At 50, Adetutu Funmilayo Nelson, could be said to be fulfilled with all the trappings that life could offer. On account of a simple challenge by her brother, she took up a career with security outfit, Corporate Guards, and subsequently rose to the rank of Captain. That job and her love for humanity also gave her the opportunity to join the prestigious Ikoyi Lions Club, where she rose to become president and is currently serving as Zone 2A Chairperson, overseeing several other Lions Clubs. She shared her story with GBOYEGA ALAKA.
You rose to become captain as a security officer with Corporate Guards. That is some achievement, especially for a lady. Tell us about your journey.
The journey started in the year 1995 when my late dad, who was then with NMA (National Maritime Authority), came home and mentioned it to my brother who had just finished secondary school. He said there was a security company with uniforms like the American police, and that he should join. As daddy’s girl, I supported the idea. But my brother would not hear of it. He threw it back to me, more like a challenge, that why couldn’t I join? That was how I took up the challenge and joined Corporate Guards.
What were your initial challenges at finding your feet on the job?
The training then was tough. I mean really tough. I had to leave Orile Iganmu where I was staying to resume at Ogba in Ikeja for training before 6:30am. There was a day that I almost gave up. That was in September 1995, when I was robbed inside a Molue bus. I had to beg for transport fare to get to Ogba. However, the Commandant, Late Major Imoni, on hearing what happened, gave me the needed encouragement that changed my life. After listening to him, I decided to continue.
As a female, how easy has the career been?
It was not easy initially. But my father was a retired soldier and I lived in the barrack. I went to Air force Primary School, Victoria Island, so I had all along been seeing women in uniform and admiring them.
What’s your advice to young ladies who may want to take up a career in security?
Take pride in what you do. There is dignity in labour.
There’s another aspect of you, the humanitarian angle. Tell us about it.
Yes, I am a member of Lions Club International, the largest humanitarian organisation in the world with over 48,000 Lions Clubs and over 10,000 members in Nigeria. I am currently the Zone 2A Chairperson, which means there are clubs under the zones. This position can only be assumed after one has been a club president. I am a past president of Lagos Ikoyi Lions Club International in 2019/2020.
What are your golden moments in the club since joining?
My first attempt was early 2012, but I stopped because I lost my mum while the rule says you must be present at three meetings non-stop. I, however, went back in 2013. My first position was as Assistant Secretary before rising to become president after six years. Some of my golden moments would be my investiture day; seeing my boss, Otunba Dr. Olawanle Akinboboye, there made my day.
Another golden moment for me was the day the club’s core project was commissioned – a Pediatric Cancer Ward at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. It was a total refurbishing with the help of all our donors and members of Ikoyi Lions Club; not forgetting the ever supportive Lion Alhaja Bintu Tinubu and Otunba Dr Olawanle Akinboboye for his encouragement in that difficult time of COVID-19.
Tell us more about yourself.
I am the first of nine children from my parents, Mr. Anthony Kayode and Mrs Amele Ibidun Nelson. I had my primary education at the Nigerian Air Force Primary School, Victoria Island (Lagos). Secondary school was also in Victoria Island and then the University of Lagos. I also have an Advance Diploma in Security Operation and Management from the University of Lagos.
How do you cope combining your work with the home front as a mother and wife?
I try to do check and balance here and there.
And the challenges of social life, parties and club activities?
All work and no party will make Captain Adetutu a dull girl. So I flow with the social life, just like I flow with work at my work place.
Do you have any advice for young mothers who may want to veer into social club?
They should not be distracted by social life, and bear it in mind that they are there to serve the needy.
Ms. Kelechi Cynthia Udeh is the founder of TechFam, a technology-driven non-profit organisation focused on bridging the gender gap in the tech industry by empowering African women and girls with essential digital skills. She shares her entrepreneurial journey so far, especially her Femme Robotics Competitions, with VICTORIA AMADI.
Her focus, dynamism and resilient mindset are her staying power in a largely male-dominated technology industry. Added to these attributes is her strong belief that continuous learning and diverse voices contribute to innovation. It is thus easy to see how the founder of TechFam, a technology-driven non-profit organisation focused on bridging the gender gap in the tech industry, Ms. Kelechi Cynthia Udeh, has managed to hold her own in the burgeoning tech world.
Says the young and dashing tech Amazon, “It’s all about bringing varied perspectives to the table. Embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and recognising the value of a collaborative, inclusive environment empowered me to thrive and make meaningful contributions in the tech space.”
Indeed, since November 2022 when Udeh threw her hat in the technology space, establishing TechFam, she has been making meaningful contributions in the tech industry by empowering women and young girls with essential digital skills. Her ultimate goal is to foster gender inclusivity; hence, the primary beneficiaries of her impactful projects across Africa are women and girls, particularly those in public schools and the less privileged.
The aim, she said, is to encourage gender balance in the male-dominated tech industry.
Under Udeh’s charge, Femme Robotics competition, one of TechFam’s impactful projects, has been empowering young African women and girls in technology through technical skills and education. Young women and girls have also benefited from reusable sanitary pads, laptops, notepads, smartphones, school bags, water bottles, mathematics sets and certificates of participation in the programme – contributing to their education, empowerment, and exposure to technology in the process.
Udeh, a seasoned communications specialist, earned a degree in Political Science, from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in 2017. She said studying at NOUN, a computer-based school, sparked off her interest in technology. Her subsequent membership at the American Center in 2017, also offered her a conducive environment for tech exploration.
“I delved into various tech-related courses online, covering communications, web development, graphics design, video editing, and animation,” she told The Nation.
Her journey into tech entrepreneurship was thus a blend of academic learning and real-world experiences.
“My Political Science background equipped me with analytical thinking, while working as a communications specialist honed my strategic communication and leadership skills. Founding TechFam and leading projects on gender mainstreaming provided hands-on experience in tech advocacy. These diverse experiences collectively prepared me for my current career, offering a holistic skill set crucial in navigating the dynamic field of technology and social impact.”
She, however, had her fair share of challenges, some of which included the initial uncertainties, particularly in handling intricate coding tasks, and hurdles in securing sponsorships for her Femme Robotics competitions.
“Our major challenge has been securing sponsorship for TechFam’s Femme Robotics competitions and other projects,” she emphasized, adding that as a new organisation, building trust also posed hurdles.
Explaining how she got round the challenges, she said: “We’ve focused on transparent communication, showcasing the tangible impact of our programs, and actively engaging with potential sponsors. Networking within the tech community, sharing success stories, and demonstrating our commitment to empowering girls in tech has been instrumental in overcoming these challenges and paving the way for sustained growth and impact.”
Describing the global shift towards tech trend Udeh said: “It is exciting and necessary,” adding that technology has the power to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and address complex societal challenges.
“This trend reflects recognition of the transformative potential of tech in shaping the future. It’s an encouraging sign that people are embracing the opportunities that technology provides, fostering a global landscape where digital skills are increasingly valued and integrated into diverse fields.”
She noted that the widespread embracing of technology in firms is driven by its ability to enhance efficiency, productivity, and innovation. “Technology streamlines processes, automates tasks, and provides data-driven insights, enabling businesses to stay competitive. The digital transformation also facilitates global connectivity, enabling collaboration and communication.
“Moreover, the adaptability of technology to various industries allows firms to meet evolving customer’s expectations. Ultimately, the integration of technology is seen as essential for staying agile and relevant in an ever-evolving business landscape,”
She, however, admitted that within the entrepreneurship space, women-owned businesses still face specific challenges, noting that closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship and politics requires multifaceted efforts. According to her, fostering an inclusive mindset through education and awareness can challenge gender stereotypes.
“Providing mentorship and financial support specifically tailored for women entrepreneurs can address barriers to entry. In politics, implementing and enforcing policies that promote gender equality, such as quotas, can amplify women’s voices.
“Encouraging a cultural shift towards recognising and valuing women’s contributions in both sectors is crucial for sustainable change. Collective action involving government, businesses, and society can pave the way for a more equitable future,” Udeh noted.
On how she balances her heavy workload with the home front, she simply said: “Effective time management and prioritisation. I establish clear boundaries between work and personal time, utilising organisational tools to manage tasks efficiently. Also, delegating responsibilities where possible and fostering open communication with family members, is crucial.”
Growing up in a small town in the Eastern part of Nigeria, she said, “I initially lacked exposure to technology. However, my university days, computer-based schooling, and joining the American Center in Lagos opened doors to developing my tech skills and ignited my commitment to empowering women in the tech space.”
Evidently futuristic about her visions and dreams for her organisation, the tech amazon said she is open for more collaboration with government bodies, educational institutions, and tech stakeholders.
In the next five years, she says: I envision TechFam expanding its reach and impact across various African regions. The organisation will likely deepen its collaborations with educational institutions, governments, and tech industry stakeholders.
“This expansion may include the introduction of new programs, mentorship initiatives, and strategic partnerships, fostering a broader community of empowered African women and girls in technology.
Ex-militant leader and self-styled General, Endurance Amagbein a.k.a. Adaka Boro the Second, tells MIKE ODIEGWU why he gave up his illegal bunkering business and became a crusader against oil theft in the Niger Delta. He also identifies some major players in the illegal bunkering business empire and recommends permanent solutions to the economic sabotage, among other issues.
At what age did you join the arms struggle in the Niger Delta and why?
I, General Endurance Amagbein, Adaka Boro the Second, have been a Niger Delta agitator for over 24 years in the creeks of the Niger Delta. I have traversed the entire Niger Delta in the name of agitating and struggling for the betterment of life and development of the people of the Niger Delta and its region. I am among those that got involved in the Niger Delta armed struggle at a tender age, being in the struggle for over 24 years from a barrack boy to the rank of a commander under the leadership of other generals. It made me to have a vast experience in the Niger Delta and today, I am a general with followers cutting across the entire Niger Delta area.
I am one person that is still pained for the underdevelopment experienced in the Niger Delta after accepting the amnesty programme. Despite all the promises that were made during the amnesty programme, 14 years after, we are still where we are. As an individual, I am very worried. I know as an agitator we were expecting that at this point in time, the Niger Delta would have become the Niger Delta of our dream, but that did not come to play. That is why some of us are still within the creeks to see how the needed development, employment and empowerment can come to the people of the Niger Delta.
You were said to have once engaged in illegal oil bunkering. Why did you toe such a dangerous path?
Niger Delta is the oil and gas epicentre of Nigeria. In the Nigerian system that we are operating today, in the oil and gas industry, it is the federal government that controls virtually everything while the landlords, who are the rightful owners of the oil rich area, are completely sidelined and they feel marginalised by the IOCs and the Federal Government.
The people of Niger Delta do not feel a sense of belonging in the oil and gas industries operating in the region. That is one the reason why some of us find ourselves in this arms struggle. However, the major oil theft taking place is the corporate theft being carried out by those from NNPC and the politicians because the vessels of crude oil that they take from Nigeria to the off OPEC market is more than what the people of the Niger Delta are taking in the name of illegal bunkering.
Although after the amnesty we believed that development would come to the people and living standard of our people would improve, but that did not happen. So the people drastically keyed into bunkering and oil theft in the Niger Delta as means of survival.
Some persons used the wealth they got from the illegal bunkering to empower themselves. I am not an exception. I also found myself in the illegal bunkering activities, but more of my resources went into community development, human development, youth empowerment and other community-related services. As an individual, I was believing that keying into illegal bunkering would solve the entire Niger Delta problem. But I have come to realize that, that is not the answer or solution to the problems facing the people of the Niger Delta.
Are you still involved in such illegal activities now?
I have come to agreement with people of thought and wisdom that illegal bunkering should come to an end. With zero oil theft, revenue generation will increase, and if the revenue is put into use in the right channels, it will get to the people as it will be used for the development of the Niger Delta region. I think the people of the Niger Delta will protect these oil and gas facilities with their lives.
