with the Nigerian Army Public Relations Department. I serve as a resource person with them. And they recently gave me an award as their best resource person.

But with my knowledge of all the rudiments of documentary production, I am more concentrated on doing major documentaries and I got started right with the MKO Abiola documentary, which is now being celebrated.

Is that the one you dedicated to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos?

Yes, it is. When I completed the work in 2009, I sent it to the film festival in Doha 2011. It was nominated for award in the film festival in Doha, Qatar in 2011. I was there and I remember how it went. It was big and the MKO film titled: ‘Journey to martyrdom’ stood out at the world event. Now I have started the big work on Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s film documentary. I want to celebrate some of the real great people in Nigeria. With work going on the Gani Fawehinmi’s film to be titled; ‘The Senior Advocate of the masses,’ I have been travelling all over the place trying to put it together. I can assure you that the Gani Fawehinmi documentary will go to America film festival and every other place.

How long did the Abiola film take you to complete?

It took me three years to complete. I started this present one last year and I thought I could complete it and premiere on April 22. But now, that seems not possible because the work ahead is still much. So I’m presently looking at completing the project in September this year.

Let’s talk about the MKO film. Where did you get the inspiration from?

That goes back to my days in Reuters. I can categorically say that I was the only foreign television camera guy who was always on ground during all that period of the struggle. Throughout the election periods, voting and after, I was totally on ground. So most shots on the film and footages, were done by me. It was a realisation that dawned on me one day, that I already have all the materials I needed for the documentary. That gave me the inspiration to go ahead with the project.

I had MKO’s voting on tape, his legal struggle, his visits to the court and being pushed around by the police and taken away to prison. I knew even then that Nigerians don’t believe in this kind of dream, they associate more with people who are contractors in the oil industry. Nevertheless, I was inspired to document same for posterity. When I was on the project, I can tell you that no one believed in the project. It was after I returned from Doha, Qatar, that the Lagos State government supported me. Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola supported me. As you can see in the film, we have recorded Lagos State government advertisements therein.

I am presently having the same experience with the Gani Fawehinmi film. I have not been getting the support. But that cannot stop me. I will go right ahead and complete the work and when it wins awards, then I will be vindicated. I am sure that I will have friends then. But I thank God, I have presently got two governors to endorse the on coming Gani Fawehinmi film. Governor Rauf Araegbesola of Osun State has endorsed it and Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State.

Did you cover any of the coup in Nigeria?

Of course I did. For instance, the night the Gideon Orkar coup took place, it was around 3am that I was called that there was a coup in Nigeria. I don’t know how the information got abroad, but the people who gave me the information were right. I was in Reuters then. I rushed out and started shooting on tape at 6am. I followed the coup plotters everywhere and also caught up with the loyalists when they went to dislodge the rebels. I remember picking the coup announcement tape that was played on the big machine at the radio station. I remember that morning too, when the loyalist soldiers were shouting and demanding to know who was playing the coup tape there.

They found an operator, who begged for his life, insisting that he was not on duty. I was following the soldier who eventually quelled the coup. He was wearing a blue track suit with ammunition all over. He was not dressed like a soldier! I followed them as they were shooting their way, I was also shooting with my camera. I was just shooting. I remember at Obalende bridge, I was hearing gun shots but since I wasn’t familiar with those particular sounds, I didn’t know that those were actually gun shots.

It was when I saw four soldiers ahead of me falling down with blood spewing out as I filmed on, that it suddenly dawned on me, how dangerous the assignment was. I ran immediately to the white Mazda bus that I was driving. The assignment I told myself was too dangerous. For a moment there, I was tempted to get into the bus and drive home, but something told me from inside, that I was already in it!

So as an actor, which I convinced myself at that moment that I was, I ran back into the soldiers and followed them wherever they went. And everything I saw, was no joke. It was when I got home and played back the scenes that fear gripped my mind, on how so dangerous I had gone.

How did you get the information on most of MKO Abiola’s movements after the annulment of the election and his open confrontation with government, being that, everything concerning Abiola then was under exclusive confidentiality to a few?

