The leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Epe Division and member of the Lagos State APC Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Chief Shakiru Akanni Seriki-Bamu, will be 80 next Monday. He spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on his foray into politics, his relationship with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his expectations from the in-coming Sanwo-Olu administration.
How do you feel celebrating 80 years?
I thank God. Eighty years is not a joke. I thank God. I thank my people. There is nothing strange. I am grateful to all my people, political leaders and supporters. They ate all happy and I am happy too. They realise the roles I have been playing in politics. I thank the governor, the deputy governor, the senator, House of Representatives and Assembly members, the commissioners and councillors.
I was born in May, 1939 in Epe to the family of Soliu and Bintu Seriki. I am from a poor family. My father was a fisherman. My mother had little money. She had fishing nets which she was selling, giving out to people to fish. My father refused to send me to school. I only went to Arabic school. He said I should join hi fishing. I refused. My mother was not happy. She had had four children, including me. I am the last born. My father was about 78 at that time. My mother was 70. So, until the man died, I could not go to school. My father’s family could not take care of me. As a Muslim, they would spend about five months at home once they lose their husbands. I followed my mother to her village where they were fishing. She had fishing equipment. That was in 1954. I started primary school in 1955 in Abomiti, Aba Onigbagbo, Epe area. My brothers and sisters opposed my going to school. I refused. I sponsored myself, with the assistance of my mother, up to primary six. I came back to Epe. I enrolled at LA Secondary Modern School. That was where I stopped my education when there was no one to sponsor me again. I was the oldest person in the school. During the politics of the period, because of my age, Awolowo’s party, the Action Group, chose me as one of their polling agents. From that time, I took interest in politics.
When I completed my secondary modern school, I was looking for job. I followed the elders in our street. For one year, I did not get job. My mother was worried. I told her not to worry. I came to Lagos, stayed with my brother. For that one year, I suffered a lot. As big as I was, I had to be carrying diesel for ship to the supplier. We were at Idumagbo. I will carry the diesel on my head. It will pour on my body. The people of Epe who saw me believed I was suffering and advised me to go back to Epe to go and fish. I told them they were mad. One and half years later, I got a job at the Nigeria Port Authority, Apapa. Joined Trancap under the Nigeria Port Authority. During that period, when I realised that I only had modern school certificate, I knew there was no future educationally. We were many there-Kayode Dada, Oropo. We would have break by 12 noon. During break, I will go and meet the drivers of big trucks to learn how to drive. All my people were laughing at me, abusing me that I wanted to leave my job and become driver. That was how I managed to get a driving license in 1967.
During that period, the civil war started. We were transferred to Port Harcourt. I had an old mother in Epe. I refused and resigned. I had a driving license and a hundred pounds. The second month, I joined Glassco Pharmaceutical, a company in Apapa. I used to worked well and canvassed for sales. They said because I was good in sales, they transferred me to the North. I refused. I resigned. I joined Cocacola. I spent two months and they transferred me to Benin. I said never. I resigned because I had driving license. I suffered in Coca-cola because of the way they were using their workers. By 5.30 am, you are in the class. They will lecture you. They slapped people. They were treating us like school children. One of them wanted to slap e, I said I will break his head. I was an adult. But, the General Sales Manager, Allaby, a Lebanese, loved me. From Apapa, I became Salesman and driver. I will go to Tokunbo in Lagos and Ikorodu routes. I was effective. One of the distributors, a woman, knew mw in the course of duty. I will give her the products and after she finished selling, she will pay. She asked me: do you still like doing this jib? I said no. She asked: what do you like? I said petrol station. All my friends were dealers. That was how she introduced me to her husband. She took me to the Continental Bank to get loan. I built a petrol station. That was how I started my career as petrol station dealer.
When did you entre politics?
Politically, after I left Cocacola, I used to go to Epe regularly. When I was in school, I was the captain. I know so many towns in the Western Region. During the period of Awolowo, I travelled far and wide in the region. After getting the filing station, my people begun to encourage me to participate more actively. In 1979, I have built my first house here in Ketu and I had one in Epe at that time. I went to Mecca. Because of my closeness to our people, they just chose me as one of the councillors. That was in 1979. All my salaries I gave to my ward. I did not take a kobo. So, I started playing politics. Later, I became the chairman of a party. I served as party officer, treasurer in Epe. Finally, in Lagos, during the Abacha regime, I became the state chairman of UNCP. People knew me everywhere. When Abacha died, AD was formed. I joined AD. We built it together. I became Vice Chairman of AD, Lagos East Senatorial District. I used to spend a lot of money on politics. Asiwaju used to encourage me. Since that time, he appointed me as the leader of Epe Division. Some people wanted to overthrow me, they failed. I became one of the GAC members. I thank God that, in Epe and in Lagos State, God has made me to be relevant. Asiwaju nicknamed me ‘Bamu.’ What I used to do was to work hard and ensure that the logistics were utilized well. I used to ensure that people got their voter’s cards so that they can fill the voting box up in favour of our party. E dibo to kun bamu bamu. That was how Asiwaju nicknamed me. I thank Asiwaju for supporting me. In Epe, I am the best political leader. As leader, our children got to positions of relevance-Yemi Kuforiji as Speaker of House of Assembly for more than two terms and he was one of the best Speakers, Ambode became governor. I brought Ambode to Epe. What he did for Epe is there. Epe also produced chairmen of council, board members, commissioners, lawmakers, permanent secretaries, councillors and supervisors. They are my supporters, including the ward and local government leaders. Tobun, Segel, Wale Raji-all of them are my people. I thank God.
