The Nation Newspaper

Category: Weekend Treat

  • How do I handle men

    Deola, a young lady I met recently with whom I became very friendly asked me, “How do I handle men that keep running after me everywhere?”

    – Yinka, Minna.

    Dear Yinka, please tell that young girl that women in their sixties who look good are still being chased everywhere they go by men, so it is normal for the attention of a young girl to be sought by men of all ages.

    Tell her to bask in the euphoria of being admired and asked out, but never to get carried away. Also tell her that if she wants to choose, she should choose wisely and let her know that a girl is entitled to only one man.

    She should be nice to people generally and should know when a man is becoming a nuisance enough to ignore him.

  • Is oil thicker than blood?

    Is oil thicker than blood?

    In a film, Delta Boys, an American, Andrew Berends, traces the Niger Delta struggles. He looks at the region’s challenges through the lense of former militant leader Ateke Tom. Berends, who was once held hostage by militants, writes from the position of one who could be described as an ‘insider’, having observed certain things first hand. But his documentary is generating heat as some Niger Deltans perceive it as derogatory. Victor Akande reports

    It is the goose that lays the golden egg. Then something snapped, and the oil-rich Niger Delta erupted in violence. The agitations are yet to cease despite the amnesty for militants by the Yar’ Adua administration in 2009. The woes of the region were brought home when the militant groups across the creeks, started abducting expatriates, blowing up oil installations and seizing control of oil flow stations.

    This action by the inhabitants (who are fishermen and farmers), over alleged neglect by government and its multinational partners disrupted the region’s economic activities.

    Some film makers saw the potential of a motion picture, as a tool of international mediation and have captured the dramatic moments of the rebel camps, from various points of view.

    Jeta Amata’s film Black Gold is one. It once made it to the film market segment of Cannes International Film Festival, France. It addresses the sufferings of inhabitants. The award-winning filmmaker was said to have fled the country at a time, claiming to have been threatened by a group which felt he did not make adequate consultation on the true state of affairs in the area.

    Another effort is coming from Andrew Berends, an American documentary filmmaker, who was arrested and charged with spying in Nigeria in 2008, while working on a film about militants in the Niger Delta.

    Whereas Amata’s account may have offended the supposed disgruntled leaders who have been playing politics with the people’s lives, as captured in the film, Berends’ film, on the other hand, may be seen to offend the advocates of the struggle. According to the American, the militants have called for greater distribution of wealth and jobs. But many feel that while the Niger Delta cause is just, the militants’ motives are not so pure.

    Changing the film’s title from Black Gold, which seems to debase the essence of the struggle, to Black November, which underscores the bloody climax of the agitation, is a better way to present the story of Nigeria’s wealth tussle. But critics are querying the pay off in Berends’ movie that “oil is thicker than blood”. They reason that Berends’ position makes a mockery of the maxim: “Blood is thicker than water”.

    Since negative stories from Africa and other developing countries constituted a chunk of the archival materials for the western media, the story of the struggle, beginning with the stunt pulled by pioneer armed Niger-Delta activist, Major Isaac Adaka Boro to the late Ken Saro Wiwa saga and the activities of militants who now enjoy amnesty, has continued to attract attention.

    Berends, who hit the limelight during his 10-day ordeal and the campaign to secure his release, is obviously fulfilled at the moment: the resulting documentary, Delta Boys, was released online a few weeks ago.

    The 55-minute film was largely shot inside the camp of the rebel leader, Ateke Tom, who at the time led 2,000 young men, claiming to fight for the people. A slice-of-life production with minimal narration and a smattering of news reports for context, Delta Boys doesn’t present alternate points of view, though Berends raises the question of whether the militants are in it for justice or just for money and violence.

    Delta Boys follows the lives of militant “godfather” Ateke Tom and Chima, a 21-year-old who left home to join the fight. The film also shows life in a tiny fishing village caught in the crossfire of the conflict. Mama, a 22-year-old, struggles to give birth without access to modern medical care, while rebels launch raids from a camp across the river.

    Berends said the struggle in the Niger Delta caught his attention, because of its relation to oil, a subject on which he had earlier shot two films in Iraq: “I had seen striking images of heavily armed militants moving throughout the creeks of the Niger Delta in speedboats, sabotaging flow-stations, blowing up pipelines, and kidnapping foreign oil-workers. I researched the story and learned that while Nigeria is the fifth largest supplier of oil to the United States, the inhabitants of the oil-producing Niger Delta region live in poverty. So, I travelled to Nigeria to try to meet the militants, and start my next film,” says the filmmaker.

    But what is the position of Ateke Tom on the essence of the struggle? he shares his thoughts on some of the issues revolving around the situation with the E4PR team, with which this reporter visited his Lagos home.

    “We fought because we couldn’t bear the continued injustice any longer,” he says, as he opens up to the interviewer in his tastefully furnished Ajah home, close to the highbrow Lekki in Lagos.

    “We decided to take up the struggle because if we didn’t, our children would face the same problems and blame us for doing nothing about it. The situation was very unfair and something other than talk, which had hitherto fallen on deaf ears, had to be done.” He speaks calmly in pidgin, his expression almost hard to decipher behind gold rimmed dark shades.

    “Of course, for now, amnesty is in place, and that’s why we have decided to give peace a chance in order for the government and others concerned, to redress the wrongs done by many years of untold hardships and pains.”

    Now living as a free man, after embracing the amnesty, he spends most of his days attending to guests, friends, business associates and the like, who throng his home daily.

    Life in the creeks, however, had its fun moments, which he relives with nostalgia.

    “Life in the camp was fun,” he says to the guests, as he calls one of the boys to play us a video. “Sometimes in a bid to relieve tension and to boost morale, we used to have sessions where we ‘gyrated’ to drum beats and singing. Even the soldiers (Joint Task Force (JTF) meant to combat the ‘freedom fighters’) afar off could hear our voices and singing from deep within the hearts of the creeks but could do nothing about it’; here he manages a smile.

    “Some other times, we had girls, lots of them, coming in from the nearby university, who came of their own volition to make the camp lively. If I was indeed a bad person who cut off human heads and killed at will as some would have you believe, would that have happened?” He has worked himself up to a state of excitement now as he remembers some of the unfounded stories about him.

    “I was made out to be a beast, a terror and an unfeeling machine, who mowed people down whenever I felt like. But even you have seen for yourself the kind of person I am,” he looked across everyone in the living room.