What I did was to join the civil society groups. I became a member of the Campaign for Democracy in order to be able to get exclusives. So I was the only foreign media guy who was working directly with the real activists not the jeun jeun ones. So I remember they used to smuggle paper invitations to me which used to inform me wherever they were going to be. But also, I had to contribute my quota, in that, on my part, I used to advise them on what to do to gain international notice and recognition. For instance, they created bonfires which I filmed along with arrival of policemen and that would be on the next flight to London. It was my contribution to the struggle for democracy in my country. And I am proud of that now.

We, however, planned so many rallies of which the police would have got a tip off and cordoned the place before we got there. I remember the only lady that used to be among us then, Dr. Joe Odumakin, I remember once when we were on the way to the airport in Ikeja. We got wind that the police were already ahead of us. So we moved into a primary school where we quickly had the bonfires and rally. I quickly filmed it and sent to London. The police were waiting ahead, not knowing that we had made another plan. I remember when the Late Dr. Beko Kuti was taking a letter to Governor Otedola, we had to disguise in a Volkswagen car to beat the police. I still have all these on film. I was part of the CDHR, so I had information which got me to meet MKO Abiola; even when he was arrested, I got it on film.

Were you at the swearing-in ceremony, if yes, what happened?

I had already got the information that they were meeting at Epetedo. The ceremony itself was hush and rushed. Immediately after his declaration as president, he moved out of that place. Everybody moved out, he went away. When he returned to show his face at Shitta in Surulere, I was just fortunate to get it on tape. This is because I was just in the area when I suddenly saw a crowd. I brought out my camera from the car and before I knew it, it was MKO saying ‘bye to everybody.’ That was his last day of freedom. He went to his house and was taken away. We had the belief then that he was not going to be arrested.

I still remember that the rumour mill had it sometime ago that IBB wanted to kill you. How did that come about?

It was after the Abiola documentary got popular that somebody told me that if IBB caught me, he would kill me. Luckily for me, my cousin was working for IBB in the Diaspora. When he came to Nigeria, I told him that ‘They say IBB wants to kill me.’ That was how he took me to IBB. When I got there, IBB told me to sit down. I told him: ‘Sir, I will not sit down, people say you will kill me.’ IBB just started laughing. He told me the story of his life and I was crying because I found out that he is a human being just like everyone of us. I told him to please allow me to do a documentary on him so that the world will see that he is a human being like all of us and he agreed.

What was your impression of him?

From what I saw, I know that he is a good person and a gallant soldier. He has been a soldier and will continue to be a soldier. However, there is a human angle to him as well. He may have made his mistakes but he is a good man.

And why a giant size photograph of you with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in your sitting room? Any special reason?

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu believed in me. When he returned from exile, my friend Tokunbo, took me to him and told him that I work for the international media. Reuters then was representing CNN and every other international medium. We met him at his Ikeja home; he was going out and I quickly asked him for a quick interview which I filmed. He said then that he had returned to Nigeria to participate in the election because he believed the military’s sincerity. CNN ran that same portion for about three days. That was how we met.

That same evening after the campaigns, I was by his side, when he got a call from the USA informing him that he was on CNN at that present moment. He is someone who believes in people. He took me to his bedroom and gave me his campaign souvenir. That was how the relationship began and through out his government, I had access to him because he handed me over to Mr. Tunji Bello. He is a good man, a visionary.

You have lots of materials in your archive, what are you going to do with them?

I will be bringing them out in documentaries. With time, I hope to have the kind of money I need to produce such documentaries. For instance, I have a full coverage of the Lagos Bomb Blast from the time I was inside the army barracks as the bombs started going off. I have on tape when the panic started, with people running into the river and lots more. It’s sad that people don’t appreciate or see that this kind of thing has history and fortune in it. Can you imagine that Daroucha, who was believed to be the richest man in Nigeria and is still talked about in Lagos royal palace, did not leave behind a documentary? We cannot even know to what extent he was rich. Except that people still use him as reference to ownership of enormous wealth. Time will come in future, the names of most of our present leaders will fizzle away too because no books or documentaries to talk about them. I know of many journalists who would love to write books on leaders but are the leaders consenting? No is the answer! And that is painful.

