Category: Saturday Interview

Tanwa Ashiru is a veteran officer of the US Air Force with more than 14 years of experience in Intelligence Analysis, attached to the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD) and the US National Security Agency (NSA). She served in Afghanistan for 180 days and was involved in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in Southwest Asia, Middle East and Africa. She shared with INNOCENT DURU her experience in the US military and the pains she feels each time she hears about troops in war theaters in Nigeria not getting paid or denied the proper equipment. Excerpts:

What can you tell us about your background?                   

I grew up in Lagos and went to secondary school in Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos. My father was a civil servant and he worked in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. My mother is a retired advertising executive. As a child, I always enjoyed going with her to the office. I got to see how commercials were shot and especially enjoyed it when they were food seasoning products, because we got to eat all the food and desserts afterwards. So I was pretty privileged to watch my mother grow through the ranks and navigate a tough male dominated industry successfully, which has really formed my approach to business and outlook in life.

At what point did you travel out of the country and what informed your decision to join the Air Force in the US and not here in Nigeria?

After secondary school, I traveled to attend university, but I ended up joining the military because they had great education benefits among others. So I served for six and a half years, and the Air Force paid for my whole education. And I am still enjoying that benefit, even as a veteran.

What was the reaction of your parents when you told them about joining the Air Force?

I have two older brothers who were also serving in the US military. So when I mentioned joining as well, my parents took the news calmly. I remember my mother calling me to make sure it was what I wanted to do. She felt the need to let me know that it was not mandatory. But I told her I was happy with the choice.

 Did you face any challenge getting the job and what was your experience serving in Afghanistan?

Boot camp and technical training school went very well. I got a job in the intelligence field and enjoyed learning and growing in the community. After service, I took a defence contracting job which required me to travel to Afghanistan for six months; which was a unique experience. I worked directly with the U.S Marines Intelligence Unit, focusing on Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) activities. At the time, CIEDs were the primary cause of fatalities of Coalition Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. So there was an agency dedicated to tackling that problem in what was termed “defeat the device”.

In terms of welfare and wellbeing, troops deployed to these war theaters were well taken care of. They were paid extra for being in a war zone. The meals were hot and delicious. There was water and hot showers. See, these things are very important in boosting the morale in conflict environments. That is why I’m often sad anytime I hear about troops in war theaters not getting paid or not getting the proper equipment. It is quite unfortunate.

 Any near-death experience in the course of doing all this?

I understand my experience was completely different from those of others who had to go into town (what we referred to as outside the wire) and were involved in direct combat. As an intel (intelligence) analyst, I got to read about several IED attacks and their dreadful impact on the troops. Many left and never came back. Every day that I woke up and was able to take a deep breath, I remembered to be grateful for life and recognise those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

 Tell us your unforgettable experience as a military officer in the US or Afghanistan.

There are so many unforgettable experiences, and boot camp training was certainly one of them. I remember waking up the morning after arriving and thinking within myself if I had made the right decision. Drill instructors had six weeks to break you down and build you back up. You got shouted at frequently and put through grueling physical training. We were given little time to sleep and were expected to stay alert and awake throughout the day. But I will never forget the physical and mental transformation afterwards; the feeling of being pushed completely outside your comfort zone and surviving. Today, anytime I’m facing a daunting task or situation, I remind myself that I can overcome adversity.

 At what point did you quit and why?

Once my six-and-a-half-year tenure was over, I had the option to re-enlist for an additional four years until completing a 20-year career or taking an honorable separation from the military. So I chose to separate and start life as a civilian, graduate and veteran.

 What else would you be if you were not in the military?

Well, after I moved back to Nigeria, I tried to go into advertising like my mother, but I soon learned that my military mindset had been formed. I had issues with the lack of discipline and order that many creatives showcase. So after my NYSC service at the agency, I left and went back into the security and defence industry.

