The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Adeniran Ogunsanya

  • Residents groan as sex workers invade Adeniran Ogunsanya Street

    Residents groan as sex workers invade Adeniran Ogunsanya Street

    The once serene and enviable Adeniran Ogunsanya Street in the heart of Surulere, Lagos seems to be losing its innocence, fast. With the recent dualisation of the road has come a proliferation of night-clubs and by implication, the sex trade. Landlords and residents fear a repercussion, which may rub-off on their children and their future.
    They raised their fear with Omolara Akintoye.

    Iw was in the wee hours on a Saturday. But not so for these half-clad ladies busy tearing at each other. They chased each other around the parking lot, shouting obscenities at the top of their voices and literally constituting nuisance in the neighbourhood. Suddenly, a guy punched one of the ladies and another threw a champagne bottle at them. At this point, onlookers made to take sides with the ladies, and then it was pandemonium.

    On another occasion, a fight broke out between a commercial sex worker and her customer. He had refused to pay the agreed price after a whole night show and the girl is not backing down. He held tightly onto his trousers and screamed all sorts of unprintables. It was indeed an eyesore for parents, who struggled to keep their children out of eye and ear shot.

    But these are some of the horrid experience residents of highbrow Adeniran Ogunsanya Street in Surulere, Lagos are now treated to on a weekly basis. Suddenly, the high street, which used to be synonymous with everything class is deteriorating into another red-light district. Many, especially families, who live on and off the street and now fear the repercussions of such development on their children, cite the growing number of nightclubs, bars and lounges on the street as reason.

    Over the years, especially since the 1.024-kilometre street was dualised and upgraded, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street has become a vital artery for innumerable flourishing businesses. Rapid and monumental increase in commercial activities as a result of conversion of residential buildings to commercial use followed, giving birth to entertainment and hospitality businesses. But now, residents are calling on the government to step in. Adeniran Ogunsanya Landlords/Residents Association wants their peace and conducive environment back. Cheetham-West, legal adviser to the association said there is need to checkmate the activities of commercial sex workers on the street before they become uncontrollable.

    “Proliferation of clubs on the street has led to sleepless night to residents. You see customers quarrelling with Commercial Sex workers. There is also indiscriminate parking of cars in front of gates, such that you will be unable to go out at night in case of emergency. It is also a precondition for robbery attack. In the past, some of them had sound proof in their clubs but after some years, they relocated and new ones who don’t know the rules guiding the business moved in and we are back to square one.”

    He said the association has held several meeting with the Lagos Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, without any result. “The waiting has been endless. The Ministry also said none of the clubs on the street have been given permit to operate, yet they operate freely.” He said the original plan of Adeniran Ogunsanya has been messed up and said all that they clamour is decency.  “We are not against commercial activities going on in the street so long as they comply with the laws of the street and do things decently. Club owners constitute nuisance because in the early hours of the morning, their customers litter the street with dirt and rubbish, which nobody cares to clear out.”

    Asked if owners of the clubs and lounges ever attend their meetings, Cheetham said “Some did initially but after telling them what we expect of them, they stopped coming.”

    Human nuisance

    The clubs and lounges, The Nation learnt, are high-brow and demand certain standard of dress code before admittance. As a result, those who fail to make the requirement are left stranded on the street and become targets for street hawkers who peddle alcohols and other stuff. This, they say, also provide fertile ground for armed robbers. This has also hampered the activities of religious organisations, as vigils have now become dangerous ventures.

    Going down memory lane, Chairman, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street Resident Association, Engineer Olufemi Shobo, said the street used to be the cynosure of the whole of Surulere, which even the visiting Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles visited in the late 1980s because of its beautiful structures.

    Engineer Shobo who said he has lived on Adeniran Ogunsanya for 51 years said the street was intended as residential. “I moved in to this street in March 1965. Then we enjoyed absolute serenity, until the recession came and quite a number of the residents decided to commercialise their houses. Some of the owners even moved way and let out their houses indiscriminately. People needed money, so they looked for the best way to recover and in most cases, they moved their residence to the back and commercialised the front.” He said some of those who took over these houses used them as banks, eateries other formal businesses, while some turned them into club houses.

    Asked whether the association has made any attempt to engage Lagos State government concerning the proliferation of commercial sex workers on the street, Shobo said there was a time they complained about street pollution and officials were sent to control them. “Once these officials take their leave, there is chaos again; but we kept on engaging them.” He said the club owners are difficult to control, since they neither attend the street association meetings nor pay dues.