    Indeed, it was clear, from the video recordings and interviews conducted on him in camp, that Ateke, has an amiable side that attracts people to him. And as described in one of the editions of The Nation newspaper, the ex-militant, or ‘freedom fighter’ as he prefers to be called, is a Nollywood friendly lion.

    During this reporter’s visit to his home, a number of Nollywood stars were spotting having pleasant time with him. Interestingly, some of the videos of activities in the creek were shot by notable Nollywood filmmakers and actors.

    But it appears that the bargains for amnesty have not finally been met; an indication that film sequels on the struggle may still be forthcoming. The amnesty programme, he said, has not finally settled the grievances that led to the insurgency in the first place. ‘They (government) said they were going to train the boys and give them good jobs; up till now, not much has been done.

    “In my own case, after having been granted amnesty, why then am I still being hunted? My house in Okrika was raided and bombarded by soldiers who were looking for Ateke Tom. I used to have a lot of dogs there too, but one day, they came and shot all of them, because when they didn’t see me, they assumed I had turned to one of them and decided to kill them all.” There was laughter across the room.

  • ‘I never thought I’ll be seventy’

    ‘I never thought I’ll be seventy’

    To say Chief Ebenezer Babatope, former Director of Organisation of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), former Minister of Transport under General Sani Abacha, Afenifere chieftain and former University of Lagos administrator has packed a lot into his seven decades on earth is an understatement. Ask the fiery political activist and he will tell you he has paid his dues. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, spoke with the Osun State-born politician on his life and times as he celebrates a landmark 70th birthday.

    Sir, you turned seventy just yesterday, what does it feel like being seventy years old?

    Well, I feel very happy and grateful to God almighty for preserving my life up till now. I must confess to you, given what I’ve passed through in my early life, I never for once thought I will live to be seventy. I became hypertensive at twenty-three. But here I am today. God has never allowed me to suffer any major health reverse. I thank God greatly and that is one of the reasons I am celebrating my seventieth year.

    Will you now say you are fulfilled?

    I am a fulfilled man. I thank God for my life so far. Let me tell you this. Papa (Obafemi) Awolowo brought me out of obscurity into national prominence. Then we had people better than me around but it will remain my honour to have had the opportunity to serve a great African leader like Awolowo. I was right beside him for five years and three months as the national director of organization. Nothing can be better than that.

    Apart from that, I became a minister. That was an act of God. So, I feel fulfilled. I know that I am not a perfect person but I say God has raised me to a level that I have to be grateful to him always.

    Growing up sir, was this how you envisioned Nigeria to be by the time you turn seventy?

    That is a different matter altogether. We want Nigeria to be better, but we should thank God that Nigeria of today is politically is much better than what we had in the first and second republics.

    Let me tell you the reason. At a time in this country, there was a cabal that believed that Nigeria was simply an extension of their private family compounds. And this feudal cabal never believed that any person from the southern part of the country could rule. They believed that the rulers of Nigeria must always come from the north. But today, times have changed. You find people who are not from the north ruling. That is why we must give kudos to all Nigerian people from the north and the east and the west for ensuring that we have seen people who are not from the north ruling.

    We must salute the maturity of northern elders and praise the courage and determination of the southern people for getting to this stage. I’m not saying we have reached the Eldorado of our dream, but I am saying things are going to get better.

    You were closely associated with Chief Obafemi Awolowo. What major thing did you take away from those years of close association with the late sage?

    I learnt a lot. I am eternally grateful to Papa Awolowo and I thank God always for making me come in contact with him. He taught us almost all the basic principles anybody whom wished to serve the public must have. I have said many times that Papa taught us his disciples that if you are in public office, don’t enjoy what you cannot provide for yourself in your private life. If you know you cannot afford Coca-Cola in your private life, don’t go into government drinking it.

    He also taught us not to take gratification from anyone so that the next morning, you will not be able to look at the person’s face. Thirdly, Papa said don’t collude with civil servants to rob government because if you do, you have bastardised the position you are holding and rubbished your own image.

    So these three principles, if applied by public officials will help curb the tide of corruption in the country. Apart from these, there is also the disciplined life the old man lived. You can be sure that when Papa woke up in the morning, he would have programmed himself for the whole day. In the morning he would take breakfast, not too much but light breakfast. He hardly takes any lunch. And in the evening by five p.m, Papa was on the table for dinner. And the average number of hours Papa spent taking dinner would be three hours. All this kind of routine life Papa led had effect on all of us.

    And that is why I say today, that those of us who are Papa Awolowo associates, while I am not saying we are perfect, I want to believe that there is no person that can come out and say that when we were holding public offices this is the amount of money we got as kickbacks or whatever.

    The late Chief Awolowo was seen by many as strong-willed and firm. Can you recollect any weakness he had?

    There is only one weakness I knew Papa had. Papa was too trusting. If you go to Papa and say we saw Babatope talking against you somewhere, Papa will not believe you. If you go to him to say such thing, Papa will ask you if you are ready to repeat what you are saying in the presence of that very person. If you are not ready to do that, he will simply ask you to keep quiet. That was the only weakness I noticed and I think that is the only weakness Papa had till he went to the world beyond.

    But why was Papa Awolowo unable to win elections in places like the conservative North and core East in spite of his wide acceptance as a leader?

    It was simply because like I told you, a feudal cabal believed nobody can rule Nigeria except someone from their side. This was the major reason. If you talk in terms of the minority in the North, many of them supported Awo. Even in the old Gongola State which is now Adamawa, we produced three senators. The Speaker of the then Gongola House of Assembly was an Awo supporter in the UPN. I’m told he is dead now but we produced the Speaker. Then if you go to Plateau, go to Benue you find Awo people there. Solomon Lar was in the Action Group before he pulled out. So Papa lost elections because of that credible hold on power by the cabal. And of course the power was given to them by the colonialists. Elections were manipulated. I don’t want to talk about that now.

    While he was alive, in spite of these electoral losses, was Papa optimistic that the cabal will one day lose out in the power game?

    Awo was sure in his mind. He was always saying that eventually Nigerians will see through the situation and then things will change. In 1983, Papa went to campaign in Bonny and he made a prediction at that rally. He said all of you in Ijaw area, you don’t vote for me now but one day an Ijaw man will become the President of Nigeria. It is then you will realize all the points I have been making. And it has happened. Jonathan is from Ijaw and he is the President of the country.

    You served under General Sani Abacha. Do you have any regrets working with the late dictator?