I am also actively honing skills in the tech industry including cyber security and other roles within the software development lifecycle. I believe we must always stay learning and growing. You cannot go wrong with learning a new skill, especially in booming industries such as cyber, tech and healthcare.

 Since when have you been in Nigeria and what have you been doing?

I founded a company called Bulwark Intelligence Solutions. Today, our organisation provides enterprise security risk management services to both private and public sector clients. These risk management services range from risk assessments and advisory, intelligence reports, investigations and trainings to defence, intelligence, and security consultation.

The services we provide give much needed support to many security managers and chief security officers. We equip them with the necessary information, knowledge and tools that they need to effectively perform their duties as the risk managers of their organisations. What is your take on the challenges of insurgency, banditry and other criminal activities in the country?

It’s a reflection of bad leadership across all strata of the society. Unfortunately, our institutions are not doing what they are supposed to do. The education system is in a shambles and there are many out-of-school children. Gangs, drugs and crime eventually become an option for them to make a living. The legal system is struggling. Crimes and criminals go unpunished time and time again. This causes people to take the law into their own hands.

The security sector is not effective. The current structure that concentrates security response in the centre is not efficient for the diverse and burgeoning population in the country. All these things are drivers of security that our leaders and lawmakers have refused to tackle. The result of this head-in-the-sand strategy is what is manifesting as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and so on.

The bottom line is that there is one thing that needs to be done, and that is implementing the many solutions that have already been proffered to resolve these problems. We need leaders who are not afraid to make difficult decisions that will steer this country in the right direction.

Are there solutions to the challenges of oil theft affecting our economy?

Like the saying goes, there is nothing new under the sun. There are solutions to every problem that is plaguing our nation. A challenge like oil theft has several drivers that keep it going. Everything from the conditions of the local citizens and the environment where they live to the corruption and poor accountability of those who are supposed to tackle the problems from the government side.

 As a security person, do you socialise?

I think socialising has more to do with one’s personality than their career. I am both an introvert and extrovert. It means, I prefer staying indoors, but when I do go out, I have a good time, although nowadays, I’m perfectly happy just spending quality time with my loved ones.

 What military assignment gave you the most joy or fear?

For me, it was always when I had to do something out of my comfort zone. I remember when I got selected to attend Airman Leadership School. I was there with some of the best and brightest. I just took the time to really enjoy the experience, while pushing myself as much as I could with my presentation, fitness, and academics. I didn’t realise others had been taking note of my efforts as well. At the end of the training, I was given an award as a distinguished graduate. My commander was there to witness it and was extremely proud that we brought the award to our unit. Again, when I am facing moments of worry or inadequacy, I always remind myself about the little victories I’ve experienced.

 What security measures should the country put in place as the 2023 elections draw closer?

I believe the key things to keep in mind as we enter the 2023 elections are first, ensuring we are preparing for any potential uncertainties and disruptions. We must also plan our response to threats, as well as our recovery from election threats.

 Would you like your children to toe your path?

To be honest, I would. I really believe young adults should serve in the military. It instills discipline from a young age, and could set one up for an adventurous life. However, I’ve agreed to allow them make that choice for themselves.

 Tell us about women in security business: the chal lenges, pains, gains and so on. 

Nigeria is still very much a patriarchal society which believes that the traditional roles for women are to be in the home, supporting their spouse and caring for their children. But as the security landscape has evolved, adversaries are increasing their use of females in furthering their interests or at the very least, supporting the community where the men perpetrating crimes reside.

While adversarial elements have increased their use of women, government security forces have also encouraged more female recruits into their ranks. However, many of them still serve in administrative and secretarial positions, in a world where adversaries are using women in direct action operations. The Nigerian government can strengthen its strategy in actively involving women in national security. Women are naturally adept at multi-tasking. It appears nature made it this way to enable effective management of multiple offspring. In addition, the innate instinct to ruthlessly protect their young brings out a level of emotional obsession, passion and dedication that allows women see risks differently and over longer term. Women are happy to channel this level of passion towards national security if it provides results which secure the protection of their children.