    The Octogenarian therefore enjoined the Lagos State government to come to their aid and regulate. At the most, he would like their number to be pruned down to two. “They should be dispatched to other areas as well; government should have special areas for them, so they don’t mix with residents; Adeniran Ogunsanya was designed to be residential and it should remain so,” he said.

    Secretary of the association, Gbolahan Ayoolu said the activities of the commercial sex workers speak cast a big question mark on the integrity of the landlords and residents of the street. “Often, in the early hours of the morning, you wake up and see condoms everywhere. Government should try and bring sanity back to the street.”

    A visit round the street reveals that only three or four of the lounges and bars have signposts. The rest, it seems, prefer to operate anonymously. Ayoolu revealed that “Their activities are more pronounced on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.” He said the street enjoyed relative peace during the tenure of the former DPO, Divisional Police Headquarters on nearby Bode-Thomas but said things have not been the same since this current DPO took over.

    “The street has not been enjoying peace at all and we want the current DPO to try and checkmate their activities,” he said.

    Abimbola Onagoruwa, a landlady, said the development is a fall-out of the rising unemployment, just like street trading. While not trying to justify their activities, she said the government needs to be proactive and provide alternative livelihood, such as skills acquisition. “There is no point educating your child only for her to end up on the street. We have quite a number of them, even university girls who collect pocket money from their parents but who still prostitutes. But when government provides jobs for them, then they can begin to ask them to take up proper jobs.

    Onagoruwa also lamented that the development has given rise to problems of illegal parking among others. “Customers park in front of landlord/residents gates without any regard; government should limit their number.” She said the commercial sex workers hang around on the street because people patronize them. “If they don’t get patronage, they will go away. The night clubs on the street poses a lot of attraction and for the call girls. That is why we are holding meeting and appealing to the government, that certain rights should be given to us as landlords and residents of Adeniran Ogunsanya Street,” she said.

    On his part, Adetunji Santos, another landlord on the street said recession is not an excuse for parents to allow their children to become prostitutes. “It’s so sad that Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, a hitherto peaceful and quiet street has now become a shadow of itself. The commercial sex workers come in with their customers, making noise, disturbing the neighbourhood, drinking alcohol, narcotics, smoking hemp and littering the street. They also defecate in the drains and mess up the whole place. If indeed prostitution is illegal in this country, government should do something to contain the situation,” Santos said.

    While charging parents and care-givers to give their children proper upbringing, Santos urged government to empower the commercial sex workers with adequate skills. For the club owners, Santos said they constitute major problem on the street even during daytime. “If in the daytime these people do all sorts of things, then you can imagine what goes on through the night.”

    Worst, Santos say their customers are recalcitrant and have become a threat the even the security men. “Even when security officials ask them not to park at certain spots, they react violently and are ready to beat them up. Sometimes, they get drunk and fight amongst themselves, throwing missiles at each other, even at the risk of damaging properties. I personally have picked broken bottles in my compound and in front of my gate, this is appalling!”

    He therefore enjoined the Lagos State government to license club for only commercial areas and not residential.

    Apart from the residents, other business owners on the street also have axes to grind with the club owners. A female owner of a clothing outfit on the street, who requested anonymity, said most times on weekends, the customers of the club owners park in front of her shop, thereby preventing customers from patronising her.

    The Nation also spoke with some of the pastors of religious organisations located on the street. A youth pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Hagiazo Parish, said the development is something that is not acceptable at all: “The activities of the commercial sex workers are not helping our youth and we are not happy about it. Their night activities have drastically affected our all night services. Though they also have rights but these rights should be exercised with caution and respect for other people. As a church, we are trying to see if a skill acquisition programme could be organised for these ladies but the problem is that you don’t see them in the daytime. It is really a serious challenge and we want the government to step in and contain the situation,” he said.

    We’re yet to receive any complaints – Commissioner

    In an Interview with the Acting Lagos Commissioner/Special Adviser for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon Adebimpe Akinsola, she said the ministry is yet to receive any letter of complaint from the association regarding their plight or any negative activities of the clubs, lounges and bars. She also said most of these joints are not registered with the ministry. “This Ministry is a regulatory ministry for the registration of hospitality centres, event centers, lounges, bars, hotels. Restaurants and tourist centers should and must be registered under the law, which was amended in 2003. They don’t have excuses at all for operating illegally. We have officials from the ministry going on monitoring and enforcement; I’m aware that they are yet to get to Adeniran Ogunsanya Street but I tell you that soonest, they will get there.