Politics?

I am going into politics in Ekiti State. I want to go and support their cause; I want to show them how governance is to be practised.

Are you presently in any party?

Yes, I am. I am a member of the ACN and as the party evolves into another, I evolve too. In 2015, I will be contesting, though I am still consulting on the office that I will be contesting for.

Ibifuro Tatua, the publisher of BOSS Africa magazine, is also a member of The People’s Movement, a group that is fighting for equality and good governance in the Niger Delta region. The University of Port Harcourt graduate shares with GBENGA ADERANTI her experience as an activist and why she had to abandon the vocation. 

Why did you venture into publishing?

Basically, I like giving out information. A lot of people listen to what I have to say and I believe that information is power. I am passionate about giving it out. I love to write. I grew up as a child who told my mum everything that happened at home. So, my siblings nicknamed me aproko (tale bearer). I would tell her that this or that person did this or that. As I grew up, I always liked to give out information.

When the social media, Facebook and Twitter, started, I had a lot of followers. So much so that any day I did not post anything, people would call and ping, saying ‘we’ve been waiting to hear from you. How come you have not said anything? We want to know what is happening.’ People ask me questions about issues because they believe that I know or I should know. And because I cannot always be on the social media, I decided to take it a step further. That was why I decided to go into publishing.

As an aproko, your growing up days must have been interesting. What were they like?

I grew up in Port Harcourt. It was fun and it was beautiful. I went to school in Port Harcourt. I attended Wesley School, Christ College, MacDonald and later the University of Port Harcourt. I stayed in school, though I was a Port Harcourt girl. School was good. I was into the students’ union politics. We did the aluta struggle. It was good then. People gave you free things which others paid for, because of your involvement in students’ unionism.

We had protests. There was a time the hostels had no water. We protested and they brought water. The vice chancellor then was Prof. Briggs and I happened to be a Briggs. Although I did not come forward, I mobilised the female students. I told them it was not a fight we could avoid. We made sure we stopped buses.

Are you the only girl in your family?

No. There are two girls and two boys.

You seem to have a lot of confidence. Where did you get that from?

I’m afraid of a lot of things. It is just that I could be confrontational when I want to. I believe in what is right. I think there is a thin line between right and wrong. I hate injustice and I believe that truth is truth and you should not hide it. You just tell the truth and people take it as being confrontational. Not everybody can tell the truth or stand up for what they believe in. But I stand up for what I believe in, and if that is going to be my end, I take that as believing in the cause.

Was there a time your stance on an issue has put you in trouble?

A few times, it has almost put me in trouble. But things change at the end of the day when they know the truth. If I have an issue with you, I don’t say you are mad or you are crazy. Rather, I would say you did not do this or you did not do that; this is what you should do. I do not just criticise you; I tell you the way forward. So, you cannot beat me. You cannot blame me. You cannot put me in any kind of trouble. Because if you consider what I have said, it is nothing but the truth. So, it has not really got me into big trouble. It is just that certain seeming benefits I’m supposed to get like others, I do not get them. But I’m not complaining. I’m happy.

You have expressed some strong views on some issues in Delta State lately. Why Delta in particular?

My mum is an Itsekiri. But I do not do my advocacy in Delta State alone. It is not a Delta thing but a Nigerian thing. Last year, it was Bayelsa. We took up the Bayelsa struggle during the (Timipre) Sylva administration. Before then, it was (Rotimi)Amaechi. So, that of Delta is only more recent. They were having a lot of issues. And for the other states, we were not using the print media per se; we were more on the social media. In Delta’s case, we used the print media. That is why we have more information on Delta.

How do you combine managing your home with activism and publishing?

It is not that tough. I work for myself. I work my way around the children. I know when they close. Twenty-four hours is a lot of time. I programme that. I know when they close from school. Whatever thing you do in between, you have people to pick them up. Just make sure there is food.