If not because of Asiwaju, things would have been different. Many people will go to our leader to spoil my name. But, he trusts me. I am loyal to him. He is a good leader. May God prolong his life. He is a great asset to Lagos and Nigeria. We should all come together always and support Asiwaju. He is a great leader, compassionate and always a strategist. He is a symbol of unity. He treats us equally and he listens to us. He is a great leader of the progressives in Nigeria. In fact, Lagos State is blessed with good leaders, like Oba Olatunji Hamzat. We have Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, Otunba Oladele Ajomale. They are good people.
I am happy married. God Almighty gave me a wonderful wife who cares. I don’t have problem at home. She is treating me as son, not as husband. All my children are doing well. I thank God.
How did you become the Apase of Epe?
I helped a lot of people to get appointments and employment. I am the leader of the party there. Our party is dominant in Epe. So, we worked together. That was how I became the Apase, Majeobaje of Epe, Agbaakin of Ketu. So, I thank God.
How are you coping with the two obas in Epe?
There is no problem. In those days, there was a lot of wrangling. But, I brought them together, talked to them. Both of them are my relations. The bad people who were creating problems and dividing them are no more. I used to expose the trouble makers.
Who did you support between the two sons of Epe, Dapo Sarunmi and Agbalajobi in those days?
It was Agbalajobi hundred per cent. Sarunmi people did coup detat at that time. We were in Jakande’s group. Jakande brought many of these people up. I don’t want to go there again. The same thing is happening today. Tinubu is working hard and suffering for the party. He will raise a candidate. He will spend all his resources. People will be abusing him. He will not listen. He will work for their victory at the poll. When they get there, they become thin gods. They begin to say all sorts of nonsense to him. But, of course, he is waxing stronger and he is a force to reckon with in Nigeria. I have the same experience. They abuse me in Epe.
What advice did you give to Ambode when it appeared that the party will not give him a second term ticket?
Ambode performed. He tried his best. He built on the achievements of his predecessors. I don’t believe those who say there is no godfather. It is normal in politics. There is leadership. Give it to Asiwaju. He knows how to detect talents. But, people tried to turn the governor against his leader and the party. I believe he has learnt his lessons.
In 2014, it was Asiwaju who called me. He asked for my opinion on the contestants. I said Ambode. He said I should go and sell him. And I did it. Many people abused me. When he got the thing, at the beginning, for six months or a year, he was so good. If I called him once, he will answer him ten times. The same thing for Asiwaju. But, you know, when they have the red biro, immediately they get there, they become thin god. Nobody can talk to them again. During the Ambode primary, many of the people Asiwaju brought up, they insulted the man. They opposed Ambode. All of a sudden, Ambode changed. The wife became Margret Thatcher. Nobody can talk to them. I went to him. I said: governor, you have been doing good to me. At the beginning, I so much loved him. They used to call me ‘Baba Governor.’ And I merited it. He just changed. This was due to the wife and some advisers. They are wuruwuru politicians. Some of the so-called SAs and two or three commissioners became thin gods. They don’t know politics. Nobody can talk to them. I told the governor, look, Asiwaju is your father. At a time, if anybody said any bad thing about Asiwaju, Ambode can kill the person. When he begun to enjoy that office, he became another person. Ambode worked. There is no doubt about that. He is a hardworking person. But, you cannot go to him again; he became Almighty. You cannot talk to him. You phone him, he will not answer you. You write him, he will not answer. Many people were suffering. Fashola just left that place now. Did that happen? He sacked so many people. He sacked commissioners, permanent secretaries. We called him. Then, he made me his greatest enemy. Small kids that were given money in Epe became sudden billionaires. They talked to us anyhow. That was responsible for his downfall because he did not take advice. The only adviser he has is Benbengudu and Senator Afikuyomi. I called him. Pepper will call him and say don’t do this, he will not answer him. He will not listen to us. Even, he will not allow us to enter. That was how they just demolished my petrol station.
What is your advice to the governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu?
God is wonderful. Sanwo-olu is a politician. Ambode is not a politician. He is a career civil servant. Both Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat are politicians and technocrats. They know what they are doing. The party is important. It is the party that put them there. So, once you disagree with the leadership of the party, you will fail. No amount of hard work will save you. My advice to him is that he should learn from the lesson and make sure that the party is supreme. You should carry the party along. You should do the normal thing. I am sure that there will be a big difference. This will be a listening government. He should carry everybody along. In their cabinet, when this present governor talks, nobody can advise him. The in-coming governor will not do that. Never. He will behave well. He must respect the party. He must build on the achievements of his predecessors. He must fight the infrastructure battle. He must ensure a clean environment. He must make impact across the sectors. He must come with new ideas, policies and programmes to move Lagos forward. He must continue to implement the blue print. He should consult widely. God will be with him.