    I have no regrets whatsoever working with Abacha or with anybody for that matter. I do not do things that I will regret later. In any case, I have a book about my years under the Abacha regime. It came out in 1995 and it was well publicized all over the country. It was produced by a publisher in London. So I have no regrets.

    When (Gen) Dipo Diya, who was then the number two in the government, extended invitation to my political leaders in the Awolowo political family, it was decided that myself, Papa Jakande, Olu Onagoruwa and Mrs. Mobolaji Osomo should go and serve government. Later, they said we should pull out. My memoirs will soon be out towards the end of this year and you will see reasons why I refused to pull out. If I pulled out then, I’m telling you, you will not be talking to a living Babatope now.

    How do you reply those who still criticize you for serving in that government?

    What do I want to reply them for? I believe that reality will come out and they will know what happened. We didn’t go to the government to steal. The records of our performances are there that on the June 12 issue, we never deviated. Solomon Lar, Jerry Gana, Onagoruwa, Jakande, myself and co. We maintained very good records all through. Eventually these records will be out and those who are criticizing us, some for selfish reasons and some for other reasons, will change their minds.

    Even before the Abacha years, you were deeply involved in the politics that led to the June 12 crisis. From your own reading of events, would you say Abiola was really committed to the fight for his mandate?

    Well, I was not all that close to Abiola and this was for obvious reasons. But we were together in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and I fought ruthlessly to ensure that Abiola kept his mandate. But it was a major heroic display on the part of the Nigerian people that they voted for Abiola and Kingibe, a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Having said that I cannot answer the question for Abiola. One thing that cannot be challenged by anybody is the fact that Abiola died a martyr for democracy.

    Personally now, would you say you are where you hoped to be when you are seventy politically?

    What do I want to be again? I told you of how I was privileged to serve under one of Africa’s greatest leaders. Number two; I’ve been minister, no matter what people say about that era. Again I have passed through some stages in my life that I can say with due respect to Nigerians, I have paid my dues. I don’t have pension up till now because a military minister felt that since I was anti-government, nothing of such should happen.

    I have been to jail three times of my life. I have been arrested by police several times. I have a daughter that is paraplegic because of my political involvement. I thank God for what I have been. I thank him for what I am and I do not aspire for something which is not approved by him. I wanted to be a senator in 1993. General Ibrahim Babangida disqualified me. I kept my peace but a year and three months later, I was appointed to be a minister. I just want to go to my grave contented that I have done my best for my people.

    Are you not in any way missing your former colleagues within the progressive folds now that you are a member of the ruling conservative PDP?

    I am not missing anybody. There is no party in Nigeria today that is ideological. That is the truth. There is none that can call itself a progressive party. When party politics started in 1998, Uncle Bola Ige virtually wrote the manifestoes of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Peoples Party (APP). Take the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) today, which has the highest number of progressives in its rank, there are also some conservatives with them. You find National Peoples Party (NPN) people there among them. Then take the PDP and you will find some Awolowo militants among us here. Nobody can say I am not an Awolowo militant. Professor Tunde Adeniran, Jubril Martins Kuye, Omilani, Dayo Abatan, etc. These are all Awolowo people and they are in the PDP. All I know is that no party can lay claim to being progressive in Nigeria.

    I’ve never regretted being in PDP. My friends are still my friends. Lam Adesina was my friend till he died. Segun Osoba is still my friend. Bola Tinubu is still my friend and younger brother. When I got married he contributed at that time. These are my personal persons and we still relate as such. Why must they hate me or I hate them because we don’t belong to the same political party? But of course, I have developed a kind of political maturity given me by Awolowo that when I see a good person, I must support that person irrespective of the party he represents. That explains my support for Dr Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo State even though my party had a candidate in the race. Babatunde Fashola in his first term was doing well. And when Tinubu was there, I supported him. I told a gathering of PDP leaders once that if I were to vote in Lagos, I will vote for Bola Tinubu because he was performing. It was at the wedding of Jubril Martins Kuye’s daughter that I said that. So they don’t miss me, I don’t miss them because we are all Nigerians. When my friend Chief Bisi Akande was celebrating his 70th birthday, I wrote a whole column on him. When Lam Adesina died, I also wrote a column on him. So we are friends and I want to believe that politics should not affect our friendship. Let me give you an example, I was seventy yesterday. If you see what Ogeni Rauf Aregbesola did, you will be surprised. We don’t belong to the same party. He wrote me a letter which was read at the ceremony. So that is how politics should be.

    Talking about your activities during the last governorship election in Ondo, one wonders why you are yet to be accused of anti-party activities by your party?

    Let me give you the reason. Apart from the fact that I appreciated Mimiko for his performance, when we were having the last presidential election, I was the chairman of PDP’s inter party relations committee. Mimiko and the governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, came all out to say they were supporting President Goodluck Jonathan. I am very proud of that because I related with them. So I said one good turn deserves another. Why must this person support us and we turn against him? So nobody can really say it was anti party activities. I have interest in Abiola Ajimobi and Ibikunle Amosun because they are performing. It is not about party for me anymore. Politically, I am too matured to be streamlined by party affiliation only. Look at Aregbesola, a man who respects elders. I cannot be blurred by political affiliation to the extent of not recognizing his good deeds.

    The opposition is now talking about a mega party that will dislodge PDP in 2015. What is your take on the planned merger of leading opposition parties?

    If they (the parties) are able to form an alliance or a merger, it is good for the country. It is good for democracy. But they cannot make it. These are already issues. A section of the alliance talks has said they will make sure Buhari contests the next election. By the time they sit to discuss, contradiction will tear them apart.

    Don’t you think the crises within PDP will give the opposition a chance to dislodge it in the next election?

    There is no single party without a conflict. Conflicts are meant to be resolved by those who are political practitioners. Every party has its own crisis. For example, look at Ajimobi in Oyo State. I have been following the papers. Some people have endorsed him for a second term already while some people within his party are saying nobody has endorsed him. So it is natural to have crisis. In the PDP the removal of the secretary is not really a major setback for the party. All the party did is to avoid being dragged into litigation over the activities of its secretary who has been removed by the court of law. It is also to give him all the opportunity to go and contest the decision up to the Supreme Court. And when he finishes he will be reinstated. It is not a conflict at all. And when you talk about the BoT issue, it is also no issue at all.

    Coming to the Southwest, do you think the PDP can really stage the much talked-about comeback in the region?

    The PDP can stage a successful comeback in the Southwest in 2015 if it puts its house in order. We lost the region because we were completely divided. And if we continue in that state of division the ACN will rout us again. To make any impact in the Southwest, the PDP must unite. There is no magic to it other than sincere reconciliation and unity.