More and more women have begun entering the global security industry in recent years, and many of these women are being promoted to senior-level positions and are emerging as thought leaders, experts and specialists, which is shifting the balance of power. The fact that the security industry is moving from commodity-based sales to a technology-centric business has allowed for increased diversity and increased participation of women in the workforce.

Even with the many opportunities for women in security, we remain underrepresented compared to our male counterparts. However, several industry groups, such as the ASIS International Women in Security (WIS) Council, have been created to offer community, education, and networking opportunities for women. We have our annual Lagos WIS Conference coming up on the 3rd November 2022. We are bringing together top management and executive level security industry women. We encourage those interested in the field to register and hear more from the amazing group of women on how to succeed in security.

There are so many facets in the security industry, ranging from national security, defence and military, intelligence, academia, cyber and private sector enterprise security risk management, among others. I encourage women who are interested in the field to learn more about the various options and go with the ones that interest them and align with their values.

The industry and society as a whole still have a long way to go in showing their willingness to accept the voices, opinions and expertise of women. In the meantime, women in security groups will keep doing their part in showing women the various facets of the security industry that are available to them, training them on those skills, building their confidence and encouraging increased participation.

THE immediate past General Manager of the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, the organisation responsible for the management of the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State, Muhammed Mubashiru Hassan, was a man of many parts during his active years in service. Apart from occupying the office of Auditor-General and Permanent Secretary of Local Government Service Commission In Lagos State, he also functioned as a lecturer of Accounting at the University of Lagos and Yaba College of Technology. The First Class graduate and fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Chartered Institute of Taxation, among other professional bodies, spoke with VINCENT AKANMODE about his career in the Lagos State Civil Service, his battles with corruption in local government and his encounters with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu while the latter held sway as the governor of Lagos State, among other issues.

What was your most memorable experience as permanent secretary and auditor-general for local governments in Lagos State?

I really enjoyed being the auditor-general for local governments. I tried my best to upgrade the office. Before I came, council chairmen did not know our office, and we were their auditor. So when the auditors were presenting their reports, I would ask if there was any stubborn local government chairman disturbing their peace. Some of them would say yes, and I would write down the names of the chairmen and invite them to listen to the presentations of the auditors and show whether they agreed or disagreed. So they started coming and I built that awareness. Before then, they would say who is auditor-general? But I made that office relevant in local government administration and finance, and I made sure that reports were never late.

I met about three years arrears of reports not presented. I cleared the arrears and made my own regular. We submitted our reports to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Lagos State House of assembly. So when the committee invites the chairman of a council they must come. But there was a year some council chairmen refused to appear before the committee.  I was so powerful then. I wrote to the house that if they allowed this to go, no council chairman would appear before them again. The council chairmen were summoned to the house and they were all sweating under the air condition. They were screened and warned that if they tried it again, they would be removed. That made them to stop toying with our office.

Did you have a cause to indict any of them?

We did, but the indictment was subject to the approval of the House of Assembly. If the PAC clears him it ends there. If not, they would present the report before the entire house and the house would consider whether the chairman should be suspended or removed completely. There was an occasion that the EFCC wrote to our office that they wanted to see the list of all indicted chairmen. My staff was jittery. But I responded that I did not have the power to indict any local government chairman, please contact the House of Assembly and request for the list of those indicted. That was the last I heard about that letter. I was so confident because I didn’t condone corruption.

There is no way you can divorce the private sector from the corruption in the public sector. In fact, it was the private sector that injected corruption into the public sector because most of the contracts are done by the private sector and they are the ones that would start the negotiation. I will tell you about one incident: Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu then gave us an approval to go and do staff counting in local governments and local government education authorities managing teachers. We started and we were reporting to the governor, which was Tinubu then. We realized that they were preparing two payrolls. One was genuine, which the teacher would come, sign and go. The other one was the one used to collect money. The difference between the genuine one and the fake is something they share every month.