As we speak, oil theft and illegal bunkering have caused more damage and disaster in terms of environmental pollution in the Niger Delta than what we thought would be the benefits from the illegal bunkering. That is why I have come to agreement and many others that we have to eradicate oil theft and illegal bunkering in the
Niger Delta region in order for the federal and state governments, host communities to have revenues that can be used for the development, empowerment of our Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.
How far can pipeline surveillance contract solve this problem of illegal oil bunkering?
Today pipelines surveillance contracts are being awarded to individuals by IOCs and even NNPC. It is advisable that they engage the rightful people that are vast with happenings in their various areas in order to have effective results. Let them not play politics with such contracts because the outcome has a lot to do with revenue generation and development and as well youth empowerment.
Over time, some of these contracts have been having political undertones and the needed results are not achieved. Some of us have been fighting against illegal bunkering with our personal resources when we realised the negative impact this illegal bunkering is having on our people and the environment.
If you come to my area, you would attest that illegal bunkering, to an extent, is a thing of the past as a result of the effort I am putting to achieve a good result. Although there is pressure everywhere, my resolve has made it impossible, and today my area is becoming free from illegal bunkering. Hence, the locals from the oil communities should be engaged in form of pipelines surveillance contracts and should be awarded to individuals from the area as focal person. By doing so, the needed results will be achieved.
What do you think the people of the Niger Delta stand to benefit if oil theft and illegal bunkering is eradicated in the region?
Oil theft as everybody knows in Nigeria is to an extent an organised crime. What the people of the Niger Delta are doing, that is illegal bunkering and all the rest, is less than one per cent of what those in position of trust are taking, particularly those in NNPC. What they are taking from the Niger Delta and from the Federal Government in the name of off OPEC racketing is huge. Why am I saying so, there is a market called off OPEC Market where those in NNPC and the oil companies, the main players, take our crude to sell. That means they are not giving account of those particular products. These are the real oil thieves. Nigeria as a country that hardly enforces regulatory laws in the oil industry has given room for defaulting industry players in the oil and gas industry to go scot-free.
I am not in a position to fight them, but it is good that we tell the people. That is why we don’t want the little that our people are taking to be used as reference point. We don’t want the narrative that because the people of the Niger Delta are into illegal bunkering and oil theft, that is why the production rate is reducing. This is all falsehood. That is why you see that I am coming out to take the bull by the horn to singlehandedly see that oil theft, illegal bunkering come to an end in the Niger Delta.
If oil theft and illegal bunkering comes to an end, I believe that the modular refinery that the Federal Government has promised the people of the Niger Delta can be fast-tracked, and that will lead to employment, improvement in economic activities and at the same time increase the living standard of the people of the Niger Delta. And if the production level increases, definitely it will lead to revenue increase, which will make more money available for the national coffers for distribution and invariably states will receive more money to execute developmental projects
Thirdly, I believe as an individual that the PIA Act has made provision for funds for the host communities, which will contribute to the development of our communities in the region. And I believe that if oil theft is eradicated, crude oil production is bound to shore up, and as Niger Deltans, we can ask for upward review of the derivation percent to states and host communities from the paltry 3% to 10 to 20% which will lead to further development.
And the refineries in question that are supposed to be working in the Niger Delta with high resources and revenue, definitely the Federal Government will have resources that will be injected into the refineries to work optimally. And I believe that is what everybody wants.
How do you view the laws regulating the oil industry, especially as they relate to the oil-bearing communities?
What the people of the Niger Delta and we that have been in the arms struggle are asking look into the laws that are guiding the oil and gas sector. The regulatory bodies, empower them to be completely independent so that they can enforce the laws that will bring immediate change and development to the people of the Niger Delta.
What is your take on modular and Dangote refineries. Can they address the challenges of petroleum products?
Now that subsidy has been removed, I believe that all the refineries will definitely become functional. I also understand that getting the crude to refine is giving some of them challenges because the locations where some of the refineries are sited are not actually oil producing areas. So to get the pipeline that will supply crude oil for refining is challenging.
The one our brother, Azikel is building in Bayelsa State, I believe he needs the support of the federal and state governments. He is an individual, and when it comes to building a modular refinery, it is capital intensive. He has the foresight, he really wants to bring it on stream, but the willingness of the state and federal governments to partner with him to bring the project to limelight is crucial, because when completed, it will create employment opportunities for our teeming youths and also lead to economic boom. I want the state government, as a matter of urgency, to look into it. That of Dangote, I believe that the crude line where it is placed is very far from the Niger Delta, and that is why it is having those little hiccups. You know, when those pipes are constructed to those places, it will become functional. I don’t know or think that there is any security threat to their activities. That is why we are still calling on the Federal Government to grant the people of the Niger Delta more licences, especially Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and the Arugbo part of Ondo State where there are many pipelines. They are major producers of oil and gas, so that the people will be taken off the street and that will give them the audacity to protect the critical national assets because it will put food on their tables.
Do you support the removal of petroleum subsidy?
I have advised Nigerians before this time on subsidy related matters; that they should give Mr. President some time because he has good intentions for Nigerians. This subsidy removal issue is an issue that is long overdue. You know in 2012 or thereabout when then President Goodluck Jonathan wanted to end this same subsidy regime, Nigerians protested, including the present President. At that time the money used for subsidy was less. But today subsidy is consuming trillions of naira. I know that those who protested against Jonathan’s move at that time did so purely for political reasons. That is what we are suffering today.
But Mr. President has taken the bull by the horn to remove the hydra-headed monster called petroleum subsidy. Let us support him and definitely I am certain that the long time benefits of subsidy removal will overweigh the short term pains because the sector has been fully deregulated, which will bring in independent players. This means that we are going to have more private refineries that will definitely create employment opportunities for the unemployed and product availability will be enhanced which will return the country to the golden era of exporting petroleum products.
What we need is economic independence and in order for us to get economic independence, we have to be more productive and take the economy on the part of industralization in our day to day activities. So I believe that Nigerians will give President Tinubu the opportunity and some time to set things right and impact positively on the lives of the people.
Do you think the governors, federal and state lawmakers and other political appointees from the region are doing enough to touch lives?
Lawmakers that ought to be standing firm for the region in terms of lawmaking have decided not to speak on issues that have to do with the Niger Delta people. Look at the PIA Act, the Hoscom fund ought to be 10%, the upper and the lower chambers agreed to 5% but at the end of the day, it was 3% that was passed. That was a time when we had our own brother as Minister of Petroleum who was very influential. But the interest of the IOCs was the interest that was protected against the people of the Niger Delta. That is what is playing out even at the state level. Money meant for development is carted away. At the end of the day, it is EFCC that will go and harvest all of them. It is very painful.
Look at the NDDC, it has become a political arena where the ruling party at the centre directs them and uses the funds meant for development just for political related activities instead of focusing on the key objectives of the commission. That is why you see that day in day out we are backward. We are retrogressing in terms of development, manpower, and industrialization. That is where we found ourselves and those are some the things that pain us.
That is why as an individual, I don’t blame those from the North, Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo for our predicament and underdevelopment. It is a self-inflicted problem, and until we look inward, we can never get it right.
That is how it is. So it is sad. My appeal to our leaders is for them to use resources no matter how little for the benefit of all. That is why we are fighting for upward review of this same resources. Like the 13% derivation is long overdue for review to at least 50%. That is the only way the people in the region will understand that we are stakeholders of the oil and gas activities that are happening in the region, so that we can protect the facilities with all our blood for the benefit of all.
But when you take our own and give us paltry 13% in the name of derivation, while people are harvesting gold in the North and they are taking all home, and you want us to keep quiet? They come to the Niger Delta drill all the oil, make a funny map survey plan and come and tell us that it is one man from the North that own it. It is very appalling. What we want is one Nigeria, Niger Delta that is development oriented, peaceful, business friendly. So we are calling on our leaders to focus more on development of the region than politics, and our people are going to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
What kind of leader are you expecting in Bayelsa State on November 11
I am not a politician or a party person. I am just the people’s General and what we want as a people in Bayelsa State is progress and a state that is prosperous and other states will envy. As a General, I have said it before and will keep saying it again; it is only when political season comes like this that you see all the political gladiators running helter skelter, trying to brainwash and seeing how they can buy votes for their own personal political gain. At this juncture, I am calling on all Bayelsans to be law-abiding, peaceful and should not allow politicians to use them as political thugs or as tools to cause crisis. They should be mindful. Let them engage politicians based on their manifestos and see those that have genuine interest in the development and growth of the state and make their choice.
Every person that is contesting the election is a Bayelsan. So I don’t have any preferred candidate and will not say that my followers should support a particular candidate or party, because I am not a party man. That has always been my stand. My advice to Bayelsans is to look into the manifestos of the various governorship candidates and take the one they believe will bring peace, security, development, youth empowerment, human capital development and signature infrastructural development to our communities.
My final advice is let the political players play by the rules and not use hate speeches that will cause unrest and crises. And they should not use politics to cause communal crises. Let us be focused and steadfast, and let us campaign based on the manifestos that will convince the people and get their votes to govern the people.
• Most labels on sachet, bottled water fraudulent – Nutritionist
• We’re already supplying potable water to parts of Lagos Island – LWC
For ages, many parts of Lagos Island have lacked access to potable water in spite of being surrounded by the sea and the lagoon. Manufacturers of myriads of sachet and bottled water are said to be feasting on this by flooding the area with their products. Tanker drivers whose source of water and hygiene of their tanks cannot be ascertained are also not left out. They are all ‘cashing out’ on the communities where clean water is gold. Experts are of the view that water sold in the area should frequently be subjected to tests to save the people from being exposed to needless health crises, INNOCENT DURU reports.
Bassey, a resident of Lagos Island has a challenge getting clean water from his borehole. The water from the borehole, like many others in the area, contains large quantity of iron. He cannot use it in its natural form for any of his domestic needs.
After some time of growing grey hair over the challenge, he devised a means to get around the problem.
Explaining the strategy that he adopted, Bassey said: “I have what I call a ground tank. I pump water into a ground tank and leave it for a day for it to settle.
“When it settles, I will pump it into the tank at the top. With that, I would have clean water.
“With that system in place, I have been able to live in the place for about eight years without having challenges with water.”
Good as his strategy appears, Bassey can only use the water to cook. “I can’t drink it,” he said. “We take bottled water in the house to avoid water borne diseases.”
But the bottled water brand that Bassey prides to be very safe may not be safe after all. A water facility operated by a woman suspected to be an agent of the manufacturer of the bottled water was recently found to be adulterating the product.
She was said to be refilling dispenser bottles of the product with content from public sources.
Lagos State officials who visited the facility on inspection mission discovered that there was no proper storage system for the water, adding that the products were also displayed outside in an unfavourable condition.
Many of such adulterated packaged water are feared to have found their ways to the Island where clean water is a great treasure.
“We really have a huge problem with clean water. At times, some water may be clean but it would not be drinkable. So, bottled water is what we consider as truly drinkable here,” Lizzy, another resident said.
“We take bottled water in my house to stay away from water borne diseases, but the truth is that you don’t know how good the so-called bottled water is.
“It is just that you at least have some hope that it is better than consuming the confirmed polluted groundwater.”
Asked if she fears some top brands of bottled water could be adulterated, Lizzy said: “Nothing is impossible in Nigeria, especially here in Lagos. One cannot vouch for all these things they sell all over the place as safe bottled water.
“It is just that many people believe that bottled water is rarely adulterated unlike pure water that anyone can do at the back of his house.
“That is why you find that the bottle water business is thriving here. Some people buy tens of packs to keep in their houses because the water they have in their houses is not drinkable.
“Some are not even fit for cooking. They are only good for flushing the toilet and for some other uses.”
Mike Owhoko, publisher of Media Issues, an online newspaper, in a recent write up, raised the alarm about how Lekki and its environs have been flooded with myriads of bottled and sachet water, some of which he said have predisposed the people to diseases.
His words: “Lekki residents are exposed to water-related diseases engendered by sub-standard and unregulated sources of water supply.