    Speaking on the criteria required by the law for such ventures, Hon Akinsola said one major criterion is that such centre must be able to fulfill the environmental and sanitary conditions, among others. “With the new master plan that the state is rolling out, Akinsola said even centers that are registered should come for recertification and ensure that they meet up with everything concerning safety. Centers that refuse to conform to the new mega-city plan will be scrapped,” she warned.

    We’re taking proactive measures – DPO

    Reacting to the allegation by the residents that they no longer enjoy peace like they used to, the DPO, Bode Thomas Divisional Police Headquarters, Surulere, Lagos, who would rather not have his name in print, said: “The division has not received any complaints from the association. I have even attended their monthly meeting to educate them on security tips. Moreover, I personally, with my men, conduct night surveillance on a daily basis, especially on weekends when the activities of the night clubs are more pronounced. We are taking proactive measures to checkmate crime rate in the area, and so far, there are no ugly incidents or accidents in the area.” he said.

    On the issue of indiscriminate parking, the DPO said “I have warned all night club owners to ensure that there is no violation of laws. And when vehicles are parked indiscriminately, we tow such vehicles. We will continue to do our best and all other relevant bodies that should enforce other laws should also play their part,’ he concluded.

  • Under Siege! Nigeria’s long-suffering polytechnics

    Under Siege! Nigeria’s long-suffering polytechnics

    Gboyega Alaka writes on the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).

    ON March 17, students of Nigeria’s premier tertiary institution, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos took to the streets in a peaceful protest march, causing hours of traffic gridlock across Lagos metropolis and literally forcing everyone to pay attention to their plights. They staged the protest in solidarity with their lecturers, the members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), over their prolonged strike (which had gone on for six unbroken months), without a solution in sight. To underline their desperate situation, the students blocked major roads and carried placards with messages such as “We are tired of sleeping at home,’ ‘Enough of polytechnics’ neglect’, ‘We can’t even remember our matriculation number anymore….’

    They were joined by their colleagues from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education among others.

    Ganiyu Olanrewaju Salvador, president, Yaba College of Technology Students’ Union, said the demonstration had become necessary because the federal government has not been fair in its handling of the lecturers’ strike, arguing that its disposition was much different during the Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) strike last year. He especially pointed an accusing finger at the supervising minister of education, Nyesom Wike, whom he said has been playing politics with the polytechnic students’ plight.

    In what looked like a crack in the wall of the students’ body, Salvador took a swipe at the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which he accused of deliberately remaining silent in the face of the ASUP strike that has kept his fellow polytechnic students out of classes for more than half a year. This, he said was contrary to the body’s position during the university lecturers strike and therefore clamoured that it be changed to National Association of University Students, while the polytechnic students across the country form their own body to represent them adequately!

    The polytechnic lecturers have been embroiled in a perpetual struggle with the federal government over some demands which they say are genuine and pertinent for the progress of the polytechnic education sector. According to Adeyemi Aromolaran, chairman ASUP, the strike has been on for seven unbroken months; but it could easily have been nine, had the union in its wisdom not yielded to the appeal of the government to give it two weeks grace to look into the demands.

    “The strike initially commenced in April 2013, but the government specifically requested two weeks to enable it look into four of our 13-point demands. The four issues the government promised to look into are the constitution of a governing council for the various federal polytechnics, payment of the CONTISS 15 salary arrears (which is salary arrears owed some category of junior colleagues who had initially been left out of the new salary structure), the polytechnics NEEDS Assessment and the release of the government white paper on the visitation panel that came visiting the polytechnics in 2009. Out of magnanimity, the union gave the government six weeks, but at the end of the day, the only thing the government did was the constituting of the governing council.”

    This according to Aromolaran was a let-down and a call to ASUP for a show-down. Despite this, he disclosed that the union delayed for another two weeks after the initial six weeks, hoping that the government will revisit the issues and help them avoid going back on strike. “The present strike has therefore been on since October 4,” the ASUP YabaTech chairman said.

    Other major focal points of the industrial action, are the establishment of a polytechnic commission to be devoted to polytechnic affairs (just like the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and other such bodies), a review of the act that established the polytechnics, to enable them upgrade and run degree courses (B.Tech) and senior degree courses (M.Tech and D.T) and the ‘removal of discrimination against HND graduates in comparison with their university counterparts by government policy.’