So when we started, they said let us pacify Hassan to cover up. So they contributed one million naira each, and they were 20 in Lagos State, making it N20 million. But when they brought it I said no, I would not collect my gratuity in advance. If you collect the money and you buy a jeep of N10 or 12 million, what is left? They started carrying the money about, looking for somebody that would beg me to collect it but I said no, just tell me what you want and I will help you if I can. I did not know that the governor, Tinubu, was tracking that money.

The following day, the governor called me as I went to submit the previous year’s report and asked, “Did you collect the money?” I said which money sir? I did not collect any money. He asked, “Are you sure?” I said “Sir, I don’t want to collect my gratuity in advance.” Then he smiled and said, “I know that you did not collect the money; go and continue with your assignment.” You can imagine that. If I was the corrupt type, I would have said, E gbe wa, emi lokan (laughs).

Were you the one in charge when the state’s local government funds were withheld by the Obasanjo administration?

No. It was Akinwunmi Ambode who later became the governor. He was the one I succeeded as Auditor General for local governments.

So how did your appointment as the General Manager of Lekki Concessions Company come about?

It was after I retired. I contested election into the House of Representatives for the Ojoo Federal Constituency in 2015 and I lost. I was at home recovering from the loss and former Governor Ambode, a friend in the Local Government Service Commission for several years, appointed me into LCC. It was a multi-billion naira project but the foundation was shaky. So I had to start rebuilding with the cooperation of the traditional rulers in the area. It was in the course of our interactions that one of them told me that a perpetually bad portion of the expressway was the spot where a deity was worshipped before the road was built. The man gave me the list of the items to be bought and the amount involved and we sorted out everything. Now the place is solid whereas there was always an accident at the spot before it was repaired.

Read Also: ICPC chair, SANs slam judiciary for enabling corruption

Were you the one in charge of Lekki Toll Gate at the time of the EndSARS protest?

No, I had left. Although some people were mentioning my name because they did not know that I had left. They were even saying that Tinubu gave me a directive that we should switch off the lights.

Is it true that Tinubu has big interest in the LCC project?

That is not true. I also had that impression because of what people were saying. But when I got there, I searched through all the files and even called the secretary to the company, a lawyer, to tell me in confidence if the company was owned by Tinubu but he said there was nothing like that and he brought out the shareholding list of the company. I looked through and asked where is Tinubu on the list? He said that people were just being mischievous. Even my appointment, Tinubu had no hand in it. The question is how would someone invest his money in a project and he would not care to know who would manage it? It is all a lie.

How is life in retirement?

I thank God. It is not as bad as people think, because I try to keep myself busy. I am coping with life by trying to live within my pension.

Even in the face of high inflation?

It is a matter of what you want. As long as your wife agrees with you, you are good to go.

Can you take into a brief excursion of your career in the civil service before retirement?

To begin with, I started primary school in 1969. That was seven years after my birth in 1962. Those were the days they would insist that your right hand must be able to touch your left ear before you would be admitted into Primary 1. I left the primary school in 1975 and attended Awori College, Ojoo (Lagos) between 1975 and 1980.

While I was still sleeping one morning as I was awaiting my WAEC result, my uncle, Ege, who was then the Commissioner for Employment in Lagos State, came to our house in the same Ojoo neighbourhood and tapped me on my bed, saying ‘You are still sleeping? Get up my friend and get into the car. I quickly wore a dress and I did not know where he was taking me to.

It was when we got to his office I realized that he wanted to get me a job, and it was that day I started. In fact, he placed three of us on the pay roll the same day and we started work as assistant clerical officers on Grade Level 03 while still awaiting our results. When I passed my school certificate, I was upgraded to Level 4 as a clerical officer.