“Increasing cases of dysentery and diarrhoea-induced pathogenic bacteria infections have sparked concerns on public health in the area.
“By Lekki, I mean the geographical area straddling between Tollgate and Victoria Garden City (VGC).
“Despite its aquatic location bordered by the sea and the lagoon, clean water is hard to find due to its peculiar topography.”
Regrettably, Owhoko said, “This has encouraged all manner of water merchants, using boreholes, tanker trucks and bottled water with questionable hygiene conditions lacking the capacity to pass purity test, to flood the area with their products.
“Ajah, an area adjacent to Lekki, has a good water table with a thick protective layer.
“This has led to the emergence of water vendors who use trucks/tanks to deliver and sell water to Lekki residents.
“Notwithstanding, there are concerns about hygiene.
“These tanker trucks are seldom washed and are prone to contamination. Some of these trucks have been in operation for over 10 years, yet operators do not deem it fit to wash them, thereby exposing residents to infections.
“Besides, in the course of dispensing water, tanker trucks pollute the environment through the generation of noise and carbon monoxide, causing health hazards.
“This leaves Lekki residents helpless, confining them to bottled water, which they believe are reliable. But they are wrong!
“The risk of contamination in bottled and sachet water is also high due to adulteration and imitation fueled by greed.”
Continuing, he said: “There are so many bottled water brands in circulation, all contending to capture the Lekki market share. “Those who believe their brands lack the capacity to compete resort to producing counterfeit by faking notable brands already enjoying market patronage. That is why at party venues in Lekki, empty bottles of consumed water of big brands are quickly taken away by quacks for recycle.
“Despite a lack of full-proof purity, Lekki residents believe they are better off with bottled water than drinking directly from boreholes and tanker trucks. This desperation to consume any water in bottle has exposed residents to unprepared risk.
In what appears to be a corroboration of Owhoko’s remarks, Nollywood actor, Uti Nwachukwu, not too long ago took to his social media handle to narrate his ordeal after consuming some bottled water.
Uti said he started stooling after consuming the water and blamed his incessant stooling on the amount of chemical contained in the table water.
Writing on his twitter handle, the actor said: “Dear bottled water companies, please what have you started adding to your water? If I wanted to projectile poop six-seven times a day, I’d have bought slimming tea!
“What’s all this? It can’t be only me! And it’s the biggest brands! Two of them now! Fix it so that I don’t call your names!
“I knew there was a problem when I was pooping steady and it was smelling of chemicals, like sanitizer, or alum or something! I stopped the first one and the stooling ceased.
“Took the second one and there were no issues. I bought a small bottle and it was worse! This one came with abdominal discomfort, acid reflux, and yes, watery stool with that same chemical/alum aroma.
“So now, I can only vouch for one brand that’s currently safe to consume. Who checks the standards of these things we put in our bodies?
“Reputable brands like these are causing harm! Who even knows the effects on our organs? I’m tired!”
Some respondents to his tweet are of the opinion that the actor might have taken adulterated bottled water.
“Maybe one … has started making the adulterated version. Who knows,” a Nairaland user who identified himself as SportsHD said.
Our reporter, who spent some time in a hotel at Jakande area, said apart from drinking purpose, he was compelled to get a bottled water pack to brush his mouth because he couldn’t manage the water in the hotel.
He said: “When I entered the hotel, I went to use the restroom. I was shocked at what I saw. The water in the toilet was brownish and I thought someone used it and did not flush.
“I decided to flush it, but what came out was not different from what I thought was urine.
“It was at that time that it dawned on me that that could be the nature of the water in the environment.
“I was more dazed when I tried to brush and bathe. The water that came from the tap was smelly and I quickly turned off the tap.
“I rushed to the reception to complain but all that the front desk person could do was to apologise. She said it was not their fault that that is how their water is.
“I had to ask them to get me better water to bathe because there was no way I could have bathed with the smelly water.
“To save himself from a health crisis, I went to buy a pack of bottled water. It was brisk business in the area. Everybody in the hotel was going to get bottled water even for brushing.
“Nobody cared about the brand as long as it was bottled. The other alternatives you have are to either buy pure water or get a keg to buy from the community.”
Banana Island is the least place one would expect to hear that unsafe water is obtainable. This is owing to the class of people residing in the neighbourhood. But there, the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), also recently sealed the Banana Island Property Owners Resident Association (BIPORAL) Water Treatment Plant for failing to meet the required safety and quality standards.
Tests conducted by the LSWRC revealed that the water quality of the plant was unsafe for consumption and required improved treatment.
There are feelings that water could easily have been packaged by any manufacturer for the public on mere assumption that water from such an environment will always be hygienic.
Tanker driver, sachet water merchants also ‘cashing out’
Aside from bottled water manufacturers, sachet water producers and people vending water with tankers are also having a good share of business in the area.
James, a resident of First Gate area of Jakande, said he buys water from water tankers but the hygiene and quality of the water cannot be ascertained.
“We don’t have good water at all. Our water is not drinkable. We don’t even use it to cook,” James began the chat with our correspondent on note of lamentation.
“We can only use it to wash and flush the toilet. The water ordinarily stains the toilet but we always use strong toilet soaps to keep it clean. We can’t use it to wash white clothes,” he added.
Asked where he gets water to attend to other needs, James said: “We buy water from vendors most often. They hawk the water in tanks. That is the kind of water we use to cook. A Jerry can of 25 litres is N200.
“I have a big drum that I fill with water worth N2,000. I do this every week. Our water here in Jakande, as bad as it is, is far better than what some people have in their areas. “The water in some communities is so bad that even if you put alum in it, the quality will not improve.”
Godonu, a resident of Oke Ira, told our correspondent that he uses pure water to cook because the water around him is smelly.
“The water smells, and many atimes, I buy sachet water to cook. If there is no money to buy sachet water, we would go to Oke Ira Nla to buy water.
“We always manage the water we buy for cooking and drinking while we use the smelly one for bathing.
“We don’t feel comfortable using such water to bathe, but since we don’t have an alternative, we have to manage what is available.
“We always endure the foul smell.”
Godonu’s neigbour, Elizabeth, spoke of how the polluted water they were using before caused the children to have rashes.
“The place we were fetching water from before has spoilt. The water was always brown and also causing rashes for the children.
“If you saw the bodies of our children before now, you would wonder where they came about rashes. The water was responsible for it.
“The water that we are using now is clean but it is smelly. We only use it to bathe.
“Before we use the water to bathe, we would fetch it into a container for some time for fresh air to blow the horrible smell away. You just have to do that if you want to at least manage to enjoy your bath.
“Some people are still complaining that this present water is causing itching for them. But the complaints are not widespread like when we were using the other water.”
Even though the present water is clean, Elizabeth said, they cannot use it to cook. “No, we don’t. It is not good to use smelly water to cook what one eats.
“We always cross to the other side of the road to buy the water that we drink.
“A regular big plastic paint costs N100. I spend an average of N300 on water every day. This is really affecting me financially because in a month, I spend nothing less than N10,000 to buy just water. How much do I make from my petty business in a month?
“If I don’t buy the water to attend to domestic needs, it will have ripple effects on me and the family, and this includes health issues that N10,000 may not be able to take care of.”
Another resident, who gave her name simply as Lydia, said she had rashes all over her body when she newly arrived in the area.
She said: “My body reacted negatively to the water. In fact, I never knew that the water in this area is terribly bad until I came here.
“I resorted to using pure water but the truth is that you cannot ascertain if the water is free of contamination or not. You only use it because they say it is pure water and truly it does not have colour, and does not smell like the ground water.
“Another way out when there is no money to spend on pure water is to buy water in gallons.”
Writing on Quora, an online platform, a dietician and nutritionist, Muhammad Haseeb, said tanker water may be susceptible to contamination from various sources. If the water source or the tanker itself is contaminated, it can introduce harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses or parasites into the hospital’s water supply. These contaminants can cause water borne diseases and infections, particularly in immune-compromised patients.
H added: “Tanker water may carry water borne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid or hepatitis A. These diseases can spread rapidly within a hospital setting, especially if the water is used for drinking, hand hygiene or medical procedures.
“Patients, staff and visitors with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to such infections.
“Tanker water quality may also be compromised by chemical contaminants. Industrial pollutants, pesticides, heavy metals or disinfection byproducts can find their way into the water supply.
“Prolonged exposure to these chemicals can lead to various health problems, including gastrointestinal issues, liver or kidney damage, neurological disorders, or even an increased risk of cancer.”
If inadequately disinfected, the nutritionist said, “tanker water might not undergo adequate disinfection processes compared to the water supplied through a municipal system.
“Insufficient disinfection can lead to the survival of pathogens in the water, increasing the risk of infectious diseases.
“Hospitals require a high level of water quality and disinfection to maintain a safe environment for patients, staff and medical procedures.
“The quality of tanker water may vary depending on the source, transportation and storage conditions.
“Lack of control over the water supply can result in inconsistent quality, making it difficult to ensure reliable and safe water for hospital operations.
“This inconsistency can impact patient care, hygiene practices, and medical equipment maintenance.”
Another nutritionist, Seun Obembe, says relevant government agencies need to conduct regular tests on packaged water “because there is what we call alkaline water and acid water.
“Most of the water labels are just information fraud. I am in Kaduna right now and most of the water I have tested here are apologies.
“That is why there is an epidemic of typhoid and ulcer. The government should test this water and do the right thing.
“Let’s check it clinically. What is chlorine overdose, because they use chlorine inside the water?
“The recommended allowance for water in a day is two litres. How many sachets produce two litres? And then check the content of chlorine in them. That one is detrimental to health.
“All these things have to be regulated. The government needs to do more work. They should encourage more scientists.
“They should bring more dieticians and nutritionists on board. It is when there is an outbreak that they will start looking for researchers to bring out papers.”
On the use of polluted water by the people, Obembe said: “When you say it is contaminated water, then it is detrimental to the health of the users. Even when you use it to bathe, the pores on the skin will definitely open and allow bacteria to go into the body.
“People who are obese are prone to sickness because all these microorganisms hide inside them. So when there are issues in the body, all those pathogens that have been hiding inside the body will come out to strike.
We’re already supplying water to parts of Island – LWC
Regional Business Manager of the Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC), South South Lagos, Mrs Adewumi Folake, said the corporation was working on making clean water available on the Island.
She said: “Presently, water is getting to Adeniji, Idumagbo, and Iduganran. We are working towards building up our pressure so that the supply will get to many more places on the Island.
“LWC is working towards that. We have a pipeline network on the Island.
“Our water supply is coming from the Mainland. The Ajiyan and Iju water works are supplying the Island. We are sure that the challenge of clean water will soon come to an end when we complete our works.
Corroborating Mrs Adewumi’s remarks, the Public Relations Officer of LWC, Mrs Kehinde Fashola, said residents of Island and Lagos in general should rest assured that there would be abundant water supply in the state.
“The present MD is doing what one can imagine. He is working towards installing water in every household in Lagos State.
“A lot of rehabilitation is already going on at our mini and macro water works. All hands are on deck to make sure every household has water in Lagos.
• Explains why he shunned the chance to work in Saudi Arabia
• ‘My grouse with local bone setters’
Eighty-one-year-old doctor, Olusegun Aranmolate, is reputed as one of the best among the early plastic constructive and burn surgeons in Nigeria. One of the three surgeons that formed the association of plastic surgeons in Nigeria, Aranmolate trained in the UK and Russia, specialising in rhinoplasty, hand, burn obesity, facial, pediatric deformities and birth defects surgeries. The fellow of West African College of Surgeons retired from the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos in 2003 as a consultant plastic surgeon Grade 1. He also had a stint with the Nigerian Navy as well as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). He spoke with GBENGA ADERANTI about his life and career, particularly his landmark plastic surgeries many had thought could not be done in Nigeria.
Nigeria was once a destination for health tourists. It is even said that the Saudi royal family used to visit the country for medical treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State. But today our health sector is in a shambles. How did it all go wrong?