African culture does not encourage women to be confrontational like you are. How often do you get into trouble with your husband?

I ask a lot of questions and I’m very confrontational. I would not be forceful, but I would not swallow whatever you say. When you tell me something, I wait for you to finish and I tell you, ‘This is not how I understand it. Why not like this? This is what I know it to be and most people like it.’ I’ve had a lot of cases where people would say, ‘Oh, we need more women like you.’ A lot of women commend me for that.

And how has your husband been coping with that?

My husband is really quiet. He is used to that.

What does your wardrobe looks like?

I have too many clothes. I’m a shopaholic. I like clothes, shoes and bags. And who doesn’t? Every girl does.

Which are your favourite colours?

Black, gold and white. I prefer the white colour for clothes and I do a lot of black and gold for bags.

What is that fashion item you can’t do without?

My lip gloss. I can’t do without it.

How would you describe a trendy woman?

Any woman who is comfortable in whatever she wears is trendy. Trend is whatever you make of it.

A girl child is usually known to be closer to her dad than mum. Was that the case with you?

No. I was closer to my mum. My elder sister was close to my father. The first daughter is always close to her father while the first son is close to his mother. I’m close to my mother. There was no rivalry between my sister and I because she is the quiet and cute type. I’m the lively one. We have different lives, so to say.

How is your activism affecting your publishing business?

It is costing me something. It is not usually the way you think it is before you go into it. Sometimes you plan, saying you are going to look at it like an investment. You invest XYZ amount of money, thinking you would sell a certain number of copies and get adverts. You already count your pages of adverts though you have not had them yet. You say by the time this or that company advertises, I will make so much money, and by the time I sell 2000, 3000, 4000 copies, I will make this amount of money. But by the time you go into it, it is not exactly as you thought.

Meanwhile, you spend more than you have budgeted because you have other smaller things that did not come into the budget. Lately, it has been better. But when I started, the first edition for example, we gave them all out for free. So, that is a dent on my pocket.

Are you discouraged?

No, I’m not. It is something I intend to do, and I will do it.

How did you meet your husband?

Leave my husband out of this. He is a quiet and a private person.

How did you arrive at the name BOSS for your magazine?

BOSS is an abbreviation for Built On Self- Success, because we are projecting excellence, people who have done very well in their different fields and people who have been able to sustain themselves even if they were born into it. Some did not work to get this money; it was passed down to them but they still manage it. Majority of the successful people worked their way to it. So, it is basically built on self-success. We get something to explain our focus. But because it is too mouthy, we just made it BOSS. It rhymed and made a lot of sense, and we stuck to it.

Are you into modelling too?

No. I have had modelling activities. I have supported and I have been an underground person in most of the beauty pageants in the country and a few outside.

Talking about beauty pageants, I still don’t understand why some of organisers define African beauty from foreign perspectives…

That is because we copy the white people. We measure our standard by their standard. The average African woman is full and fleshy with thick lips, potato nose and dark hair. She is simple; nothing too fantastic. The back, the front, we just like it full. But because we emulate these white people and because they have set a standard, we want it to be like a world class standard, because our models still have to go out and compete with other world class models and you see us lagging behind. Because it has become a global thing, we have to fit in. That is why they pick the slim and tiny.

Were you at any time a model?

I was not a model but I have had to partake in some pageants. I cannot really say I’m a model. I was not an official model, so to say.

What is that thing that makes you so happy each time you remember it?

A lot of things. I think motherhood; the day I became a mother.

What about what you had wished you could reverse?

Not my personal life. Every time I think about the four students that were murdered in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), it is one thing I don’t think there has been any other thing that has shocked me more. Plane crash had shocked me, but those four students, I wish I did not watch the video.

If you had the opportunity of changing something about Nigeria, what would that be?

I just want us to have stable power supply. That is all. I like Nigeria.

Do you sometimes get scared too?

Not really.

You are doing your activism on a dangerous terrain. Do you sometimes think about death?