    Conspiracy of silence and subjugation

    These demands he says, are basic and all focused on the development of the polytechnic system and should ordinarily not be allowed to drag. Aromolaran therefore concluded that the continued government silence and apathy further confirms the conspiracy script already playing out against the polytechnic system and the students. According to him, “it is the elites that take decisions about the country and since the children of the elites no longer attend polytechnics, it is no surprise that the government is keeping quiet.”

    He condemned the bias for the university products over polytechnic graduates, saying this is as a result of the human nature of complex defences, which unfortunately is overriding national interest. “The average university students in Nigeria want to see themselves as superior to the polytechnic graduates, colleges of education graduates and even the workers therein; and these are part of the things we are fighting against.”

    He said it has now become a common practice to have polytechnic graduates separated from university products during job interviews and thereafter told to “go home, we will get back to you”, which usually is the end of the story. He thus lamented the dichotomy and blames it on the government policies, which tends to suggest that the polytechnic graduate is inferior, despite their superior and more grounded and practical training. He said the union chose this as one of its demands to rescue the future of the students.

    On a personal note, Aromolaran also considers it a personal insult: “if you tell me that my products are inferior, then you are also telling me by implication that I’m also inferior.” As an academic of repute, he is not ready to take this lying low.

    On his part, Awofodu Jeremiah, who is secretary-general of the Yabatech ASUP, thinks there is a calculated disdain and neglect on the part of the government for polytechnic education, despite the obvious role it is supposed to play as the manpower development sector in the country. He also accused the government of perpetuating the dichotomy between the university and polytechnic products, which has now led to a situation whereby the polytechnic is seen as a last resort and hardly on the radar of the government planning officials.

    A complicit media and public

    Awofodu and his chairman, Aromolaran are also quick to accuse the public of being too passive to the plight of the polytechnic sector, citing the media as a major accomplice here. They recall how volatile and active the media was during the university lecturers’ strike last year and wonder why the same level of coverage is not being given to the polytechnics lecturers’ issues. The implication of the media silence, they say, has therefore been “a low sensitisation of the public about the on-going strike, to the extent that nobody outside the concerned lecturers, and students ever speaks about it. This is even more dangerous now that the polytechnics have been seemingly reduced to a level where only children of peasants and petty traders, who practically have no voice, attend.”

    Aromolaran said it is for this reason that the union took a decision to go on the streets on March 17, to compel the attention of the public, before it was joined in solidarity by the students. That effort yielded some temporary results as most of the national newspapers reported it, with some even devoting their front pages to it. He, however, lamented that everything seems to have gone quiet again. “Even the television stations which are noted for airing vox pops on such issues have simply looked the other way.”

    Government’s arm-twisting and blackmail

    Speaking to our correspondent in Abuja last week, the national president of ASUP, Mr Chibuzor Asomugha berated the supervising minister for education, Nyesom Wike for trying to reduce the whole strike to a battle over payment of salary arrears. In his words, “We are not asking for money. What we are asking for is the revamping of the system, deepening of capacity of our students, making the polytechnics a preferable option for higher education amongst others.” Asomugha, however expressed the union’s resolve not to be cowed, arguing that there is nothing to be ashamed of in demanding for one’s entitlement. He also said every attempt to get the minister to set up a technical committee headed by the permanent secretary of education to discuss the issues and way forward have been rebuffed. He accused the minister of reducing the strike to an ego battle with the lecturers and said the ‘no work, no pay’ order brought to bear since March 21, 2014 will only further jeopardize whatever success the two parties may have achieved so far.

    His position was corroborated by Aromolaran and his secretary, Awofodu. In the words of Awofodu, “It is not the joy of anybody to collect money without working, it is just that the situation on ground warrants that we stand up to the government and demand these changes.” He revealed that most of the lecturers have been resuming at their duties posts and attending to the students’ projects and the Students Industrial Work Experience (SIWES), which is organized by the government.

    The lecturers also condemned a situation where the sector, despite its unique role in the life of a modern nation, is left without a substantive minister. They argued that even the supervising minister is more pre-occupied with his next political agenda, which is to become the next governor of Rivers State.

    Aromolaran also took a swipe at the polytechnic alumnus scattered all over the country, who are already doing well in their various endeavours, wondering why even they are not speaking up against the ‘plundering of a system that made them’.