  • Males for Love

    •Ma, please help me out I am Femi, 40, father of one, Christian from Ekiti, need a single, divorcee or widow as wife. Her age between 35 and 38, 4 serious relationship. Contact me on 07060917544.

     

    •My name is lfeanyi 37 base in Onitsha need a very big and fat lady for serious relationship. My no 08056745449.

    Hi Ms Agoro, Thanks for your advice asking us to always text readable messages worthy of public consumption. Meanwhile, am Adebiyi, 70, lives at Agbado,still searching for a soulmate of between age 45 & 50 Contact 08!58952726. Cheers.

     

    •Aunty Adeola. I am 42 years old with one child. I am a civil servant working in Lagos. Please I need a Muslim lady .her age should be in between 27 and 37 years old. She must be someone that is ready for marriage. She must be a Yoruba.

     

    •Azeez, 33 years young professional need a serious Muslim lady based in Lagos for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage soon. Call or text 08089991682.

     

    •My name is Adebayo, 30years, lives in Shomolu, Lagos need a serious minded n cute, must be working class lady, between 25-30years for serious relationship. Call 08032244913.

     

    •Kingsley 40 an edo business man, lives in Mowe Ogun State, need a serious lady between 22 to 35 for relationship that leads to marriage and she must be.

     

    Hi Ms Agoro, thanks for your advice asking us to always text readable messages worthy of public consumption. Meanwhile, I’m Adebiyi 70, lives at Agege. I need God fearing, here is my number 08053867697. Bado is still seaching for a soulmate of between age 45 & 50 contact 08!65952726. Cheers.

     

    I am Joe, an engineer working in Port Harcourt. I’m 37 yrs and needs a lady from any part Nigeria who must be psychologically ready for marriageÌ. pls contact me with dis phone number.

  • Re: Me and the oga madams

    Re: Me And The Oga Madams. I have been reading your column for over one year now and I found the above a masterpiece for mankind. It was short, pungent, incisive, educative, truthful and a down to earth advice from you. It was an all- time panacea in arresting forces that break homes. It was most thoughtful of you. If this sort of advice had been embraced by many in the past, the joy in them would have known no bounds today. It’s a pity. GOD BLESS YOU. Keep up the good job. I hope women who are desirous of keeping their homes do read you. That piece said it all. Kudos Madam. K.ADIGUN. 07042426020.

     

    Re: Me And The Oga Madams. I can’t believe u penned those words considering your beauty, brain and your elegance. You rarely find the kind of women you beautifully described in your ‘modern world of today’. However your ilk are the real women God gave the world. The others only fill the numbers. Please continue to be the good wife you are to your “gift” and our men folks.

     

    I read your piece every week. Generally, I read the column to have a glimpse of people’s idiosyncrasy as regards love matters. Hun! Sometimes, to laugh heartily about some dumb questions people asked like the young man of 22 years of age looking for his granny as a lover and so on and so forth. But today, you earned my respect for your piece on ‘Me and the oga madams’. Indeed, you are worthy of the role you are playing for the society. May God continue to strengthen you to live up to the demands of a counselor and role model to the society. Aunty, best of regards. Toyyib, Akure.

     

    I am extremely in love with u. Why? We share same in common—— pragmatic, frantic, sincere, factual, socially experienced, down-to-earth, intelligent, diligent, purposeful, romantic, unbiased, humane, e.t.c. Good luck and keep the flag flying as God will continue to bless, preserve and crown your efforts in life with Glory. Amen. 08023033692.

     

    Adeola, as a sociologist cum social welfare worker for the past 30years I always read and analyse your column in The Nation on Saturday. ‘Me and the oga madams’ was a good one. 36yrs ago when we got married it was ‘my D’ now it is ‘our Daddy’ and ‘our Mummy’. Happiness radiates everywhere. We praise the Lord. Ayoola, Ibadan. 08058517680.

     

    ‘My Oga’, ‘My Lord’. Nice name to give your man. Let me surprise you with dis one: I overheard a wife telling her friend she charges her husband b4 giving him her body. Reason: Says Guy Is Stingy, D Only Time To Get Money From Him Is When He’s Beggin To Thrust.

     

    Thank you so much Deola. Your piece on me and the oga madams was awesome. I learnt this the hard way until I learnt to be submissive simply because I felt I was a younger woman and he an older man, so I could get my way with him. But when I drew close to God and much older women, he is literally eats from my hand now and I’m settled. Lima Lima, PHC.

  • ‘What you should find in a trendy woman’s wardrobe’

    ‘What you should find in a trendy woman’s wardrobe’

    If you are a regular traveller on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, you would have noticed a distinctive red building at Mowe, Ogun State with Sam and Sarah Garments boldly written on it. Those who are conversant with the ongoing revolution going on in Osun would surely talk about the free uniforms for students in the state. GBENGA ADERANTI met with the woman who is partnering Osun State government in providing the uniforms. She is Mrs. Folake Oyemade, the CEO of Sam and Sarah, owners of Omoluabi Factory. In this interview, the woman explains the uniform revolution, her choice of red colour, fashion sense and so on. Excerpts:

     

    You have red cars; your buildings are painted red. Why red?

    Red is a very strong colour. I’m sure you will agree that it is one of the primary colours. We are a very strong company, and that is why we have chosen such a significant colour.

    So why the names Sam and Sarah?

    Why don’t you take that as my own little secret? I just love these two names, and the names are precious to me. That is what I want to say.

    Your firm is gradually taking over South West. Apart from your presence in Mowe, Sam and Sarah is visible in Osun. What does this say?

    I will say God has been good. Our business is growing, and this is brought about by help from God, hard work and the quality of our services and products.

    What is your relationship with the Osun State government?

    Our relationship can be described as partners in progress. What I’m actually doing is that I have a passion for the image of Nigeria. I have a passion for people. I have a passion for success, and these are the major things that have spurred me into starting the Sam and Sara. If it were just about money, I would make more money trading than being in the manufacturing sector in Nigeria. It is a very hard sector. In fact, it takes the grace of God to break even if you’re in the manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

    Problems ranging from power failure to currency fluctuation to manpower, name it, everything is there. The manufacturing sector in Nigeria is a sector that involves all areas of business. It involves actually manufacturing the product from the beginning; it involves marketing; it involves accounting; it involves just about every area that you need to touch in business. Take for instance, most uniform companies abroad do not involve in manufacturing. They simply trade. They get a manufacturer they give the quality or standard or whatever. They dub it for them. They basically will just market and sell. But, in our own case, we’re involved in everything. We’re the producer ; we are the manufacturer; we are the sales people; we are the everything. So it is very difficult to be in that sector in Nigeria.