I was an activist but not anymore, I have decided to proffer solutions rather than criticise government. Rather than fight, I have decided that if I see anything good, I will suggest it and leave it at that. If they take it, thank God. If they don’t, better luck next time. I cannot really call myself an activist.

Why did you stop activism?

I realised that it brings bitterness and anger. It sends a lot of negative messages and we don’t need negative vibes at this point of our growth. For those of us who see and talk, I think it is high time we began to say what will bring unity, constructive and positive ideas for the way forward for this country. By criticising, you make enemies and you blow things out of proportion just because you want to be heard or you want to make a point. I’ve stopped. I want to promote excellence now. If I say this person has done well in his field, other people who want to do well will follow suit. Many people know you as a top fashion designer. How do you describe yourself?

I’ll describe myself as a bespoke professional tailor who specialises in structured garments. I must confess, my clothes fit excellently because I am a well trained designer.

How long have you been in the fashion and style business and how did you get into it?

I have always had a flair for it; I have been a creative person from childhood. I have been into cutting, sewing and designing. I had it in me and I pursued it. As a child, I used to cut anything. I was sewing for young and even for adults. It’s a talent I grew up with and decided to pursue.

At what point did you decide to take it up as a career?

I would say it was after I left the university. I wanted to sew earlier than that, but then if I had told my parents that I wanted to be a tailor, it would have been like I was going up against them. Nobody wanted me to do that at that point. So, I went to the University of Benin to study agronomy, though I had always wanted to sew. After UNIBEN, I went to London School of Fashion to brush up on what I had already started here.

All along, I had been sewing stuff right at the university. For me, University of Benin was exciting, but sewing was great. I studied Agronomy which was based in the Agricultural Sciences Department. I loved the sciences. Biology was the major drive that led me to study agronomy. It was fun. But right there on campus, I was making clothes for my friends. I sold some ready-to-wear tops for ladies, and I remember doing a couple of dresses too. I was exploring and I enjoyed that much then.

I got out of school and got married. So, by the time I had made up my mind to face the fashion world with my talent, I didn’t have my parents to contend with my decision because I was already married. I actually went back to school after I had my first son. My husband readily agreed and encouraged me.

London School of Fashion was exciting. I did intermittent courses because of my marriage. I shuttled from time to time. In London, I met students but I understudied Yemi Koshibah. He was a great influence on my life and business. I was an intern with him. He is indeed a fantastic guy.

What aspect of fashion appeals to you when you work?

I am a very creative person, I enjoy creating clothes. I don’t limit myself to a box. For instance, I can do a kaftan in a Valerie Davids’ way. I could do a structured, very high end avant garde garment. I just love to create. I could take a piece of article and make an excellent garment out of it. I am not limited to anything; I think I’m blessed and gifted. Beyond having honed my skill, I am naturally a creative person. I pick something and make a new thing out of it.

How long does it take you to make a new dress?

It depends. A wedding dress, for instance, like the recent one that was featured in Ovation magazine, took me about two weeks. Ideally, we have a check time of three weeks, but the bride needed it at that short notice. Also on a wedding dress, we usually expect a three-month notice. That apart, I can turn out ten items in two days. I work on cut-and-sew and all that. I do my patterns and I cut. I also have my fantastic machinists who work with me. I cut all my outfits.

What colours appeal to you?

Formerly, I used to have favourite colours. But presently, I do not think I have favourite colours any more. However, I love red, purple, olive green. You see, the truth right now is that I love every colourdiamond, bluethough I am not a very bright colour person. But I work with such colours anyway.

What about fabrics?

Like I said, I have this thing about fabrics. To me, every fabric has its own language, be it organza, silk or lace, they all speak their own languages. Once I see it, I immediately understand its language and flow with it. I am not one of those designers who are boxed. I work out of the box. I just flow with the fabric. I go right into the fabric and understand what to do with it. I am always ready to play with any fabric that comes into my hand. I don’t particularly like fabrics that limit my creativity. Even when I handle fabrics that I am not very good with, I still work on them and ensure that I arrive well with them at the end of the day.