After some time, I started looking at the perm secs (permanent secretaries) up there. I particularly admired the way they dressed, so I told myself that I would like to become a perm sec. That was when the late V.O.O. Ogundimu was the perm sec. So I applied for admission at the Yaba College of Technology. But because I was a certified orphan, I started wondering how I would go through the course because I would need money.

Why didn’t you apply for study leave with pay?

I wanted to apply for study leave with pay but I was told it was not available so I applied for study leave without pay. So I left the service for Yaba Tech and within two years I finished my OND in Accountancy. On coming back, I was placed on Grade Level 06. But before then I had been promoted to Level 05 in absentia. When I resumed as clerk, my uncle had handed me over to a gentleman named Joseph Olukayode Gbadebo. I never knew that by so doing, my uncle was planning my road to success. I now told Mr Gbadebo that I wanted to go back for HND but I had no money and I didn’t want to become a liability on him or become a beggar while pursuing my education. He said I could apply for study leave with pay but I told him it was not available, based on what I was told earlier. But he said don’t worry, just apply and we will pursue it to a logical conclusion.

I thought he was joking, but I applied. Then there was one man in our office, that was the Ministry of Employment and Civil Service Matters. His name was Mr. Thomas. I went to him and said I wanted to apply for study leave. He said it was no longer available in government, and even the course I was going to do was no longer needed in service. That made me to become more determined to pursue the application to a logical conclusion. Our Head of Service then was Dr. Lewis. Then my mentor, Mr Olukayode Gbadebo, started carrying my file about and I was following him. You know it is difficult for a civil servant to write nonsense in your file in your presence. So we were following the file until it got to the director of training. We called him Marco, but his real name was Segun Marcos. I started singing his praise. Eventually, the file got to the head of service, Dr Lewis, I did not have the liver to just enter his office. His secretary said there were about 10 of us that had applied for study leave with pay. I started praying and God answered my prayer. Out of the 10 that applied, it was only my own application that Dr. Lewis approved.

But when I wanted to go for the HND programme, they said I must provide two guarantors that I would not run away after graduation. I told Mr Gbadebo that I know you will stand for me, but what about the second person? He took the form to Yakubu Abiodun Balogun who later became the head of service in Lagos State. He told Balogun that I am a Lagosian so I could not run to anywhere. That was how Balogun signed and I was able to provide the guarantors.

But you did your OND without pay. How did you manage to do that as an orphan?

I really struggled during that period. I was going round to the people I believed could support me, including Mr. Gbadebo. There was a day I went to his house in Mushin (Lagos) and got there by 6 am. I told him I had not paid my school fees. He asked how much and I said N10. He went in and gave me the N10. I will never forget that day. Then in the second year, I changed my approach. I went to my secondary school teachers who were Ghanaians because I knew that the Nigerians among them would not help me, and they knew me as a very brilliant student. Two of them contributed N10 for me. That was how I was able to finish OND. Feeding was also very difficult but I pulled through.

So what happened after your HND?

I wanted to go back to the service but I was told to go and serve and come back. After the service year, I returned and I was moved to Level  8 because I had been promoted to Level 7 in absentia. So I did not skip any level. Again, I told Mr Gbadebo that I wanted to write the ICAN exam and he told me to go ahead. By God’s grace, I qualified as a chartered accountant around May 1988 and became an associate member of ICAN in 1990.

After passing ICAN, I was upgraded to Level 9. It was from Level 9 that I remained in service, getting my promotions. I was in the Ministry of Employment and Civil Service Matters, which later changed to the Ministry of Establishment, Service Matters and Pension.

How then did you end up in local government service?

First, I saw an advert that a senior accountant was needed at the Agricultural Development Project. I looked at the requirement and realised that I qualified for it. I chipped in my application and I was appointed the Senior Accountant. But I was still restless, looking to become a permanent secretary and I knew that one day I would get there. So, when they wanted to recruit a substantive financial controller, they compared my certificate with my experience and said I was not qualified for it. But I was made the Senior Accountant and Acting Financial Controller. They said I should look for somebody that could fit into that role and I could work with. I called a friend, Bode Oyedele who was in the Ministry of Agriculture then as the internal auditor. He was appointed as the financial controller of that project.