    Now coming back to your question as being a partner with the government of the state, as a CEO of this company, I watch with keen interest what every governor seems to stand for and what each governor seems to represent. I’ve been able to know that Governor Aregbesola loves his people. I’m a people person. I believe so much in the welfare of people. The Bible says we will always have the poor among us. It is the duty of those who are more comfortable to take care of the less-privileged, just like it is the duty of government to take care of all citizens, both the rich and the poor.

    And the governor of Osun caught my attention as somebody who cares so much for the welfare of his citizens, and that is why as a company, we identified him as somebody who has a common interest with us. That is why we have been able to work together as partners in progress. And one of the greatest reasons for the floating Sam and Sara Garment Manufacturing Company is to employ a lot of people, to put food on the tables of a lot of Nigerians. That vision is still much around with us and we keep doing that. We keep increasing our manpower from time to time. There are other businesses that have the potential to expand, but if their owners don’t have the kind of passion that I have, they might have diverted the money into other things. We usually make sure that everything we are doing, we’re people-oriented. We want to employ to keep a lot of young people out of mischief, out of robbery, out of 419, out of so many evils we have in our society.

    It is also out of this passion that we have even gone into exports. We’re rebranding Nigeria . In most of these Western countries, when you mention Nigeria, the next thing they think about is fraud. We want fraudulent people to have a change of heart. We have the largest population in the whole of Africa, and this population can be used for the betterment of mankind and to even make our lives better here.

    Why did you adopt the name, Omoluabi, for a subsidiary of Sam and Sara?

    Because it is a joint venture between our company and the government of Osun State . You know Osun people are called Omoluabi. In line with that, we decided to name the factory Omoluabi Garment Factory. I should let you know that the purpose of the free uniforms in Osun is to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. The government doesn’t want a situation whereby a student will appear in tatters in school because his parents are poor, while some other children will appear sharp and clean when going to school.

    Some people would want to argue that providing free uniforms for pupils in the state is unnecessary, considering the lean allocations it gets from the Federal Government?

    That is something I think the governor and his cabinet should be commended for. You see when people go to school not well dressed , it affects their output. It affects their concentration.

    Research has shown that when a child is happy with himself, when he is confident, his concentration is higher as he will love going to school because that will give him another opportunity to wear that garment he loves so much.

    I believe the governor has also done that to even improve them. He wants them to make them feel that they are somebody.

    But beyond that, it might interest you that a lot of people are poor to the extent that they can’t even afford school uniforms. Because when we visited those schools, I was close to tears. Some of the children were wearing their elder brothers’ shirts because the shirts were not looking good. May be the uniform is supposed to be a red and white checker shirt, and he now wears a red checker shirt, a hundred per cent polyester brown sokoto with another one under it.

    You can actually see patches on another torn one and you can see the patches on it. That is the level of situation some people faced with in that state. Can you imagine such a situation. So I believe that in line with trying to make them comfortable, he decided to do that for them.

    In what way is the project going to generate employment and what is the number of people being engaged in your organisation?

    We are positioned to employ up to 3,000 people in Osun and the beauty of it is that the way we have designed our factories is that you don’t have to be a tailor to work with us. Any person, as long as he can read and write, can be picked up from the street and taught to stich things together because we do what we can call mass production. So in our factory, one person does not start a job and finish it. To make a short, for instance, we could have 10 people doing different things, so it is so easy to pick somebody up and say you’re making only collars or any other particular part of a dress.

    It doesn’t take anything from us to train anybody to work there. The beauty of it is that we’re not placing anybody on any salary, as the work you do determine what you earn. If you’re actually hardworking, you can actually earn much money from working for us in the factory. It is not even only to generate employment, it is also to train and empower them. Before the opening of that factory, we’ve brought some of them from Osun to our Mowe factory. We have trained a number of them already. As we speak, we have quite a number of people on ground in Osun and we will train more.

    For how long will this project run?

    For as long as the state wants it to run.

    What will happen to the project after the present dispensation?

    It is only a government that does not want good for its citizens that will say the project should stop. We provide good uniforms at very affordable prices for the government.

    Where do you source you materials?

    We get everything locally. These initial ones (uniforms) have been given out by the government free, but subsequent ones will be given to them at cheap prices.

    Why are you into the garment business?

    I have a passion for it. I’m a people-oriented person. I have a passion for helping people. It is just to put food on the table of a lot of Nigerians.

    Why garment in particular?

    It is likely because I’m a very fashionable person. I like clothing a lot, though I did not study fashion designing. I have always been in the clothing business. When I started business in my early 20s, I was selling clothes. I love it when people turn out nicely. What the government of Osun has done is something that should be emulated at the federal level. There are some colours that should not be worn as uniforms. You see a lot of students wearing shocking colours that should never be used as uniforms because the people that have made decisions are not professionals. They will just come up with ridiculous colours. In this 21st century, countries that are extremely poor, such as Bangladesh and Pakistan, make sure that their students turn out nicely, while going to school.

    Which colours are not good ?

    There are some colours that look too shocking. They are not good for students. Some schools wear lemon green. Lemon green is like a traffic light colour. It is not good. White is also not okay. The colour of uniform should be subtle. It should be calm and peaceful. It should not be shouting. Some use colours that don’t match. They combine colours together and they come out ridiculous. A school skirt should never have slit. It is not done anywhere in the civilized world. You know what I mean by slit. They cut their skirts at the back.

    What some of these girls do is to overcut them, and this thing, among others, can lead to prostitution and all kinds of things among secondary school students. But when a professional is being invited to design, he will be able to advise on the right colour and right styles for the students. You will be surprised that some of the boys in the same class with the girls lose concentration because they will be looking at the skirts. What Osun has done is something every state government in Nigeria should do, even the Federal Government.

    Will you advise other state governments to provide uniforms for students of public schools?

    I will once again mention Bangladesh because it is part of the poorest countries in the world. Nobody goes to the tailor with fabric and says sow a shirt like this. The world has moved beyond that. It is high time the federal government waded into this situation. They should invite professionals who will choose the right colours, the right styles and make sure that these things are easily accessible to students. What they will all need to be doing is that all these uniforms should be available in local markets and people will just go and buy. The policy has reached the level that right now in Osun State , you can’t easily tell the child of a poor man from the child of a rich man because as we speak now the uniforms that the public schools are wearing are better than those of private schools in Osun State. To a lot of these students, the uniforms are the best they have ever owned in their lives.