Nigeria’s problem, in my opinion, is complicated. All of us are to blame for this. The greatest blame lies on the government itself, but we Nigerian citizens contribute a lot to it. We do not ask for our rights and we do not support them. We do not even show patriotism when we should show it. Gradually, money has taken over things.
Incidentally, I used to have political views about things. Of course, you cannot school in Russia without having a nuance of genuine politics and philosophy of politics. I am proud of it. I was there and I was in the West, so I saw the two together.
Nigeria is a blessed nation. We have everything in this world to develop. We don’t like the people who are progressing. Out of envy or stupidity, we do not like people who are knowledgeable to lead us. Most of the people who are knowledgeable and who are good to lead us may not be corrupt, but most Nigerians do not like people who are not corrupt to lead them.
It is true that the Saudi people were coming here. And not only Saudi people; many people were coming here. In the 1980s Saudis were coming here to interview doctors to come and work in their universities; to come and train their own children. They were not looking for Muslims; they were looking for people who were qualified. Most of them were Christians. But Boko Haram came up, supported by our leaders. They destroyed what we got because of religion.
Are they copying Saudi Arabians who are the originators of the Islamic religion? No. Saudi Arabia was developing itself. Now people go to Saudi Arabia for medical treatments. The foundation was laid by British, American, and Nigerian doctors.
Why didn’t you go there?
I didn’t go there because I heard about how they were treating our doctors. They treat them like those in the harem. They have a short time for visitors, so you can’t move around. I can’t go there. And that is not the issue. The issue is that they brought these people out to come and train them to be at the top. They are doing the same thing in sports now. The best players in Europe are being snatched and attracted to Saudi Arabia. In less than three years, they will have one of the best leagues.
To answer your question about why we are where we are, if you are doing something good, somebody will look for a reason why it should not continue; why someone else should be there; people that were actually sleeping when you were working; because of the person’s religion, because he is from the north, from the east or from the south. It shouldn’t be. You have to get the best. The day you get the best only, Nigeria will move fast.
One of the reasons why things went down was because we were competing for no good reason, which we should not compete for. We compete for religion, we compete for ethnic relationships; we compete for rubbish that will not make us move forward.
We do not look for the best; we look for names. (Godwin) Emefiele ruined the Central Bank of Nigeria. For three months, everything was at a standstill; no money, nothing. I was standing like this for three weeks with no money in my pocket. I could only transfer money, I could not buy anything. I was not the only person in that situation. One of my neighbours, because he could not get money to buy his anti-diabetic drug, died. People like Emefiele should be in jail by now.
I don’t know if you remember an American man who manipulated the exchange market for years. He was about 80 years old by the time he was caught. He was sentenced to 120 years. But here people will be shouting he can’t go to jail, he is from Delta, he is from Sokoto, bla bla. Once we miss the road through sentiment, we are done for. These are some of the reasons why things went down.
We have talents in our institutions; we have one of the best surgeons, one of the best physicians, the best pediatrician, best of everything, but most of them have gone out and they don’t want to come back. Once you deprive yourself of all these people, you are creating a vacuum, and once there is a vacuum, everything will collapse. That is why the medical profession is degenerating into whatever it is now, not because we don’t have talented men.
In America, they said one of our boys who was trained at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife, removed a foetus, operated on it, and put it back for delivery. He is a Nigerian. It could have been done here and it could have been a good thing for us. People will read about Nigeria, people will come to Nigeria. In my opinion, we destroyed what we have, supported by the government with our philosophy.
You just painted a hopeless scenario. Are you saying that one day, there might be no more doctors in Nigeria?
You see, I am getting old now. I am not in the system anymore. But with the way people are traveling out of the country, we are going to have a scarcity of doctors. When the senior ones are gone, the younger ones will not be brought up properly. There will be no more qualified ones because it is the senior ones that should train the younger ones.
When I was at (orthopaedic hospital) Igbobi, and by the grace of God I’m still an examiner, we trained past surgeons. When I came out of the institution, we were about six, but now they are over 300. I’m one of the people who trained them, who examined them, who passed them. Most of them are getting professorship positions now. If all of them had gone away and did not come back home, there would be none.
What I’m trying to say is that if we allow people to go away because of poor facilities, poor salaries, and every other thing, we will definitely run into difficulty in this country. We have to see things from that angle before thinking about improving it. Because if we were on top at the University of Ibadan at that time, the University of Ife; University of Nigeria Nsukka; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria but everything went down, then something is wrong.
Old doctors are dying, and the young ones that are coming are japaying, moving out of the country. That is why I find it gloomy. But as for talent, our doctors are highly talented.
I understand you became popular because of the plastic surgery that you did. I want you to relive that
I worked at the National Orthopedic Hospital where I displayed my talent. There were surgeries people least expected to be done in Nigeria that God did through me, and that gave me a good name. During my days at Igbobi, I’m very proud of it, at an occasion when I was giving training to nurses, I took over from another doctor, Dr. Onabowale. I was giving a lecture one day. I was showing my slide, this is a job we do and this is how we are doing it, what they should do as nurses from Lagos State. One of them asked me why I was not interested in a child in the newspaper. I asked them to supply me with information concerning the baby, and the lady came and did that. I told the doctor that if they could bring the child to us, we would see what we could do. If we could not do it, they could take the baby to Germany as planned.
People started calling me, ‘Doctor, do you think you can do it?’ I said I want to see it. They brought this child truly.
It was a pleasant experience. When the baby was brought on my request to National Orthopaedic Hospital (NOH) Igbobi, Lagos, I studied her for about two weeks while we were building her up for the necessary surgeries. I was considering possible approaches and methods to use.
On D- Day, the major surgery took four hours with three doctors and nursing staff. The outcome was exceptionally marvelous. She underwent three more surgeries before she was discharged.
She is somewhere in the east doing her postgraduate studies. After that, many people started coming to Igbobi, I was doing it and I was enjoying it. I then designed my own method which is in the textbook today.
I’m not trying to say I’m above others or anything, but at that time, things worked for me by the grace of God. Kuti (Olikoye Ransom-Kuti) was the minister of health. He said children below 15 should come for free treatment. The late Dr. Owosina was my MD; a very good old man with a sharp head. He was supportive. I had the opportunity to do this thing and God gave me the opportunity to do it well. I’m not saying I’m the best. I thank God for that.
Was there a time you felt something could go wrong in the course of the surgery?
Not at all. All the procedures were well planned and they came out well as expected.
Do you have regrets as a plastic surgeon?
I don’t have any regrets at all as a plastic surgeon. On the other hand, I have a lot of joy in being one, because I was able to express my inborn talents of being a natural artist. I was one of the very few who established and popularised plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery in Nigeria.
How do you feel when you see people patronise local bone setters?
When I was at Igbobi, I had a conference called Primary Health Care in Orthopedic; Kuti was the health minister then. He set up primary health care, and I was one of the initiators of primary health care. I showed him the orthopedic part of primary health care and the minister gave me money for the conference and I invited known bone setters. I just wanted them to know that they don’t know anything.
Bone setters are half-educated people. When a bone breaks and they want to treat the fracture, some of them break the leg of a chicken and put it by the side with the broken bone. If a bone is broken, a simple fracture, if you put it down there, it will heal. You don’t have any problem. But if a bone breaks and nerves and vessels are affected or open to the surface with a wound, if the infection gets into it, that limb might be cut off.
I remember that time, after they might have made this mess, they would send their patients to Igbobi, telling them they don’t cut legs in their local clinics. They would make lots of incantations. At the end of the day, if their treatments fail, they would tell the patients to go, that it was a witch that followed such a patient to their local clinics, and that the patient should go to Igbobi. But by the time they got to us, it would be too late.
I organised the conference and we made them know the mistake they were making. Local bone setters don’t have a place anywhere. If they want, we can take them as nurses. Let them know what they can do as assistants or more so we train many more doctors all over the place.
Bone setters have no place. They mess up things they should not mess up. People go to them because it seems to be cheaper. If it is an ordinary simple fracture, they can succeed. But when it is a complicated case, they need other interventions.
Again, doctors are threatening to go on strike…
Unfortunately, I didn’t follow why they were going on strike or what they were fighting for. But when I was in the UK, we went on strike once or twice but when Mrs Thatcher came, she doubled our salaries, gave us comfort and they put up a programme to stop British doctors from going to Saudi Arabia. After the Americans and the British left, they came to Africa, and Nigeria was one of the places they recruited doctors to work and teach in their universities.
We have to consider that, make a programme for development, make it rigid, not when I come, I do everything I want, I sell everything out.
Doctors are one of the groups of workers that do not break laws easily because they know the implications. Doctors know they can’t even break traffic laws because it could affect their licenses. I have a friend who beat his daughter, the school got to know about it and he was reported. He was taken to court and he was suspended for five years. That is what the law will do if you keep to the law. By doing so, the doctors will always keep to the law by virtue of their registration.
When you take care of their needs, provide facilities, they will not be involved in such things. By doing so you give them a challenge. I’m too sure that doctors will do better. The welfare of doctors must be considered, facilities must be made available to them adequately, not ad hoc. There must be research protocols that must be given to many of the teaching hospitals to do research according to their ability, what the doctors in those hospitals have and what they think they can do best.
There must be overall supervision; unbiased supervision, not on religion or ethnicity. Science development is about talent, about knowledge.
What agenda would you set for the new government regarding the health sector?
It has multi-factors. I want the government to motivate the doctors immediately. Because there was a time in this country when a doctor could not afford a car, but later they improved their salaries and they were able to buy cars.
For me, they may increase their facilities so that they will be comfortable. Not to become rich men but to be comfortable and proud workers.
We have to adjust the system for employing a doctor. When we started the residency programme, I remember when I was at Igbobi, we were giving doctors houses. Doctors were coming from all over the country and we were giving them accommodation. Suddenly, someone said we should not be giving doctors houses again. I had a doctor working at Igbobi, he was living in Ifo, Ogun State. How is he going to work? Igbobi is an emergency hospital. You can’t expect a good job from that person. Why don’t we get good houses for such doctors here?
When we are employing them as a consultant, we give them good salaries; we give them the opportunity to buy a house or mortgage. You will only be allowed to buy houses where doctors are living; not to go and buy a house on Banana Island. If I’m given the opportunity to do that, the welfare of doctors will be a priority. Doctors will be educated properly. There will be a mortgage for doctors. If you make doctors comfortable, and you provide facilities, you don’t allow religion and tribal things to disturb their headship, things will get better.
How does it make you feel to be practicing at 81?
I feel good because I want to appreciate God for his amazing grace. I believe it would be a disobedience to God if I force myself to stop practicing in the face of many demands from my people. Another reason is that practicing keeps my brain active and prevents mental deterioration which also tells on my general psyche.
How much influence did you have on your son to study plastic surgery?
I don’t think I’ve had a direct influence on my son to specialise in plastic surgery-related work. I know that our children imbibe our ways by the way we do things, our ways of speaking, and our general inclination, even if we don’t talk to them directly.
The way we speak at home and our general inclinations influence our children at home. They use all these to mould their lives in general. These could have assisted my son in making this decision.
Why is your son not in Nigeria like you?
He is still acquiring knowledge and experience. I pray that he comes back to Nigeria at the end.
– Explains why ‘diplomatic pressure’ is best way to resolve Niger crisis
Major-General Lawrence Anebi Onoja (rtd) worked directly under two successive military leaders, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Sani Abacha before retiring from the Nigerian Army in 1998. Among other postings, he served as director of the Faculty of Joint Studies in the Command and Staff College, Jaji, and in 1991 became Principal Officer to the Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence before becoming General Officer Commanding 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos, and then, General Staff Officer in the Presidency of Gen. Sani Abacha. Although he was arrested in 1998 over allegations of being part of a plot to depose General Abacha, no specific charge was brought against him all through the intrigue until he was freed. Onoja who was once a director of the Faculty of Joint Studies in the Command and Staff College, Jaji, spoke with Assistant Editor, Jide Babalola during a chance encounter at the University of Abuja where he is starting off as lecturer for postgraduate students of Military Studies.