Designers make clothes for people. So, what appeals to you to wear as a designer?

I am extremely simple. My style is very simple. I do not have much personal avant garde things to wear. For me, I love to wear jeans, jackets, T-shirt and basic short dress.

You create clothes for people to attend social functions. What does your own socials look like?

I guess it is lying down in bed and watching films (laughs). Oh, my work is so hectic, I don’t like going to parties that I can avoid. I love to be in bed watching films because that is perhaps the only time I do not work. Once I am up from the bed, I am working. So, I only attend socials that are compulsory for me, though I love to meet people. Even then, I rarely find the time to have that cherished moment of lying down in bed.

How do you cope as a working mother and home maker?

Oh, I have a supportive husband. I have children who are very understanding and supportive. My children are well behaved and fantastic. I must say that I am blessed. Also with years of experience, I must say that I have been able to juggle everything together and sort things out. I try to get my priorities right at all times, though of course, I get it wrong sometimes. That is because sometimes we are working day in and day out weeks on end, working and staying right there in the office.

When those times come as they usually do, my husband is usually a very good back-up for me. Otherwise, it would have been something else. So, when I find the time, I try very much to make up for those lost time and be with my family and we enjoy one another.

How did you come about Valerie Davids?

My son’s name is David and my daughter’s name is Valerie. We pieced them together and got Valerie Davids. The funniest part is that we had named our children before we gave birth to them (laughs). Valerie Davids actually fully started after the birth of my second child. But I was sewing before we got married. Long before their birth, we had spoken to God on the number of children that we wanted to have, and had even gone ahead and chose names for them before they arrived. Amazingly, our children came that way.

What memories do you have of your childhood?

Growing up was very interesting for me. I come from a very large family. My father was a loving gentleman, while my mother was strict. Between them, they molded us. We had our momentsthe good, the bad, the ups and the downs. I have lovely siblings and I am in the middle somewhere. As a child, I recall doing interesting things like cutting papers, drawing things, sketching clothes and sewing. It was interesting.

Let’s talk about women and fashion. As a designer, what will you say appeals to women?

The average woman wants to look stunning, no matter her social class or status. Women all want to go out and look comfortable. I realized, however that despite all that, women have different tastes and styles. What appeals to one may not appeal to the other. So, I try to meet them somewhere. My work, however, is personal. So, I try to know the individual. I try to know who they really are and then interpret their style and apply it.

I don’t use client A’s style for client B. We have clients that will come and say ‘Oh, I can never wear this.’ Meanwhile, another client comes in and says, ‘Oh, this is what I want to wear.’ I try to understand the individual and at the end of the day, I play up your pluses and play down your minuses. I make you look good, no matter your taste or fashion or style. Mine is to interpret a woman and make her look better than she would ordinarily look. We give a woman the Valerie Davids’ look.

When a new female client knocks on your door, do you get scared or worried about having to meet a new taste of fashion?

No, I never get scared. I ask a lot of questions which would enable me to interpret the person’s style and taste. I have to know who you are. If you play a little safe by not telling me about your style, there would be questions that I will ask to bring you out of your comfort zone and still make you comfortable.

Everyone who comes in for me is a new opportunity and a new adventure. Once I’m able to understand and interpret your style, I’m fine. It doesn’t matter who you are.

Do you stick to women’s clothes?

Yes, for now. But then, we’ve started doing men’s clothes gradually. We are hoping that in a couple of months, we will be able to do that more freely. As for children’s clothes, I am not into it for now. I do sew for my children once in a blue moon and also once in a while for the children of my top clients. But it is not what I regularly do.

What is your outlook on total wardrobe change?

It boils down to what you want and what you want the change to do for you. We, for instance, take into consideration the category of clothes that would get you that new look that you want. Is it casual, formal and so on? So, all these will determine the overhaul that we will put in place to change you with a new wardrobe.

How expensive are Valerie Davids clothes?

We actually have different categories. We have the basic, silver, premium and the premium plus. Once you are in, we fix you into a particular group.