    The governor has given them a sense of belonging. In fact, when we were going round taking measurements, I was really touched with what I saw. It was like the whole state has heard that the government has brought people that are going from school to school, taking measurements. So the moment our vehicles arrived, you would see commotion. The students would not wait for the principals to order them to come out for measurements. Everybody would rush to queue.

    Talking about uniforms in Nigeria, there are different organisations using uniforms. We have the police and the military in this regard. What would you consider a fitting uniform for professionals like policemen?

    Well, what I think is wrong with the police uniforms is the fact that they don’t have proper outfitters. A situation where fabrics are being given to force men to go and give tailors to sew is very unbecoming. I don’t think it is only the police. Some other forces are doing the same and it should never be the case. It is even a security risk because anybody that can lay hands on a fabric that looks like that can just go and stitch anything. That is why we sometimes have cases of impersonation here and there. Abroad, all those forces have their outfitters who are the people making and supplying uniforms to the government. If these people want to buy extra, they go to these outfitters at special stores. We should really wake up in this nation and get out this nonsense. I wouldn’t say they are creating jobs for these tailors because these tailors will be catered for, if they are working in a factory such as ours. I think it is high time we began to turn our population into advantage in this nation.

    You said you went into the fashion business early. How would you describe a trendy woman?

    A trendy woman is the woman that knows what looks good in her wardrobe and wears it. The woman that can identify what looks good in her wardrobe and decides to stick to that because it is not everything that everybody can wear. If you have a particular shape, there are garments that you should wear. There are garments you don’t go near them because they won’t look good on you. That is a trendy woman.

    Would you describe yourself as a trendy woman?

    I believe I please myself and I try to observe all the rules and regulations of dress sense.

    Where do you get what you wear?

    Everywhere I see what I like I buy.

    You have been in this industry for…

    Decades I will say.

    Are you not worried about the state of the textile industry in the country?

    I’m worried. I must tell you because it doesn’t seem to be moving forward as much as it is supposed to. It is moving forward a little bit at least with the help of the Federal Government through the Bank of Industry. There are other things that need to be done besides funding. In Ghana, for instance, they have a school where they train tailors, pattern masters and others that work in the factory. The training makes it easy for their factories to thrive. It is not very easy for us to get people to get work in our factories. I get annoyed when people say there are no jobs. There are jobs, but our people are no ready to do the kinds of jobs that are available. This is not supposed to be the case because a serious-minded person should only refuse to do something illegal or something morally wrong. But you should do anything that is legal, that is morally right. If you need a job, you should be ready to take up a one.

    I think generally speaking, the country needs reorientation. We need to reorientate our minds. The Federal Government should look for a way to reorientate the average Nigerian. It is not just about money. There is what we call job satisfaction. There is what we call being fulfilled as a person. I’m fulfilled because I’m doing what I want to do, but it looks to me that quite a number of us regard fulfilment as naira and kobo because if you ask me what I’m doing in the manufacturing sector, I will say it is about fulfilment. I love to turn things around when they are not nice. I love to say I’m the one that made it beautiful. This thing is being turned around because I’ve applied myself to make it beautiful, but unfortunately it seems to me in this environment people with this kind of mindset are not many.

    What is your plan in the next 10 years?

    Without saying much, to the glory of God, we’ve almost fulfilled quite a number of our missions, number one being the foremost garment-making company in the country. We have two factories, and we are grateful to God. Second, we are determined to change the face of garment making in Nigeria. We are gradually getting there now with the partnership with Osun. We have been able to change the face of uniforms in Osun State. If you go there now, they are looking so beautiful, so smart. It is a gradual thing. We are still doing the distribution; it is not all schools that have got theirs, but every school will soon get. We are still giving them. That is part of our missions. Another mission is to employ as many Nigerians as possible. We are trying in that area. As we speak now, our staff strength is over 500. When Omoluabi garment factory is fully operational, it is going to be moré than that because we will be in a position to employ about 3000.

  • Fraudsters invade Hearts

    I stopped the matchmaking segment of Hearts about two years ago because some shameless and unscrupulous people were using it to dupe people. I cried when certain cases were reported and I couldn’t imagine harm coming the way of anybody through an avenue I desired to use to make people happy.

    I gave in to pressure from genuine people and I started matchmaking again only to be woken up to the reality that ladies especially are forming syndicates to dupe people. I have received so many mails from men about a particular girl who calls herself Dami. I found out that to get her arrested may take long, but we can at least warn our men NOT to contact any of the Females For Love telephone numbers or emails we have published in recent times.

    To have a feeling of the kind of fraud I’m talking about, please read the mail below:

  • Give us this day our rich mamas

    Godson and I became friends not too long ago. I had actually noticed him for a while but other than the smiles shared across a few meters; I never really had the chance to speak with him. Then one day, I came back from work and while the gate was being opened for me, Godson crossed my path. I had just bought some groceries and it occurred to me that I could give him something out of my bag. He was surprised and he didn’t even have to say thank-you because the smile on his face said it all.

    After that, we actually started exchanging some form of greetings. Then on a Sunday afternoon like that, Godson paid me his first visit. It was amused as he went about checking things out. When he saw one of my fez caps, he asked if I was a ‘nigga’. That got me laughing. Then one day he came and saw my partner and ran away. When I asked him why he took to his heels, he said he didn’t want anybody to beat him in my house o.

    I make him enjoy each visit with the sweet things I always gave him. I soon got nicknamed ‘Godson’s wife’ by his mother.

    But it has not always been so good between me and Godson. Sometimes he would tell me point blank that he didn’t want my friendship again. In fact, once or twice, he has stormed out of my house. Most times when we fight, it is always because I’m taking ice-cream and I’m not sharing it with him or I’m taking something sweet that I wouldn’t want to give to him because his mum may have warned me earlier that he’s on drugs to stop his jedi-jedi (dysentary).

    Just last week, after one of such fights, Godson told me he didn’t like me again, and immediately, he started getting close to my hairdresser who gave him some of the groundnuts she was eating. She instantly became his favourite and I didn’t have anything to share. Hmmm…

    If it were not for my partner who has come to enjoy Godson’s visit so much that he wants to see more and more of him, I’m sure that with my one and off habit of not having sweet things, Godson might have forsaken my friendship totally. As I do this page though, he’s sitting in a corner eating the watermelon I served him. Today we’re friends and tomorrow, we shall continue to be friends because my Godson is just three years old and at that age when they can be very funny.