What is life like as a retired military General?
I thank God for retiring about 20 years ago. I’ve had a very robust military career, all thanks to God Almighty for protecting my life. As a young officer, I fought during the Nigerian civil war because I was commissioned in 1969 and posted straightaway from the British Military academy to the Third Marine Commando under Benjamin Adekunle.
It was by the help of God Almighty that I survived at the battle front and by His grace, I have survived to reach the age of 74 today. It has not been by my wisdom but it has been due to God Almighty and due to the fact that I have a very peaceful home. It is due to the wonderful wife that I have and also due to the amazing children that God has given me. So, with all this, retirement has been very wonderful, and I am glad that God has protected me till now because it looks like God has preserved me for a special purpose. I don’t know what that purpose is. He is the only one who knows.
Many say that in the past, the mention of the Nigerian military used to drive fear into many other countries, but it no longer appears to be so. What is your view about this?
Change is the only thing that is permanent. It keeps occurring in different dimensions. So also does it apply to organisations, social institutions and all others; they all keep changing. Orientation of the personnel involved also keeps changing.
Sociologically speaking, those who joined the army during our time had a different vision and maybe those who joined now also have a different vision. But I can assure you Nigeria still has one of the best armed forces in the world.
What do you think about the fact that one of the potential outcomes of the ongoing issues in Niger Republic may be the likelihood of resorting to use of military force?
I do not support having Nigeria use military force in Niger. I believe that we should vigorously pursue the use of diplomatic pressure on the junta for them to on their own give the West African sub-region and the Chairman of ECOWAS, President Bola Tinubu, who has started very well, a timetable to conduct election for a new President to peacefully emerge and for them to voluntarily relinquish power.
The use of force in Niger? I don’t think it should ever get to that. I don’t think so. This is because between Niger Republic and substantial parts of Nigeria, there is hardly any difference. I was governor of Katsina State from 1988 to 1990, and as part of the governance of Katsina, I saw a great need to travel to Zinder, Maradi and other parts of Niger Republic, holding meetings with their governors and other officials. And I feel that there is no real difference between us and them whether in terms of religion, culture or whatever.
In terms of trade, they are always with us in Katsina to buy food, toiletries and everything that you need to survive as a person, and they take these from Nigeria. Do not forget too that there are countless Nigerians who are business men and women there too. So, if you attack them or use military option to try restore the government, the collateral damage may be so much that it would affect not only the people there but also the Nigerians who are living within the border as well as those living within Niger. That is why I do not support the use of force.
But could force be the last resort if diplomacy fails?
Normally, diplomacy can never fail here. Coercive power or war does not help anybody. And no matter how long it takes to push the use of force, it all ends with diplomacy. So, no matter how long it takes, we should continue to pursue diplomacy and we will always win. These people in Niger are also human beings, and at some point, reason will prevail.
Our President has started very well by sending eminent personalities like the Sultan of Sokoto, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar and others to talk to them. Surely, at some point, they will cave in and say, ‘OK, we will conduct election in six or 12 months and a democratic administration will come in’. I think diplomacy is still a better option.
You rose to the highest point in your military career while agitations for democratic rule were intense. Would you rate governance to be better under the military?
No system is perfect. Americans started until they arrived at liberal democracy, and up till now, they are still working on their democracy and promoting democracy around the world. Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation started not too long ago; you don’t expect them to be perfect. I believe that one day, we will get it right.
The successive administrations that have come and gone did their best.
The present administration, for instance, has started well. I think President Tinubu, to my mind, knows exactly what needs to be done for us to repair what has gone wrong in this country. I believe that he is on course.
You know they call us a third world country, and some experts even say that we may almost be on the way to being a fourth world country because of how we had not been making good progress in a number of areas. However, I believe that with time, you fall and you stand, you fall and rise. Maybe it wont exactly be in our time, but with the next generation, in the time of our children, things will be much better than they are now.
To a certain extent, democracy is alien to us. The people that wrote the greatest books on democracy are mostly white people and there are so many ingredients in what makes democracy. One of them is patriotism. Another is what you may wish to call having a near non-corrupt society and the consistent prevalence of the rule of law. Now, these three ingredients, in my view, are sort of growing in our own society. I believe that by the time we effectively fight corruption to the barest level and Nigerians become more patriotic, and you are talking about Nigeria ahead of your tribe or religion, by the time we reach that level through education and self-motivation, I believe that this country will be much better than it is today. As for the present leadership, they are doing their best.
In the 1990s, you served in the regime of Gen. Abacha as General Staff Officer. What was your relationship with and perception of the late former head of state?
Wonderful head of state! He (Abacha) was a wonderful head of state, I am telling you. I served under Babangida and I also served under Abacha. They are among the greatest Nigerians ever. You specifically asked about General Abacha. Among others, don’t forget that the National Hospital which serves countless Nigerians today was built by Abacha.
In October 1994 when General Sani Abacha withdrew the fuel subsidy and increased petrol price from N3.25k to N11, he gave N5 on every litre to the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and got General Buhari to head the PTF. During that time, most hospitals across this country had drugs for patients. Most schools had books. The National Stadium that was renamed as MKO Abiola Stadium was built by Abacha. The National Stadium in Lagos was built by Gowon, and that shows you that many of the infrastructures that we have in this country today were brought about by military administrations. I will discuss that and argue with anybody on such issues! Abacha was a wonderful Head of State and he did his best.
In 1998 while you served under the military administration of Gen. Sani Abacha, you got arrested for allegedly being involved in a plot to depose him but was set free when no charges were brought against you. Is it correct to say that some old relationships helped to set you free?
No. All that happened was the culmination of high level military politics. The so-called coup. And I got out of it. Some people were trying to rope me in but they found out later that it was a story that was not properly weaved together, and I was asked to go. I came out of it with my rank and with my life because of the Almighty Allah, our Almighty God.
Working under General Babangida during the crisis that attended the annulment of June 12, 2023 elections must have left some lasting memories. What do you recall from that period?
It was temptations. There were political or power temptations. Elections were held; wonderful elections. I believed at that period that MKO Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential elections. This remains my personal opinion. But then there were diversions. Some military officers said that they had no wish to have it given to Abiola. But after series of arguments, we arrived at an interim government which solved the problem and the entire situation did not reach the point of firing of guns. So, we have cause to thank God.
Were you in support of the annulment or against it?
I was loyal to the country. I was not on anybody’s side.
Doyen of Nigerian television production, Olorogun Peter Igho, is in every sense of the word a legend and trail blazer in the nation’s television and movie industry. His time as the head of production at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in the 1980s and the 1990s is widely regarded as the golden era of the national television station. With production of such drama series as Cock Crow at Dawn, Behind the Clouds, Things Fall Apart and Tales by Moonlight, he left an indelible mark on the minds of television viewers during the era. Now 75 years old, Igho goes down the memory lane in an interview with OKORIE UGURU to recall how he nurtured the first set of modern television stars that form the backbone of what has become known as Nollywood. He also speaks about life in retirement, among other issues. Excerpts:
My first observation is that your name seems to be older than you look physically even though you are now 75. What is the secret to your youthful looks?
Well, the truth of the matter is that first, I am a very restless person who cannot sit in one place for a long time. I mean If I go to a party, most of the time, my friends would say I am too restless. I want to make sure everything is working. Maybe it is the producer in me that wants to make sure that everything is working well even if it is not my party. With most of my friends, if I go to their party, no matter how small, I take over as MC and I go round to make sure everybody is eating, everybody is okay. So, I am restless. But most importantly, I believe that he who rests rusts.
I also play golf four times a week: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. During the week, I play nine holes. That way, I keep fit. But it is not just the physical activities but also meeting people. When you are out there, you are breathing in fresh air. That clears the cobwebs. I believe that is practically why I am still moving when all my friends are practically aided by walking sticks. I thank God for that.
The name Peter Igho is legendary due to the role you played as a producer during probably the best period of television drama in Nigeria. Many refer to this period as the golden age, which spanns the 1980s and the early 1990s. Did you plan it or it just happened by chance?
This question takes us way back, because I was born in Jos. My father was a tin miner. Growing up in Jos helped to make me who I am. First we lived in various camps where my father was mining. But then while in Jos town, I recall that growing up, I attended St. Theresa’s Catholic Primary School. The compound where we stayed had about eight families, and we were the only non-Igbo in the compound. So, I didn’t learn Igbo; I grew up speaking Igbo. And because in Jos, the language of communication was mostly Hausa in the market and all that, most of my teachers in primary school were also Igbo. Even today, when most people hear me speak Igbo, they wonder how manage. It was not from staying in the East but from Jos.
Jos was so cosmopolitan at that time, so you grew up speaking your language. In fact, it was my language (Urhobo) I learnt, because most times, when our parents spoke to us, we answered in Igbo or Hausa. They would say, come on, we are talking to you and you are speaking another language. So they forced us to learn to speak our language.
Most importantly, because the mining business was not that flourishing all the time, the vicissitudes of the mining thing affected our father’s financial standing. So, most of the time, when we came back from school, we helped to hawk whatsoever was in season, whether it was groundnuts, boiled eggs, and all the seasonal produce. The most common was the seasonal guinea fowl eggs. Those days, there were no chicken eggs. Chickens were available only when you had local chickens in your compound and they laid eggs. The eggs you bought in the market were the guinea fowl eggs. My mother would buy them and we would go hawking them after school.
Because in Jos there were cinema houses, in the morning, afternoon and in the evenings, we invariably ended up at the cinema. It was quite problematic because we got hooked with the cinema. Even as young children, we understood, especially myself, the language of the movies. Even adults would pay for us sometimes when we didn’t have the money to enter, so we could explain to them what was going, because at that time, most of the English films were the Tarzan and Davy Crockett series. The others were Indian films. The Chinese films came later, and most of them were not with sub-titles. I understood enough of what was happening to be able to tell that the actor is saying this or that.
That also helped because even now, at every opportunity, my grandchildren would say tell us a story, and I love doing that.
So, it came from my father also. There was this Hausa book, Magana Jari Ce. I was a pioneer staff of NTV Sokoto. We started doing plays. The studios were stores converted to studios with very low roofs. And there was not much proper lighting. Again, we had to improvise a number of things. That time, the cameras available were big cameras in the studios. At that time, there was no camera to be used to shoot outside. Only the film camera they used for collecting little, little clips for news. That was why at that time, drama series were all studio based – the Village Headmaster, Samanja, and Masquerade. So, there were efforts in Winds Against My Soul, For Better for Worse, all studio based programmes.
So, we too started and I was in charge of Hausa and English language drama every week live. There were no recording facilities to record and go and edit. There was no margin for error. We had to rehearse and rehearse to make sure that we were meticulous in our planning. Then in 1977, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) came under one umbrella and NTV Sokoto became NTA. So it was the next year, 1978, that NTA wanted to showcase its oneness. Before then, we borrowed some programmes like Village Headmaster to show. That is why even though there was no network, we knew Village Headmaster, we knew Samanja, Masquerade and so on. They sent the tapes for variety.
How did the popular Cock Crow at Dawn series come about?
When NTA came under one umbrella, to showcase their oneness, they organised a drama competition among the 12 NTA stations. I wrote and directed the entry from NTA Sokoto. It was called Moments of Truth. To cut the long story short, when the plays were adjudicated, my play, Moment of Truth, came first. Because my play came first, the next year, when NTA saw government endeavor in agriculture, and they saw how popular that drama competition was, NTA decided to support government’s agricultural endeavour with drama series. Because I produced the winning entry during that competition, I was transferred from Sokoto to Lagos to work and produce the series that was to be produced to promote government’s endeavour in agriculture. That was what became Cock Crow at Dawn.