    On state polytechnics, which are unable to participate in the strike due to their peculiar situations, Aromolaran said they would surely benefit if and when the government decide to yield to their demands. “The presidential committee that conducted the NEEDS Assessment visited state polytechnics during the evaluation process and they will surely benefit, because that is simply a case of funding, which the federal governments will pay to the institutions directly.”

  • Fire at Adeniran Ogunsanya College

    The Theatre Arts department of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin in Lagos was burnt down yesterday.

    Charred remains of items such as computers, chairs, air-conditioners, books, television and radio sets, and the two studios which formed two separate units within the building were badly affected.

    An eyewitness said the fire began in the early hours of yesterday.

    The public relations officer of the institution, Mr Adebowale Odunayo, said the fire was caused by power surge. “Some of the lecturers’ award plaques and certificates, students’ projects as well as their records among other things also got burnt. While other things may be replaced later, those certificates and awards may difficult if not impossible to retrieve,” he said.

    Adebowale, however, assured that students’ records were retrievable since a backup is available in the ICT, Provost, and Academic Affairs and the Faculty’s offices.

    Although he said efforts were ongoing to assess the value of the burnt property, he said the conservative value of losses was N75 million, adding that the building got burnt because most items within it were combustibles.

  • ‘It’s crazy subsidising things that aren’t essential’

    ‘It’s crazy subsidising things that aren’t essential’

    Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi who clocked 70 recently in this interview with Edozie Udeze, shares his life experiences, his days as the youngest commissioner (Ministry of Establishment) in Lagos State, his foray into the world of art and creativity, his vision of a better Nigeria; why the private sector should be more actively involved in the industrialisation of the country and what should be done by government and individuals to curb insecurity in the land and lots more. Excerpts…

    WHILE you were a commissioner at a very tender age of 24, what were your greatest fears and challenges having found yourself among cabinet members who were much older and more experienced? The commissioners who were there then were ex-ordinary people in the state, well-respected individuals from different professional backgrounds. Among them were Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya and many others. They were very experienced persons. I think what I had going for me was that I was mentally prepared for the assignment. I was making headlines here and there.

    At a point I was asked to chair school debates in Lagos State. So, this helped me to find my focus that by the time the IMF debate began I was in full control to take part in it. I was even asked to chair it because that is my forte. I am an economist and it became obvious that I was fully prepared to play my role to the best of my ability.

    I was far more competent to do it. In fact, I was in high demand at that time. By the time I became a commissioner the times were better, the cooperation among us was splendid. These were known technocrats, leaders who came into office with the mind to serve; to help the society move forward.

    The IMF matter was mainly economic issues and it demanded the attention of a well-groomed economist. In the end the debate was fruitful because we brought all we had into it.

    Given the situation in the country today, do you think it is possible for someone to become a commissioner at such a young age as you did?

    Hmm…The political class won’t make that possible. They play the game the way they want it. In any case, the average age of a person in politics today is forty. In my own time it was thirty. And so I was able to get there when I did given the circumstances of our own time and age. It is not possible at all because of the numerical strength of the people jostling for positions and other changes in the system over time.

    How did your incursion into the Arts begin when you were trained as an Economist?

    My incursion into the art came via literature. While growing up, I was in love with literature; with Shakespearean works and so on. I have a lot of John Osband, William Shakespeare, name it, such great literary works of world-renowned authors; they kept my attention focused on literature. It just occurred to me that I was busy reading other people’s works, why not do your own? Why not put pen to paper and produce your own literary works? How about your own work of art? Do your own work for the sake of posterity. All these questions triggered on in my brain for too long. I told myself that the journey of literary expression starts one day. Therefore in pursuit of literary expression and actions you also look for beauty.

    In any case, the total expression of actions and issues around you and your environment…By the time I was ready for it in 1961 and I was fully into dances, shows, entertainment, I knew I’d write a play quite soon. Contests in the world then was intense and more of ideological a divide between East and West. Then you were bound to belong to one. Don’t forget we were then in the throes of decolonisation down here in Africa. The world in general was facing the issue of East-West conflict one therefore had to key into it.

    Therefore, my incursion into the art then had to dwell on these ideological issues of divide which was a global phenomenon. I was able to get into it and you know in writing plays you need to create conflicts and conflicts make a play what it is. By the time one read a bit of Marxism, other ideas began to come in too. There was great influence of socialism influence on literature, on Karl Marx, Leninism and so forth.