    But what should we make of grown men who still behave like Godson? These are men who wouldn’t even want to be friends with you if you’re not rich. There are so many men like that who size you up to be sure they can get bread and butter from you before they come close.

    I have been getting too many mails from men who make it clear that it is rich women they prefer. One of such men sent the following mail to me last week:

    My Name is Francis, your regular reader, I’m 26yrs. I want a rich woman for marriage. Age is not a barrier, call me on 08033809323.

    Okay, if age is no barrier, then a woman of 60 can be appropriate so far she has enough money to throw around!

    I must have published so many of such mails that one of my fans cried out last week when he sent his own mail:

    Good day madam, I observed most young men looking for wife these days are placing so much emphasis on the ladies being rich. I think God says a man should provide for his family and not the other way round. Please we want to read your article to educate those lazy gold diggers. Abiodun is my name. 08037237642.

    Abiodun, thank you for that observation. I must confess that I’m troubled by that trend too. But I have been careful not to be too morally instructive on this page as I have come to realize that we are all different. Some of the ladies out there wouldn’t mind supporting a man; you know. It is different strokes for different people.

    One thing I’m sure of is the fact that just like my little Godson, most of the men who ‘love’ their women for the sake of money would always threaten to leave the moment there’s no longer sweet things to give to them. It is clear from the beginning that being rich is the name of the game so there must always be goodies to share.

    I cannot say much to the men who desire rich women because I cannot despise them of their desires, but I have just one question for them for them – would you rather be a respectable and responsible hardworking man or be in the same category with a diaper-wearing three year old boy? It is for them to decide.

     

    Please Note: From now on, apart from the counseling part, other parts like matchmaking and your mails would be left unedited. The text messages would be published the same way they are sent to me to enable you judge first-hand the qualities and capabilities of those whose numbers you see here. Please bear with me.

     

  • ‘It will be horrible when our oil wells dry up’

    ‘It will be horrible when our oil wells dry up’

    Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi is a noted arts enthusiast. But he’s also a former Minister for National Planning and Chairman of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). In the latter capacity whilst serving under President Olusegun Obasanjo, he often took the position that it was wrong to subsidise consumption of petroleum products. An economist by training and a successful industrialist, he is not happy with the parlous state of the economy and the fact that the present crop of leaders are not doing what is required to address the issues of the day. He shares his thoughts on the polity and sundry issues in this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf.

     

    At over 52 Nigeria has been described as a giant with clay feet due to her lingering socio-economic challenges. Why do you think the country is yet to attain its full potential as envisaged by the founding fathers?

    My father was among the founding fathers of the country. He was the treasurer of the Action Group. In their day they must have had dreams and visions as to how they wanted the country to grow. I remember I used to sit by the radio and listen to my dad, Awolowo, Fani-Kayode and co. These were men nearly everybody idolised because of their strength of character and courage. Looking back now, one can only feel sorry for what has become of Nigeria, in terms of her great potential, missed opportunities. And as for who to blame for Nigeria’s travails, well, the fault is ours. That’s all I can say.

    What do you make of the country’s development plan as encapsulated in the now famous Vision 20: 2020? Is it really realistic?

    I wrote the vision 2010. But what do you do in a situation where those saddled with leadership role are busy working at cross purposes? There is hardly any significant progress you can achieve in that kind of situation. So, let Nigerians go and sort out themselves: I have done my bit.

    The jury is still out as to the propriety or otherwise of petroleum subsidy, but what in your view is the best way to determine petroleum pricing?

    I was the one who started it all as the chairman of Petroleum Products Pricing & Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as president. At the time, the nation was inordinately consuming petroleum product. My idea then was how we would consume a final product that we were lucky to have through the blessing of God in a way that we were not using much, but reserve for development for the sake of posterity. I said we didn’t have the right to consume everything in our life time because petroleum is finite. You dig a hole, it springs up, but someday it’s going to dry up. I had the opportunity of representing Nigeria at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as well as having served as Minister of National Planning. It was based on some of these experiences I was advised to entrench a sensible price regime for us not to be wasteful. Coming from an economic background, it has taught me that we should always save for tomorrow. So, you don’t have to consume all you have today. Someday the resources might dry and you won’t have any problem because you have made provision for the rainy day. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s attitude was otherwise. We tried to change the trend through various price regimes until ‘superior’ wisdom prevailed. As if to make matter worse, it was also said that the nation has to take money largely from the petroleum sector to subsidise consumption and that is still going on.

    So in effect, you’re saying subsidising petroleum products is wrong?

    Absolutely! If you want to continue to consume today you won’t leave anything for your children. What you need to do is build infrastructure, be as open as possible. Tell our people the issues at stake. I don’t know who to blame? It’s us collectively. I feel very sorry for us. Someday those oil wells will dry up. I hope and pray I would have been dead by then because it is going to be horrifying. In fact, I’m yet to know any economic proposition that says you can use the streams of income of today to subsidise what you shouldn’t do (current consumption). What economics teaches is, let today pay for itself and do not overburden the coming generation. Unfortunately, we labour hard in Nigeria to create problems for our future generation. We’re just piling up debts on their behalf. The funds that should be conserved to develop electricity, fix roads, railways and other key economic infrastructure are used up in subsidy. That is what I find wrong in the whole thing.

    Other countries are developing their resources but we are just busy consuming. Countries like America have produced enough quantity of oil to last them a lifetime and so are others out there. A time would come when these people will say ‘go, we don’t need your oil.’ So, what do you do then? Will you go and drink the oil?

    There is a lot of rent-seeking and patronage among those sitting in positions of responsibility. It is believed that once you are there, you have to spend the resources to look after your pockets and all that, and not for developing Nigeria. I can’t exist in that kind of environment at all. I’m totally tired.

    How will you describe your experience in government over the years?

    I recall writing several articles on everything from budget, economic management and all. Intellectual activism on my part was probably what brought me attention out there. ‘All these economics you have been preaching, national planning and everything, come let’s see what you can do’.

    I remember at 29, I was appointed a commissioner of Lagos State under Major General Mobolaji Johnson during General Gowon’s regime. The second time was when I was invited by General Abdulsalami Abubakar to serve in his transition government as Minister of National Planning. I was there for close to one year before he relinquished power to a democratically elected government. Both experiences were eventful for me because they brought me closer to the corridors of power, and gave me first knowledge of how things run. But I would rather leave others to assess my performance out there.