Despite being relocated to Lagos for Cock Crow at Dawn, we saw you moving to set in Jos, bringing together some of the best actors in Nigeria from different regions. Could you talk about the mindset for that, because many will see the Cock Crow at Dawn as the real dawn of television drama series in the country, which later transformed to Nollywood? I was progressing with that story. When I was moved to Lagos to produce what became Cock Crow at Dawn, we had done something beyond winning that drama competition. Because part of what made us to win with Moment of Truth was the fact that in that production, unlike all the studio based dramas that we were used to seeing, suddenly, here was a production that took you out of the studio.
So, it was a pioneering effort?
I am reputed to have taken drama out of the studios to locations.
In Nigeria?
Yes. I told you our studios were not properly television studios. It was a converted warehouse. So, we had to improvise. While working in the confines of that studio, but having grown up in the cinemas where most of it were outdoors, I wanted to do the same.
So in terms of television technology and production, Nigeria was far behind?
Even worldwide, the mobile camera that became what we are using now, were still to come. It was still cine-camera where you had to shoot on film and process. Because it was so expensive, only the news people used a bit of it – two seconds, five seconds, one minute – and incorporate as news insert. It was when I started in Sokoto that I started using their camera to go and shoot sequence outside, bring there and incorporate into my own drama. So the moment she screamed ‘the baby is dead’, I didn’t even show her, I just went straight to the outside of the house and there was a heavy storm, heavy rain, lightning and thunder. Then we see the husband inside running around looking for his wife because he knows she is in pain. ‘I can’t find her inside’. Then he comes outside looking for her. He finds her in the garden. The woman is just there in the rain and you can’t even tell her tears from the rain. So, he runs to her, picks her up, and as he is taking her back, I put Bongos Ikwue’s music What’s Gonna be, Gona be… And at that point, everybody breaks down. Now this was a sequence outside. So that was a major departure, something that people had never seen before in television in Nigeria.
So, when I came to Lagos to the project, I realised two things. I didn’t want something that would be regional. I didn’t want it to be an Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba drama. I wanted a drama that Nigerians everywhere would identify with. So, even in the choice of the names. I was very careful. Even Bello, we said Bellos are in the North, Bellos are in the South. Then Gaga, Gaga is Urhobo. I have a cousin who is Gaga. Ene was one of my staff, Ene Oloja. She is Idoma, but Ene can come from anywhere. So, I took my time over those names.
Again, in choosing the actors, I said I have to be very sure that I get a team. I didn’t want too many of the old names. I wanted something fresh, but you needed to bring in one or two that were already established and all that. I mean I had to think about Kasimu Yaro (Uncle Gaga) the wicked uncle. Bitrus, the late Sadiq Daba, was with me in Sokoto. He was the doctor in Moment of Truth. We worked together in Sokoto. So, when I was casting for the Bello family, I started with him. I now had to find somebody who looked like his father and somebody who looked like his mother. It actually started with him. It was easier with him.
In Jos, the guy who played Bello, George Menta, is Urhobo, but he also grew up in the North. His father was one of the richest tin miners. The moment you saw him, you saw Bitrus. The person that was difficult to find was Zamai, the wife of Bello and the mother of Bitrus and Larai. Larai was also with me in Sokoto for the ‘Moment of Truth’. She acted the wife who lost her baby. So, she and Sadiq, who became brother and sister, were with me in Sokoto. So, it was the father and mother that we had to get from outside.
Getting Zamai was difficult. It took a long time. But that is a long story. We finally got her. The irony was that Larai the daughter and Bitrus the son were older than Zamai, Ene Oloja in real life. So, it became the sheer brilliance of Ene Oloja’s acting to be able to depict their mother and do it very well and convincingly. I took my my time to get the cast.
Cock Crow at Dawn became a kind of watershed in Nigerian television…
It is because Cock Crow at Dawn became such a humongous success because it broke grounds in many ways. It was the first ever drama series in this country shot entirely on location. Before then, everybody was under the safety and comfort of the studio. This was the first time we were exposing a whole series to working outside the studio, where you are fighting with nature, the elements and all that. You are exposed to the sun and weather; no air conditioner. It was difficult, it was painstaking, it was a very tough assignment. But, again, it paid off in the end because all the efforts we put into it made it a big success. It is the first ever series with its own dedicated equipment. Before then, in all the studio programmes, when you wanted to go and shoot, you would book for camera and so on. This one, we had our own dedicated facilities. We commissioned music, Bongos Ikwue…
The Cock Crow at dawn song, was it commissioned? Two, what do you have with Bongos Ikwue? You used his music also for Moment of Truth (What Gonna be, Gonna Be)?
You know, the time I took to select the cast, the same time I also took to select the crew. Also, the same I also used to ensure that I got the right music. You mentioned Moment of Truth. Growing up in Kaduna during my secondary school, I was a day student most of the time, from form One to form five. I became a boarder only the last term of my fifth year. In those days, there was one voice you heard regularly on radio, that was Bongos Ikwue’s. So, all of us knew Bongos Ikwue. He had a group called the Rooftopers, because he was performing at a place called Hamdala Hotel. So, they were called Bongos Ikwue and the Rooftopers. Outside that he was performing there, you would always hear his voice on radio alone, singing and performing. We knew all his songs and all that. That was why when I was doing Moment of Truth in Sokoto and I needed the music that would help capture the emotions that I wanted, my mind went to him, because Bongos Ikwue is a great story teller in his songs. He also has this voice that touches you and pulls the strings of your heart. So when this series came, and I knew I needed somebody who would give me the kind of song that I wanted, my mind of course went straight to Bongos Ikwue.
With Bongos Ikwue, I had no doubt. First I had met a number of musicians and I knew many of them. Many of them, if you called them, like many Nigerians do, the first question would be how much are you going to pay? Bongos Ikwue doesn’t even talk about money.
Are you saying before he started the job he never asked you how much you were going to pay?
No, no. All he needed to know was that what was it all about and why do you think that I can do it? For him the art was much more than the money you are going to pay. And that was why he did what he did. He sought perfection. He went back and thought about it, and came up with something that was good. Everything that went into Cock Crow at dawn was properly planned and executed; nothing by accident.
Why Jos?
Jos because I was born in Jos and I understood the terrain more than anywhere else. In fact, when they gave me the assignment, it was to do it in Lagos. And I said how do I shoot an agricultural programme in Lagos? First, to get your artistes from various locations to come to your set because of the traffic jam and all that, it would be hell on earth, and there would be no beauty to show. But I grew up in Jos, I was born in Jos. I knew the rolling hills, the beautiful waterfalls, and all the rest of them. So, going back to Jos was for me like voyage of rediscovery. I also had an incredible camera man.
Why did the 1980s and 1990s when you were in charge of the production of some of these iconic drama series become a kind of bench mark up till today in terms of storytelling, quality of production and the calibre of artistes? They did not just fade off with these programmes but were the fulcrum of what became Nollywood. Why was this period like the golden age?
It was indeed the golden age of broadcasting in Nigeria. There are so many reasons… Because Cock Crow at Dawn wasn’t an isolated thing.
Let me give you a little background. It was a deliberate act. Up till the point when Cock Crow at Dawn came, stations had their budgets for the little dramas that they did, like Village Headmaster, Samanja, and so on. But the rest were all there – cooking time, children’s time, and all those programmes. After the success of the drama competition of 1978 where Moment of Truth came first, NTA at the management level decided that we would not have a big reputation if we continued with just everyday programming. There was a term they called it then: perishable programmes, programmes that you could wipe off. At cooking time, they cook Ogbono soup, Egusi soup, then in another one, you cook ‘Tuwo Da Miyan Kuka’ and all that, or ‘Ofe Nsala’ and ‘Onugbu’ soup. Those are not high profile programming. So, NTA’s management decided at that time that every year, they would invest resources and facilities to produce at least one major programme that would stand the test of time.
Don’t forget, from that 1977 when NTA took over from the various stations’ little inputs, NTA wanted to show itself as the giant that it was, not only in name but also in the content that it produced. So they started what they called programme projects. The first programme project was a documentary series shot by Eddie Iro. Before the drama competition of 1978, they had done a documentary competition and Soji Oyisan and Eddie Iro, especially Soji Oyisan’s production, I think his programme won, and they decided to do a documentary series. They gave them a camera and I think they travelled to the Gambia. I think they did about four-five episodes and they couldn’t continue for so many reasons.
Cock Crow at Dawn was the Project 2. In those projects, NTA said they would now invest proper funding, proper facilities to ensure that the programmes go above others.
So, Cock Crow at Dawn was the first drama series that we saw its own dedicated equipment. I recall that when I was about to go, they gave me a cheque for N17,000 to buy vehicles for Cock Crow. I bought two brand new station wagons and a saloon car at that time. We were running a station outside the station.
Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, is reputed for her calm disposition. But her gentle mien was provoked into anger at the government-owned Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin, the state capital.
Mrs. Obaseki was addressing 32-year-old Mrs. Tina Okhiria, a mother of two children and wife of a forty-year-old businessman, Joanki Okhiria, an indigene of Iruekpen, Esan West Local Government Area, Edo State, accused of shooting his wife in the left arm because she did not prepare his meal on time, causing same to be amputated.
Joanki gunshot had disfigured the looks of the beautiful but defenceless young woman, following which her elderly mother expressed disappointment with the “shameful conduct” of his son-in-law, who has since been arrested and charged to court by the Edo State Police Command for attempted murder.
Condemning Joanki’s “barbaric act”, the public relations officer of Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), declared that the cerebral officers of the command’s legal unit would ensure diligent prosecution of the accused husband and he would be made to bear the full weight of the law to serve as deterrent for other abusive ones.
Joanki, who was said to be drunk, had reportedly opened a bottle of cold beverage he fetched from the refrigerator and emptied its content on his wife of seven years before shooting her at close range with a double-barrel gun.
Tina’s aged mother said: “Her husband, many times, moved out her belongings, forcing her to move to the house of her elder sister.
“But he would later come to beg and pick up the items, and my daughter would return to his house, preferring to remain in the abusive marriage, claiming that it was for the sake of her children.”
Tina’s mother also stated that given the way her son-in-law was regularly coming to beg for forgiveness, she assumed that the young man would change for better, but, unfortunately, he failed to make amends.
Tina, speaking amid pains from her hospital bed, said: “My husband returned home drunk and lay on the floor of our living room. I politely asked him to move into the bedroom.
“But before he reluctantly agreed to go into the bedroom, he told me to warm some rice for him so he could eat.
“I went into the kitchen, warmed the rice and took the requested food to him, but he was already asleep. I then covered the food and put it on the table.
“I felt that by the time he woke up, he might ask for a different food. Hence I took his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card and withdrew N7,500 from his account.
“I gave the money to the wife of our security guard to help me buy some items so I could prepare a special meal for my husband.
“As I was preparing the food, my husband woke up and I heard him asking my son of my whereabouts.
“My son told him that I was in the kitchen, and he started screaming that I was always preparing rice for him, forgetting that he was the one that had earlier asked me to warm rice for him, but I later used my discretion to prepare another meal for him.
“My husband then came out of the room and rushed to meet me in the kitchen, and I gently explained that I was cooking something different from the rice he had requested.
“Surprisingly, he pushed me aside, rushed towards the refrigerator and collected a bottle of coke. He opened it and emptied the content on my head.
“I rushed to meet his bosom friend in the neighbourhood and told him what his friend had done to me.
“His friend asked me to calm down while my husband continued to scream. He held my throat and was trying to strangle me.
“His friend told him to stop in order not to kill me and he left me.
“But as I made to go inside our apartment, he blocked me.
“His friend closed our apartment’s front door but my husband went through the back door, and before I knew what was happening, I saw him with a gun. He shot me in my left arm at close range and I passed out. I did not know how I got to the hospital.”
Tina said her husband was in the habit of abusing, ridiculing, insulting and battering her.
In her reaction to the incident, Mrs. Obaseki said: “Many women who ought to be happily married are suffering in their marriages because of their children, and they will refuse to speak up, l while they are suffering and dying in silence.