When I now saw another advert that they wanted to recruit accountants into local government service, I applied and I was appointed while still on Level 9. It was while I was in Local Government that I started getting my promotions from Level 9 up to 15 and going into 16, which would be the highest in local government then. But thank God, where I was working as council treasurer, I was not really happy. So I wanted to go back to Alausa (Lagos State Secretariat) as I was already in the directorate category. I applied into service and it was in the course of pushing the application that I got appointed as Auditor-General for Local Governments, and after six months I was upgraded to Permanent Secretary and Auditor-General for Local Governments. Aren’t I lucky? And I did not skip any level from Level 03 to that point in a span of 25 years. I later became a certified forensic accountant.

Princess (Yeye) Lara Fashola, a great granddaughter of the 48thOoni of Ife, the late Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun, is an American trained maritime lawyer, a culture ambassador of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union (AU) and the YeyeOlokun (Olokun goddess) Worldwide. Princess Fashola is at the forefront in the promotion of African culture and tradition and annually hosts the popular Olokun Festival. She spoke with OKORIE UGURU about her life as a princess and a business woman, and the responsibility and sacrifice that come with being the YeyeOlokun worldwide. Excerpts

What is an American trained maritime lawyer doing in cultural promotion? Like I said earlier, I am from the royal families in Ile Ife, Lagos and in Benin Kingdom. Of course, any child that is born into a royal family must know tradition, especially in Ile Ife. You know that indigenes of Ile Ife do not joke with tradition.

My great-grand father was the Ooni Ademiluyi.   If you read about him, he was a great man, very spiritual and very powerful. And if I have the DNA of such a man in me, there is no way I will not be doing what I am doing now.

With your looks as a beautiful woman who is sophisticated and urbane, how do you marry being the YeyeOlokun and the sophistication you exude?

I mean, who are we as a people? This is my identity. You cannot take a person’s identity away from him. This is who I am: an African, a Yoruba woman. So, being beautiful, sophisticated or educated has nothing to do with anything really. As a matter of fact, I think those qualities should be used to enhance culture.

How did your journey into culture begin?

It started a long, long time ago; right when I was about seven years old. You mean you were conscious of all this as early as that?

Yes, very conscious. Like I said, I am a very spiritual person. That makes me very intelligent. I don’t forget anything. So, I am very clear about how it started and the things that happened, where it started from, and why I am where I am.

So, how did it start?

It is a long story.

The reader would like to know.

It is a long story. I was born into a Muslim family and I went to a Koranic school. I read the Koran and graduated. But at the age of seven, I started seeing very strange things. I would tell my parents about them but they didn’t really understand it. So, they had to seek the elders’ wisdom. People then said maybe I needed to be in church because everything that I said always came to pass.

So, I went to church and I was a prophetess in the church for 25 years but those things never stopped. My great grandfather (Ooni Ademiluyi) would appear to me and would tell me that I had a responsibility to carry on the torch, to promote the culture and the traditions of our people so that they would not go into extinction.

As you can clearly see, our culture is going into extinction. This is why I am doing the work that I am doing now. I am promoting things every day.

Moving from Islam to Christianity, how did it feel to switch to traditional religion after 25 years? How was the transition?

I realised that certain things were missing in my life as a matter of fact, even as a Christian. And as soon as I agreed to take the call, as soon as a harkened to my great grandfather’s call, beautiful things started happening. It was like the puzzle started to fit. Beautiful things started to happen to me and beautiful things are still happening.

As a child from the royalties of three big kingdoms—Ile Ife, Lagos and Benin—could you talk about that and how you were able to marry these together?