    Although your governorship ambition was abruptly truncated by your dad, people still believe that you’re nursing a political ambition? Can you clear the air on that?

    Yes my dad truncated it because he was wiser than me. For a 69 year old man going to 70, what future political ambition can I still be nursing by now? No, there is nothing like that! (Laughs)

    As an ardent patron of the arts do you think Nigerian artists have what it takes to compete favourably with their peers abroad?

    Look, generationally, there is always a change. Those we are lionising today won’t be there tomorrow. I just like enjoying myself and I pray I don’t go bankrupt doing what is essentially my unbridled passion for the arts. Right now, a friend of mine, who is a drama enthusiast, has suggested that I should make one of my plays, “Behold My Redeemer”, one of my plays which I wrote in-between London and Nigeria, into a film.

    How soon should Nigerians look forward to it?

    It’s not easy! We are still trying to put the money together.

    On a lighter note, it was believed that your closeness to Fela in those days made you live a rather carefree lifestyle and all that?

    (Laughs) We had a very middle class background. If your parents could send you top Europe to go and study, it meant they had a few naira. They doted on us. We never had to scratch our fingers to feed. Life was our oyster. Fela’s mother was political, my father was political. My father told me the story of pioneering as a young politician, his role in the reinstatement of Alake, Oba Ademola, back to the throne. He was very young at the time and people cast aspersions on him, saying “Ewo ni ti Gbadamosi (what concerns this overbearing Gbadamosi) Ah, awon olowo ilu niyen (Don’t dare him, he is one of the weathly men around) He did all these things with the governor at the time. Nigeria was small, everybody looked after everybody else. They had interactions. Whenever I went to Fela’s house, his mother would say, “Omo Baba Ikorodu” (son of the man from Ikorodu). She belonged to NCNC, and my father belonged to the Action Group. But not that it mattered. Fela was in Abeokuta Grammar School while I was at Methodist Boys High School, Lagos. Rebelliousness is a factor of growing up; it made it easy for us in our London days. The late Beko was my senior at the University of Manchester. He was reading medicine and I was reading economics. We used to play table tennis during lunch break. During lunch break he would come to the Union Building. I have very great memories of him. When I finally met Fela, it was at the London underground train. He was wearing this all-white suit and he had his trademark sax box. But when I returned to Nigeria in 1969, I had to seek out where the action was. So, naturally, I gravitated towards him (Fela) because I was leftwing (boisterous laughter). I joined him in his radicalism, though I was working with my father at the time, who was rightwing (laughter). The likes of Kanmi Isola Osobu, late Wole Bucknor set up an association where we discussed everything from literature, music to jazz and society and all. We were going to Idi Oro to the night clubs and fooling around. There were days we had night of awareness at the University of Lagos or Yaba College of Technology, where we talked truth to power; we were enjoying ourselves. Anyway, I invited Fela to MUSON and people sneered that what’s this amu’gbo (marijuana smoker) doing in this kind of place? People like me said ‘ah ah, no, Fela is good’. He trained musically; he started with jazz at Kakadu. Before then, it was all about Bill Friday and Bobby Benson and highlife. There are several anecdotes about that.

    Fela’s dying days…

    I took him from one point to the other to escape the prying eyes of journalists like you (laughs). Then at the middle of the night, Yeni called to say that Fela wanted to eat jollof rice. I rushed to the hospital quickly. By then I told my wife ‘look, Fela wants to eat jollof rice’ and she quickly prepared it and we took it. By the time I got to the hospital he was in coma. But when he saw me he made feeble attempts to recognise me by throwing up his clenched fist as a symbol of the struggle. That single act shocked me to my marrows. That was Fela for you, demonstrating his belief in the struggle until the very last breath. And when he died, I had to be part of the funeral all the way. I slightly moved away because I had become bourgeois, but I could never have forgotten the good time we spent together. And that was why I gravitated towards Seun, Femi, Yeni.

    So you’re still in touch with Fela’s family?

    Yes, very much so. They are adults in their own right but must be assisted.

    What was the motivation for building the Yusuf Grillo Pavilion?

    When I did follow-follow Fela, I said to myself, what next can I do and I decided to build a gallery within my premises in Ikorodu. I built the gallery and named it after one of the Zaria ‘Rebels’, Yusuf Grillo. So far, we had hosted Bruce Onobrakpeya, Demas Nwoko, Uche Okeke and David Dale. We are trying to pick a date for the next occasion in April. It has been eventful.

    How can you explain your interest in culture and customs?

    I have tried to read about the history of various ethnic groups in Nigeria to learn what makes them tick; what accounts for their mode of behaviour, arts and so on – even the mode of worship of various people. What you call witchcraft is rubbish as far as I’m concerned. You condemn it; I don’t. I don’t buy the proposition that things are necessarily fetish. My proposition is that any science or art that has motivated man to create something and be in tune with nature is commendable. So, I don’t understand why you criticise witchcraft. Such varied knowledge enriches my life. I love nature and that’s why I collect art works, sculptures etc. In fact, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan gave me a traditional title for what he described as my keen interest in the affairs of our people. I can recite Eyo incantations; that doesn’t make me a heathen. We are not kafirs (infidels) (laughter).

    You have reached the twilight of your career.

    No, eh eh. mio ti fe ku o. (I don’t want to die now). I have retired. As for legacy, let other people be the judge. I don’t usually want to talk about it because one day I also will join my ancestors. The only legacy I want to leave is “I came, I worked very hard, I enjoyed myself, I was a friend of Fela and I took part in cultural activities. I’m the Olori Eyo Agere (leader of the Eyo Agere)! (Laughs)

     

  • Tony Elumelu joins golden club

    Tony Elumelu joins golden club

    The rank of successful men and women in the golden age of 50 appears to be swelling by the day. Tayo Ayeni, the famous brains behind Skymit Motors, and PR guru, Yomi Badejo Okunsanya, only recently celebrated their 50th birthday in grand style.

    Now, a former Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa and Chairman, Heirs Holdings Limited, Tony Elemelu, is set to make his entry as he clocks 50 in few weeks. The social pulse is beating more quickly because it promises to be a memorable occasion.

    Upon his retirement from the UBA as managing director, Elumelu founded Heir Holdings and Tony Elumelu Foundation in order to continue to contribute his quota to the economic transformation of the African continent. Both organisations have been working to encourage and positively impact on Africa’s business leaders and entrepreneurs, including business students and young entrepreneurs and CEOs of multinational companies.