“Most women who remain in their marriages because of their children get married to irresponsible and wicked men.
“Do not wait until you are killed. Report cases of abuse to the Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues.
“You do not remain in a situation where somebody is abusing you. He did not create you, so he has no right to abuse you, his feeding you and your children notwithstanding.
“As soon as you see it happening, you must report him to the ministry (of Social Development and Gender Issues) and the law-enforcement agents, and they will come and stop it in order to save your life and the lives of your children.
“Most wives prefer to stay in abusive marriages without reporting the animalistic behaviour of their husbands to the authorities, because they are afraid.
“Do not forget that bad things can happen to you in an abusive marriage. Abusive wives must always speak up.
“What can the abusive husbands do? When their wives report them, the officials will come and correct them.
“In cases where they observe that their husbands cannot change for the better, before the wives are killed, they would be taken away and some things would be arranged for them, because their lives are more important.
“Marriage is meant for happiness. If you are not getting happiness as a wife, you have no business remaining in the abusive marriage.
“Marriage is not a prison sentence. Why would you stay in an abusive marriage and continue to take rubbish? Why would you allow an ordinary human being to abuse you and you keep quiet? Who born am (him)?
“The crime is not just against the victim; it is against the government. Even if your husband begs tomorrow, just ignore him. Government will jail him, because that is the law. So that others will learn lessons.
“This kind of madness that is going on in Edo State and other parts of Nigeria, if you try it again, you will end up in jail.
“So, it will stop, and wives will stop suffering this kind of nonsense at the hands of mad men that they call husbands.”
In a gesture of support, the Edo First Lady assured Tina of being assisted to obtain myoelectric arm to alleviate the loss she suffered.
The shooting incident had taken place on June 2, 2023 at the the couple’s home in Ekae Government Reservation Area (GRA), Sapele Road, Benin, while Joanki was arrested by policemen from the Edo State Command on June 3 and arraigned on June 15, after which he was remanded in prison custody.
•Recalls how he masterminded use of AK-47 by Nigeria Police
Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, CFR, NPM, MNI, was the 13th indigenous Inspector-General of Police (IGP). In this exclusive interview with Crime Correspondent GBENGA OMOKHUNU and FAITH YAHAYA, the former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), speaks on how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tackled insecurity when he was Lagos State governor, describing him as a listening president.
OU worked with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was Lagos State governor. Do you think he is capable of ruling the country effectively?
I want to congratulate him for being elected the president and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is a great achievement because we know what he has gone through. I know Asiwaju (Tinubu). If he sets his mind on something, he achieves it. He went through all the configured hardship and he succeeded.
I knew him way back in the late 80s when he contested as a Senator. I was then the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations in Ikeja before he went abroad and finally came back to Lagos as elected governor of Lagos State in 1999, and I came back to Lagos again like him on 2nd of August, 1999 as Commissioner of Police, Lagos State. We worked more closely than we did when I was Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Operations. This time around, the issues of security, as far as police was concerned, rested on my table, and I had to take decisions and made sure the decisions I took were put into operation.
As a governor, Tinubu was very fantastic, because it is common knowledge that at the time he took over Lagos in 1999, there was total confusion in terms of security. People were being killed on a daily basis, cars were being stolen or snatched, people were running away from Lagos. So, he came to Lagos at a very bad time, so also myself.
I don’t know how it happened, but when I held smaller positions in Lagos, Lagos was not as bad as when I came back as Commissioner of Police, and I don’t know what actually caused it. I had to rely on the governor, because as at then, there was nothing for the police. We had no lorry, no patrol vehicles and the manpower were minimal, no arms. So we had to rely 99 per cent on the governor, and I found that he was someone very receptive and accessible. He gave me a free hand. He allowed me to take decisions and supported me. I was at a point bypassing the Force Headquarters because the Force Headquarters had nothing to offer. All they had to offer was to post me to Lagos and thankfully, the governor was very accessible, I could call him any time, any day.
Do you think he can effect change as the president of Nigeria?
Actually, people ask me if Tinubu will be able to surmount the insecurity in the country and I am always emphatic with my response, which is yes. I shouted yes because as they say in Mathematics, you go from the known to the unknown. With what he did in Lagos, he can do it again. The biggest problem facing Nigeria now is insecurity and the biggest problem Lagos faced when he came as a governor in May 1999 was insecurity, and he was able to sanitise Lagos, and I am sure by the grace of God, as human calculations can permit, he will be able to sanitise Nigeria too.
Like I said, he took my advice on security, and that was how I was able to succeed in Lagos. If he were other governors, he would have turned me down and that would have led to me not achieving anything. He took my advice; he helped me in facilitating my request.
There were so many things that the governor and I set in motion that were copied by so many states and commands in Nigeria. For example, in the Army, the armed forces are there for external aggression. Before any soldier will be deployed, you have to take permission from the Chief of Army Staff. In Lagos, the police had no manpower and arms, we could not deploy soldiers. I went to Tinubu to complain that we cannot be going back and forth any time there is an operation, give a standing order. So, he wrote the Chief of Army Staff and a standing order to the Brigade in Lagos was given for the soldier to join the police for Joint Anti-Crime Patrol. That helped us curtail crime in Lagos. Later on, all states and governors copied us and there were so many other things like that.
At a point too, he wanted to give me money to buy fuel because he bought patrol vehicles for us, but I told him I did not want money. I told him to instead create a petrol station where policemen can go and collect fuel rather than give me or my men cash, and he accepted. He opened a dump in Alausa. So every morning, each police patrol vehicle would go and collect 40 litres. That way, if there was a crime somewhere and the police was called, they could not say they had no fuel, hence they had no excuse not to go. If not for him, I am not sure I would have functioned well in Lagos.
Now that he is the President, which area do you think he can further assist the security operatives, especially the police, to tackle insecurity in the country?
President Tinubu is an experienced politician and also experienced in his fight against insecurity from what he did in Lagos. He set up a foundation in Lagos that other governors followed. I can say without fear of equivocation that Lagos, with all its complexity, is among the cities with the highest population and economic activities in the country, yet Lagos has the lowest crime rate in Nigeria, all by the work set in place by him in Lagos.
Now that he is the President, I believe he will replicate what he did in Lagos in the entire Nigeria. If he does what he did with respect to the security architecture in Lagos, give him two to three years, insecurity will become a thing of the past in Nigeria.
Are you not worried with the way police officers are being killed, especially in the South East? What do you think the present IGP should do differently to curb this?
I think he should retrain the police. The policemen, even the ones mounting roadblocks, you will discover that they don’t even pay attention. Most times, they look somewhere else. And you would see that before real criminals attack policemen, they must have done their survey and realised that the people are lackadaisical in their attitude to work.
They should also install some gadgets and equipment. When I arrived Lagos in August 1999, we had minimal manpower and there were no arms. A time came that you posted four policemen for roadblock and only one would carry arms, and when robbers come, they target the one that has arms. When they fire him down, others will run away and then they will pick his arms.
So, policemen were always afraid to go to duty and I brought the idea to Asiwaju to request for arms from the Force Headquarters because we had no arms. That was what brought AK-47 to the Nigeria Police Force. It was my move.
The first batch of AK-47 was airlifted from Bulgaria to Nigeria. Because I was CP Ikeja, it was in my custody at the Ikeja Police College, and I posted men to guard them before the IG sent the Force Armament Officer to Lagos to take delivery of the arms and distributed them. The moment every policeman in Lagos got arms, crime in Lagos dropped.
So, for the IG now, if policemen can be more equipped with gadgets, it will be better. We have passed the stage of manpower in this world; we now use gadgets. But unfortunately, the Nigeria Police is still depending on manpower. It is equipment they need. So, the police should be well equipped.
Are you suggesting that the police should reduce the rate of recruitment and focus on acquisition of more equipment?
I am not saying there should be no recruitment. As we speak right now, most police stations are closed down. The one in my village is closed due to lack of manpower. So, look at it, you don’t have the manpower, you don’t have the equipment, what can you achieve? If there is manpower, they can manage. But the two are lacking, so it is to your tent o Israel; everybody for himself, God for us all.
The IG, during his last meeting with senior police officers, said crime rate has reduced now compared to what happened before the election. Do you agree with that?
I don’t have the statistics, because I am not the IG. When I was the IG, every morning, I got the statistics of the whole federation. But I am not the IG now, so I don’t know. I cannot say whether I agree or disagree, because the figures are not with me.
As a former IG, I cannot really say. But sometimes, when I read the newspapers, I know what is fact and not. But right now that I am retired, I cannot believe everything I read from the newspaper unless I ask the IG, because as an IG, he has the crime report every morning on his table, which I don’t have now. So I cannot say whether it is correct or not.
On the crisis rocking the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the long-term fracas which the present Chairman is trying to resolve through series of meetings, do you see light at the end of the tunnel?
I would say the crisis was inborn and engendered by the constitution. I wrote an article some months back about the crisis between the commission and the IG, and I used a phrase I coined; “non-authority of fire and hire syndrome”. What I mean by that is that you are working somewhere and they say somebody has no power to hire or fire you. So as far as you are concerned, that person is not important and you won’t even take instruction from that person. So, that is what is happening between the IG and the Police Service Commission. The constitution says the PSC has the power to appoint, discipline, dismiss, promote all police officers apart from the IG, so, some IG capitalized on this.
I was IG too and I had good relationship with the chairman of the Commission. Throughout my time, we never had any quarrel between us. But some people feel because the chairman has no power to hire or fire them, they feel they are on the same pedestal and cannot take instruction from the chairman. That is the problem we are having between the IG and the Commission, and that is how the constitution puts it unless it is amended.
What has been the result of the meeting the PSC chairman who is also a former IGP had with other retired IGPs?
Thank God Solomon Arase came in, and being that he just came in at that time, himself and other IGs have exchanged letters. When I was IGP, I never had problem with the chairman. I visited him in his house unannounced and I was always welcomed. But I remember when I was chairman, there were some people that never came. There was a particular IG who refused to even attend meetings. If you asked for report, he wouldn’t send because he felt the chairman had no power over him.
Do you think this fracas affected the welfare of policemen in anyway?
Definitely, it did. I remember the time Adamu and the chairman of the Commission had a problem, I had to call a meeting and we held the meeting in the late Gambo’s house. We found that vehicles meant for the Commission were withdrawn by the IG, and because of that, the Commission withheld promotion of police officers. But we intervened. I said the commission was wrong for withholding promotions and that if the commission had any problem with the IG, they should promote those that were due. I also told the IG that the vehicles he withdrew were not personal vehicles but government vehicles. So he released the vehicles.
Should the move Arase has brought in be sustained?
I want it sustained, because if it is not sustained, they say when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. If the two agencies work harmoniously, it will be to the good of Nigerians, because the police will work very well and crime will be low. But if there is rancour, the officers will not do their best.
So it is necessary that the rapport between the IG’s office and the Commission under the chairmanship of Arase should continue so that the officers will feel happy and their welfare will be provided. Even we that are served by the police will equally feel happy.
How do you think the welfare of officers and men of the force can be improved?
That is a very wide area. When I was the IG, I wrote a memo to the president that says if you employ somebody and you pay him well, he will work well for you. If you give him peanut, you will also get peanut service. So, I wrote a memo to the then President Yar’Adua about accommodation for the police, because nobody cared about how policemen lived. Before, they were building barracks for the police. But they have stopped and they have nowhere to live.
For instance, you have a Corporal who you posted to guard a house in Maitama, and he has no house. Where does he live with his family? He cannot afford to rent a house in Maitama close to where he is working; not even Wuse or Garki, because he cannot pay for it. Sometimes, he sleeps inside abandoned vehicles or offices and, of course, nobody talks about his family because his family will be in the village and that is the most minimal welfare.
So, I wrote to the President and said policemen are members of National Housing Fund and they take 2.5 per cent of their salary every month to the National Housing Fund. Therefore, they are entitled to loan or money from Federal Mortgage Bank, and it was approved. That was how they started getting houses for police officers.