You see, luckily for me, as the custodian of the Olokun deity, the deity is worshipped heavily in those three places. It made it really easy to merge. And, of course, there is nothing really different about the way of worship of the Yoruba and the Benin.  They are almost the same thing. The only difference is that in Benin, they worship in Benin language. But whatever language we speak really, God understands. It has not been difficult at all. It has been easy. You know when you have been called to save, it is because it is your destiny. It just becomes easy for you.

How do you marry being an Olokun priestess with being a business woman?

Like I said before, Olokun is in charge of wealth and economic growth. So, that has really helped me in the creation of wealth. I am a serial entrepreneur, and I am also an ambassador at the African Union (AU). I hold several chieftaincy titles in Yorubaland.

Could you mention some?

For example, I am the Yeye Are Parapo of Esa Oke, the late Chief Bola Ige’s hometown. I am the Yeye Ashipa of Gbogan. I am the Yeye Babaguoin of Akinlalu. I am the Yeye of Ife Wara. I am also the Erelu Iwase of Otun Awori, the Otta Awori people in Lagos. I am the Olokun Olosa of Lagos. I am also the Oluwase Olokun of Benin Kingdom.

So what does this Yeye Olokun worldwide mean?

It simply means that you lead your people back home to their roots. That is the first major assignment that you have—to take out people back home, to let them remember who they are, their identity as Africans, and also to promote the culture heavily and also practise it so that it does not go into extinction. This is because without our culture, we are nobody, so we lose our identity as Africans. How then do we introduce ourselves to the rest of the world?

How do you marry that with being a mother?

I don’t have any issues at all, because if you look at it really, the deity Olokun stands for motherhood, mother to everybody. So, I mean why would that be a problem to be a mother to my children? I am mother to thousands of people worldwide, and I manage it very effectively.

People would say for your age, the responsibilities are enormous…

It is actually, and it really gets overwhelming sometimes. But I think once something is your destiny, definitely God will make it easy.

Were there points on this your journey that you felt overwhelmed by the responsibilities?

Yes, for instance when this got in the way of marriage. I was formerly married and the man could not handle it. When I started, we didn’t know it was going to be this huge, especially because he was a Christian, an elder in the church and he didn’t find any issues with it at all. But then it grew out of hand so to say because everybody wanted a part of me all over the world. Men, women, children, everybody wants to talk to me. I am getting awards here and there. It didn’t affect my motherly responsibility as a mother and as a wife, but he felt very insecure. He became extremely insecure and could not handle it. And when you have been called to serve, there is nothing really you can do.

How does it feel to be a princess from The Source?

It feels really good.

Are there any pecks or responsibilities?

There are so many responsibilities that come with it because everywhere you go, you are expected to behave in a certain way; you know the carriage. You are expected to carry yourself in a certain way. Of course, I started quite early and, looking at my very young age…oh my God! But I enjoy it because I was born to do this. I was born for this, so I actually do enjoy it.

You are very close to the current Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11…

Yes, he is my father. He is a wonderful father and I cannot trade him for any other. After God, Olodumare and my parents, he is next.

Is it because he is a culture promoter?

A grand custodian and promoter of our culture and he is my mentor.  We look up to him.

You are about hosting the 2022 edition of Olokun Festival. Could you talk a little about it?

Basically, we are asking people to come and see the beauty of our culture and our traditions, to come and enjoy, because that day we will have a display of our culture. Cultural troupes from all over the world are coming to perform. Our arts and craft will be on exhibition. We are going to be singing and dancing and eating very good food, and also networking.

We are going to be networking because we are expecting so many important dignitaries like His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi. He will be the royal father of the day. And our mother, the newly installed Yeye Oodua, our Queen Mother of Lagos Erelu Abiola Dosunmu will be the mother of the day. We are going to have all the white cap chiefs of Lagos, chiefs from Ile Ife, from Benin Kingdom and so on.

We are also expecting monarchs from outside Nigeria, from other African countries. We are expecting ambassadors from high commissions. We are expecting very great people that our people would love to interact with on that day.