    Of course, there were plenty books that I had on socialism and literature. So, what is the effect of it? Yes, I think I had seen enough plays by top playwrights of the 19th and 20th centuries to be able to do my own. And so I told myself, let me use my own background knowledge to do my own play.

    You brought all that to bear in your first play Echoes from the Lagoon?

    Yes, I had seen many plays, not for too long though, to be able to settle conflicts, and get scenes that appealed to the audience. In it, I recalled what it was like while growing up and then Echoes from the Lagoon picked from such experiences and background.

    However, I was not any of the characters in the play. No, I wasn’t. But I know sufficient enough to be able to do it, to produce those characters in their best elements. This was why I dwelt on drama. Drama is all about conflicts. I was well-disposed towards drama because in it, you dwell on the totality of life and other issues pertaining to it. In it, you deal with protagonists and antagonists; you look at life in its barest epitome. This is why by the time a play is on stage, it is different from prose and poems and other genres of literature. So, conflicts are always there in this life and in Echoes from the Lagoon you can see the totality of life itself.

    As an insider, do you think the Bank of Industry is fully committed to its role in the Nigerian economy?

    It is relevant. In an economy of this nature it is important in all aspects of production; Nigeria inherited the philosophy of this sort of economy. The role and the lure of the private sector has always been there. People have to take loans and the industry has to help entrepreneurs and businesses grow through loans and other facilities needed to lubricate the economy. This is what we discovered on time, that left alone, the private sector might get tired on time.

    Even the Japanese economy and the Asian Tigers were at a point redefined. I found myself then joining to say we needed to work on our own infrastructural facilities. We therefore put the finances together to have what we have today as Bank of Industry.

    Then do you think the economy cannot do without it?

     

    Well, it was inevitability. Bank of Industry is there to lend money to those who need such facilities and therefore it is vital to the economy. The economy has to benefit tremendously from it. This was why we had to start and then ensured that the facilities were properly put in perspective. The early thing I learnt in life was to begin to save situations on time and from there begin to build for tomorrow.

    The other thing was that we needed to promote things based on that culture. That was how it all began and many people who have benefited from it are testimonies today.

    Federal Government intends to remove the final subsidy on kerosene. Do you think this is a wise decision?

    It is crazy to subsidise things that are not totally essential. The history of economic development has taught us that when you subsidise some activities that can be undertaken by you and the private sector, it eats deep into government. Then why must government do it? We know in the final analysis the equilibrium will be achieved if government is not involved in it.

    If there are investments in other areas of the economy allowing the education sector to grow for instance, then you grow enough to make the economy buoyant. Then the catalytic impulses would be how you organise the manufacturing sector or how you organise the education sector to get manpower to run the society.

    But for God’s sake government has its own short period in office. It has taken things that will help to grow the economy and encourage the society. So, I don’t think it is time to continue to dwell on subsidy of kerosene. The capacity for the operation of the private sector has expanded phenomenally. Even during the time when socialism literature says that the private sector should have ownership of everything, you found out later that this was mischievous because what is owned by you and I is owned by nobody.

    Is that also tied to the government trying to privatise the refineries?

    I have chaired several committees on issues of economic importance to the nation. There are many factors. But we can say yes if government in its wisdom wants to do that for the good of the system…well, we have many Nigerians with the requisite education and training to handle it. Why wouldn’t government absolve itself from overburdening itself and other associated palavers in governing the nation? If this is done government will have time to face other functions of governance. I don’t think that the private sector will be bothered about road construction, provision of water, building of federal universities and so on. Those are the functions of government and it should be given enough space to concentrate on those areas for the better functioning of the system. Those functions are better done that way and there are alternatives in terms of orientation.

    But those that have been privatised like NITEL and others have not been functioning…?

    Yes, I would say we need to use the functions of the stock market to engage on this issue of privatisation. The stock market is the medium. It is the appropriate channel to do it. It assures that there will be no dominance by individuals. That is number one. Two, the owners of the enterprise shall be guided based on discipline. And if you don’t get it right year one, year two, be patient, there will be men of goodwill, both domestically or even foreigners who can put in money to make sure they make it work. They can invest heavily in it and then make it work.

    How do you assess the security situation in Nigeria at the moment?