These categories must be based on the divide between the rich and the poor?

(Laughs) Oh no, it is just a guide for us. No, it is not about how rich or poor you are. We actually have something coming up soon. We call it the Valerie Davids budget clothes. It is something that will be affordable. It will come as dresses, tops, trousers and so on.

Will it cut across everybody?

No, I can’t sew clothes that will go for everybody. People come to me to sew for them special clothes. There are people who bring me boxes of clothes. Maybe not everybody can afford what we do, but at the same time, our clothes are top notch. So, we deserve to work in that range and with clients who appreciate that range. I do not compromise on a Valerie Davids clothe, no matter what!

In recent times, you have not been participating in fashion shows. Any special reason for that?

I am not a fan of shows. I used to do ‘show’ when I started out, but not these days. I don’t think that they influence much. I was working a lot with a popular human interest magazine at a time. I did some fashion shows for many events too. But what I later noticed was that it took so much of my time and I didn’t understand whether it did that much for me. However, I will have a private show soon.

But I don’t think I am a show person right now, and that is because my hands are very full. I have been able to build my business more by referrals than any other way. People ask me why I do not participate in the Nigerian Fashion Show too. The truth is that my work is so tasking. I do not think I have that energy now.

Your business is located in Lagos Mainland area. Does that have much advantage, seeing that more of your clients are based on the Island?

I get my clients mostly by referrals. I am enjoying my location on the Lagos Mainland because most of my workers are on this side.

Now that you have a successful business, do you still nurse any dream?

Yes, I do. I want to soon see my business working without me. I am trying to train people to understand the art of pattern designing. We have a school that we are running here. It is called The Valerie Davids Fashion School. I’m hoping that in the next couple of years, I would have trained cutters, designers who would be back-ups for me.

Right now, I am doing between 70 and 80 per cent of the whole work. I am hoping to start my ready-to-wear line, which will be very different. I want people to wear my clothes around Nigeria. I want to have people walk into shops like it is done abroad, and get my clothes. However, I will still maintain my personal touch when I get the back-up because my clients recognise my personal touch, and to keep them, I have to be on ground. So, I will instruct but be involved.

Also, I need time for myself. I need time to travel. But I have to know that I have good hands to take instructions. Even then, I will still be involved because my style evolves regularly. I don’t keep a comfortable style; I change regularly. That is why you see fabrics everywhere around me. The next minute, I am creating a new thing. I have people who give me up to 40 fabrics and they want different things.

You are not just a designer and bespoke tailor, you are also into music. How did you come about that?

I am a music minister. I used to sing more before I got married. But now I sing in the choir in my church at High life Bible Church at Oniru Estate, Victoria Island. I am learning to play the saxophone and I love it. I guess creativity is in me and my daughter is like that already. She is nine and already draws very well. She came second in an art competition recently, while my son is more of an IT person. He is good with computers and already writing programmes at 14.

As a designer, what does beauty mean to you?

To me, beauty is beyond make up and clothes. When you are beautiful inside, it reflects on the outside. Beauty is being the best God has made you to be. It is about exuding so much that has been deposited inside of you by God. All things bright and beautiful is truly what beauty is about. Clothes should play up your beauty instead of playing your beauty down. I don’t throw fabrics on my clients; I structure clothes on them. My clothes are meant to give my clients a fashion experience. My clothes just have to do something to your beauty. I have seen people come in and wear my clothes and they cry. They cry because of the new look they get, which they didn’t know that they could have. My clothes bring out the best in you.

For every talented person, there is a source of inspiration. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I am a spiritual person. I am born again with the help of the Holy Ghost. The things I do are divine. I believe that God is very creative. I use the scripture that tells me that I have the mind of Christ, and that helps me a great deal to create. I am in tune with the Holy Spirit and that helps my creativity, because left to me alone, I will be burnt out. I found out that my strength is renewed every morning because I have connection with God. It is not about my talent or skill. Those are very good stuff for me though, but the heart of the matter is that daily, I draw strength from God, and that is why I can take every piece and make a master piece out of it.