That is not enough. Salary-wise, I wrote to the President again and this time around, I didn’t write requesting for salary. I wanted to whip his sentiment and the sentiment cannot be embodied in a letter, so I went to him and went to paint a picture before him and he granted me audience. I said: “Sir, imagine a police corporal or constable in Sokoto State Police Command posted to a police post at the boundary between Nigeria and Niger Republic and living in a small hut with his family and farming to augment his salary, and because of crime wave or mobility of the job, he was posted from Sokoto to FCT Abuja and he arrives Abuja without a house nor a car and his salary is N8,000 a month. Even the N8,000 is not enough to transport him from Abuja to Sokoto to see his family, not to talk of sending money to them, and he is frustrated with the job. Unfortunately, the wife calls him one morning to say one of their children is sick and they were asked to pay N10,000 at the hospital. He stands in front of Transcorp that morning to check crime and he sees big cars passing… I was not done when the President asked me what I wanted and I said I wanted salary increase for my men.
I said, Sir, this is the second time I am coming to you. The first time was to thank you for appointing me as IG, and I told you I would do my best. And this is my second time and my best will not be good enough if these men are not taken care of.’ For me, I am comfortable. I live in Maitama in IG’s quarters. I drive cars air conditioned with escort and my office is comfortable. But I am not the one doing the job. I bring policies and they implement. If they are not comfortable doing the job, I will not succeed. He said I should go and write, and I went to write, and the salary was increased from about N8,000 to N45,000. So police started earning very well at that time.
After the increment, some people wrote me from the bank to say they wanted to join the police. The truth is they would not have done that if the salary was still low. I remember, end of that year, a newspaper wrote that the increment in salary initiated by the IG had led to decrease in crime rate in Nigeria in the last five years. So, that is why I said if you pay somebody peanut, they will do peanut job, and if you pay well, they will work well.
We know that the Amnesty for Niger Delta youths was initiated by you. Would you say the programme has met your expectations?
It has and it has not. I remember when I started, I took some risks. I was in my house, then a lady who used to work with United Nations came to interview me on militancy in the Niger Delta. After the interview, I asked if she had been to the Niger Delta and she said yes. I asked those who she met and she mentioned people including Tom Ateke, and I asked for Ateke’s number. I asked her to call him and she did and gave the phone to me. I said: “Ateke, I am Okiro, and he said, Uncle, I am fine. I asked where he was and he said he was in the creeks. When I asked what he was doing there, he never answered.” I went ahead to say, you are hiding because of what you are doing. I said everybody knows that Niger Delta was neglected. It was common knowledge in Nigeria and all over the world. The Federal Government was trying to see what they could do for the Niger Delta. They awarded contract to Julius Berger worth N20 billion. It was the biggest contract; the East-West Road, to develop the region. But your boys went to kidnap the workers and now the job has been abandoned. Who do you blame?
An idea now came to me and I asked, if the Federal Government wants to give you amnesty, will you take it? He asked what it means and after that, he said he would take it. He now asked about his boys and I told him to send me the list of his boys. He sent me 443 names. I established a rapport between me, him and a lawyer. He was suspecting me at some point and asked that if I wanted anything, I should speak to the lawyer. I asked for the qualifications, ages and gender of the 443 people’s names he sent as that would enable me to know what to do for them. He sent it to me and I realised that some had not gone to school, some went to school but had no jobs.
To be sure he wanted amnesty, I told him to write to the President because I didn’t want a situation where the government would give them amnesty and they would say they didn’t want. I said he should apply for amnesty and I signed with the lawyer and Ateke.
So, I wrote a memo to the president and I divided the 443 names into three groups. Those who could not afford school fees, we asked for scholarship. Those who were graduates but jobless, which made them enter the creeks, we asked for jobs for them. And the last set were people over 30 years without education who should be trained in carpentry and other vocational skills.
Before the government agreed, the President first said no and I had to tell him that we were not at war and sending bombers to bomb the creek would affect innocent people. Some people were already crying and shouting that the proposed move by government was genocide. I said some of these boys in the creek would become important people in the country. Government was very interested in it.
I spoke to the president and I was supposed to go to Port Harcourt on Friday for them to surrender their arms. I was to go and pick the arms from the camp as against coming to drop it at the police station. Unfortunately, in the morning of that Friday, there was security of IG and security chief and I had to go for that meeting. The meeting ended around 4pm and I was told by my PA that we had missed our flight. I called the President to tell him that I was supposed to go to Port Harcourt to collect arms but I could not go again because of the meeting. He asked me to call the ADC and the ADC said he had been instructed to make the plane available whenever I needed it for the amnesty project. He asked me to go to the presidential wing to take a plane to Port Harcourt.
We arrived Air Force Base Port Harcourt around 6pm and people were waiting for me at the Police Officer’s mess in Port Harcourt. We held a meeting on how they would surrender their arms and it was getting to 7pm. The AIG Zone 5 at that time came to whisper to me that it was not safe to go to the camp by that time, but I did not say anything. The CP Rivers also felt he could convince me not to go since I did not agree with the AIG but I maintained. I said to myself, it took me time to convince the President on the amnesty, I told him I was coming to Port Harcourt today, he accepted. I told him later that I had missed my flight and he gave me a flight. It was a presidential jet and they could need it anytime. I could not hold on to it. It would look like I was playing a game with excuses, so I decided to go to the camp.
I told the CP and AIG that I would go and if they killed me, they should not touch anybody because that was the way God wanted it. I told them not to spill any blood because of me.
I just stood up and addressed the crowd that I had been told by the AIG and CP that it was dangerous to go to militant’s camp to collect arms, and they started saying: “Uncle, we are not after you, we cannot do anything to you”.
We left for the camp around 9pm. There was no light; it was torch and headlamp we used to enter the camp, and that was how we succeeded with the militants in the Niger Delta, and we went to other places after.
My proposal to government was not to share money to anybody. The purpose for which I fought for amnesty even at the expense of my life was to have the ones out of school get scholarship, give jobs and then train people. I never said they should distribute money to people, but they are now distributing money to people.
What was economic activity like in the Niger Delta at the peak of the militancy?
Part of the thing that made me feel worried is because I was concerned on national level and geo-political level. That time, if you went to Port Harcourt, all hotels were abandoned, houses had “For Sale” stickers on them but nobody was even buying. Oil companies were operating from Lagos with helicopter and going back. Some were coming from Aba and Owerri. So, I said the economy of the region had dropped. Even those who sell things to workers no longer sell.
On the national level, Niger Delta used to sell 2.4 million barrels a day but it dropped to below 700,000, so it affected our economy. By the time amnesty came back, the production went up again and business started booming.
What is your advice for police officers?
Police job is not a job where you come and do what you like. The police have rules and regulations as guiding principles. The constitution is there, Police Act is there also. They go for training and so they know what they should do, so they should do what they are supposed to do.
Inasmuch as I feel the President will make a change in the security architecture of Nigeria, we still need everybody to do something. I cannot forget Tinubu because I went to him as governor to complain about unemployment. We have Area Boys, if they are employed, it will stop.
I gave an instance that if someone is living in Ipaja and working on the Island and wakes up 4am daily to prepare to go to work and returns home around 11pm, he will not have time because weekend will be used to clean up and rest. But if you have no job and you sit in front of your house playing draft and making derogatory comments at people passing, then you will have time for crime. So, I urged him to see how we can create jobs to bring down the crime rate. So, the Area Boys were engaged to sweep the street and that brought down crime in Lagos State.
As the President, he should see what he can do to create jobs. But we must know that security is a collective responsibility; it is not an exclusive preserve of any agency or government. Everybody should play a role and be concerned about the security of the country.
The government can only provide the enabling environment for peace to reign. It is left to the agencies and Nigerians to make everywhere peaceful.
The name Abimbola Oladokun does not definitely ring a bell but at the mention of Bayanni, millions of fans of the young Mavin records signee will quickly jump out to see what the singing sensation is currently up to. Bayanni is one of the reigning artists from Nigeria whose songs have taken the music landscape by storm after he was discovered by music production maestro Don Jazzy. THE NATION’s ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR GBENGA BADA had a chat with the youngster on his music, stardom and more
Let’s start with your current single, which even got a remix with Jason Derulo, tell me about the feeling.
It feels really amazing to have one of my favourite artists on my song. I am definitely ticking that off my bucket list.
So are you working on more of such collaborations like the one with Jason Derulo from you?
Yes, all these and more! The goal is for my music to reach every corner of the world. I will continue to work hard to make this dream come true.
Are you planning on shooting a video for the remix soon?
Oh yes. The video will be dropping really soon.
So, as a youngster, what influences your music?
I make music that cuts across all areas. My mood influences my music. I make music based on how I feel at the time.
You joined Don Jazzy’s Mavin records after an online trend, how has that helped or changed your work ethic?
Yes. Since I got signed into Mavin, I have improved in major key areas of my music. I have learned how to make the best use of my main instrument which is my voice. I have also learned to be consistent in my delivery, which has contributed to my relevance in the music industry.
Don’t you feel pressured being on Mavin records with other unique and trending artists?
No. I do not feel pressured, rather I feel motivated to do better today than I did yesterday.
So, you are Bayaani, what does that mean?
Bayanni is of Philippine origin, and it means someone who is brave, fearless and determined.
I’m curious, how did you meet Don Jazzy?
On the 22nd of December 2019, around 2:30 a.m, Don Jazzy sent me a direct message on Instagram. I was asleep but for some reason, I was feeling uneasy in my sleep, so I woke up at about 5:30 a.m, picked up my phone and the first thing I saw was a direct message from Don Jazzy saying ‘Bonjour’. It took me at least 15 minutes to process the whole thing and reply. He said he saw my freestyle videos and thought to have a chat with me. I felt great the first time I met Don Jazzy in person. It was at that moment I knew there was no going back.
The world has accepted and is now focused on Afrobeats. How does this reality affect your music and how do you intend to keep the spotlight?
It’s a big blessing to be part of the Afrobeats movement. One thing I am sure of is that I’ll make sure to keep the flag high.
There’s this talk about many Afrobeats acts relying on made beats and not giving fans live band experience. Do you agree and in your opinion, how do you think artists can showcase their creativity better at live events?
My opinion is that sometimes the stage or set up may not be conducive enough for a live band performance. I love performing live to my audience but if the stage isn’t set up well and spaced enough for my band to perform with me, it may be difficult. These are some of the reasons and it is mostly up to the organisers of events and shows.
Tell me something not many know about Bayanni?
Something many people don’t know about me is that I trade forex. I’m a pro forex trader.
You are a trained accountant with a degree from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), why music?
Well, I think everyone has that one thing they know they are best at. Mine was making music. I always knew I would do music; the signs were there from when I was a child. By the time I told my parents I wanted to pursue my music career after school, they didn’t even hinder me. They supported me whole heartedly because they already saw it coming too.
More musicians are joining the cast of some of the biggest movies. Are you open to exploring acting?
I have always wanted to do acting too, and I have plans to explore the movie industry as well. In time, we will see how that goes.
In your opinion, how important is creating a unique identity for a recording artist?
It is as important as your branding, it’s important that people are able to connect with who is behind the mic. In most cases, it strengthens the artist’s fan base.
Tell me a bit about your fashion sense
Most times, I like to wear what makes me comfortable
What’s your typical day like?
My typical day is waking up to check the forex charts, cleaning up, checking my to-do list, then carrying out my day by making sure I tick everything I have to do on the list.
What else is in the works that fans should look forward to?
Definitely, it has to be beautiful music, plenty of beautiful music.
Who are your greatest musical influences and how have they influenced your music?
Some of my greatest musical influences are Wande Coal, Olamide, Davido, Wizkid, Fela, Lagbaja (the names I remember at this point). They all had a huge impact on my music because I listened to them while growing up. I picked up a lot from their styles of music.