    Ah, sorrowful! Because I don’t think man taking the life of another because of argument or misunderstanding and the like is proper. It is lunacy that some people will wake up one morning and begin to commit murder, attack villages, institutions of worship… I don’t know what led to that sort of degeneration. We had never thought that this sort situation was possible in Nigeria. But it is happening and I am saying that all of us should go back to the drawing board. We should find out what the mindless killings are all about.

    Until you finish everybody, what else is there for us to fight over? I am perturbed, to be honest with you.

    Can government do it alone?

    I am not so sure if it is totally a government affair, to make the situation better. All of us have a role to play, to go back to those days when love, genuine love, ruled our hearts; when tribe or religion had no place in our hearts. I think we should go to the root cause or causes of this problem that we have degenerated to this level.

    Look, I grew up in Isale Eko. My father owned an industry, making underwear garments. Very early story of traders coming from all over the place Kano, Onitsha, Aba, Asaba traders came to buy without recrimination. My father took time to give me the best of education you can get anywhere in the world. But I do know that my early schooling was in Lagos and we had students from all over Nigeria. There was love and with people from all over and they were ever so friendly.

    Even my mother spoke Hausa because she grew up in the north. And she would do the translation for my dad and this made things easier. The traders were given a bit of credit facilities. And they would go and come back with their children and we all would stay together. We never thought about the difference between us. There was Audu here, Okeke there, you know, very lovely people. I still remember their names. I only left some behind when I went to secondary school and from there to the university. There were bonds of friendship across Northern and Eastern Nigeria, in the quest for prosperity. And the economy was doing well, at least there were indices of growth and everybody was happy.

    The cities were beginning to grow, you know. People were acquiring property. Things were very beautiful and wonderful. These are memories you cannot forget, yet some people have elected to kill others. This is why we need to go back and rebuild these bonds of love, friendship and quest for the proper acquisition of property.

    Then what is Boko Haram! What do they want? Then we had political contests but it was only during election time. Zik would come to Campos Square and say his own with big English and we all would clap and cheer. Then Awolowo would come saying AG on top and so on. But that would be the end; there were no moments of brutalisation and fighting for anything.

    Then the politicians would go back to their administrative and legislative duties. Yet, in terms of economic pursuit, no one disturbed us. I don’t know what is responsible now that we have to take up arms slaughtering human beings? Ah! If a Muslim gave a gift of cow to my father during a festival, that would be what we would talk about for weeks. It was not war or hate or tribe. Ah! We are in trouble o and we need to solve it now.

    What is happening to Ragolis water?

    It is there. I am the chairman. But the vigours of waking up early in the morning to attend to the function have been diluted. When I look back in time, yes, I am happy that we set up Ragolis when we did. Today it is doing well as either the first or second bottled water to hit the Nigerian market. It was me that wrote the feasibility studies for the project. Then I brought in people with whom we formed the partnership together. We then put in the name RA for my name, GO for my wife and the other for my partners.

    But then my father, my surrogate father, Joseph Naman and the Chagolis brothers, we all put in some money to ensure the place started out well and strong. It was the joy of it all that brought us together.

    How does it feel to be seventy years?

    I know that it is good to attain seventy years. It is in the Holy Book that it is golden to attain three scores and one. The important thing is to be able to cast one’s mind back and say what have I done with my life and times all these years? So, the impetus to do more and to do my biography then becomes important for me now.

    I am trying to do one. I even started work on the autobiography. I did just a few chapters when I got tired. In the days gone by I’d be awake all night writing and doing some piece of work. But I don’t have such resolve and strength anymore. And there’s this nagging problem that keeps propping up. To cap it all, I cannot go on long walks anymore, not the way I used to do it. I can no longer go for a bit of jogging. Even my physical power and elementary interest in all that keep changing. The muscles have begun to change, to ache me bit by bit.

    I was unbelieving about all that before. I have been to many physiotherapists often; but I have discovered that I inherited bits of diabetes from my mother. So, that has helped to slow me down physically that I cannot do a few of the things I used to do. But this is the time to slow down and like my mother used to say something is bound to kill a person. I have been taking tablets and injections so that I can control it and be able to do more. That always echoes in my brain that something must kill man. However, in effect, there is diminishing effort in all spheres, in all strata, in whatever I do or engage in. Perhaps what is remaining in me is the capability to talk. That one is still with me, but I am not as spontaneous or as vociferous as I used to be. Then I think the ability to make those remarkable statements and important words on the marble are now contestable.

    We do know that physically I have to be more careful about the sort of exercises I am involved in. These are some of the feelings I have now as I clocked seventy years.