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Tag: My father

  • Adebowale Odutola: I‘m female version of my father

    Princess Adebowale Odutola is a real estate guru who studied law and politics. She is also the Creative Brand Director of TPS LUXURY, a brand synonymous with exotic bags, furniture and other accessories. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about her early life, carving a niche for her bags and more.

    What was your early life like?

    I was born into a royal family of seventeen children, the last of the girls. My father is from Southwest; my mom is from the middle belt. I grew up in Lagos State and so my background is English and Yoruba. I went to school like every other person, graduated from university and had a good life. It was those days when the departmental stores in Nigeria were like Selfridges. We had UTC right behind our house and it was an opportunity to have big deep ice cream and then I remember those days that we had Mintex, yam and sausages for breakfast. Lunch was jollof rice with chicken and ice cream. And further down Modupe Johnson in Surulere, there was big deep. We could buy big deep coated with chocolate. Then we thought growing up then was normal.

    Apparently it was luxurious because later I found out that even those who were my classmates in school didn’t have the kind of pedigree that I had. My dad would drop me off at school with a Mercedes Benz. We travelled, went for summer vacations. Then it was not Marks and Spencers; it was Saint Michaels. We had the best things in life, but, above all, we had dignity, discipline and the business acumen. My dad was on the board of so many companies and he had a lot of friends. They were called the five business gurus that actually ran the show in Nigeria then. So, when I look back at where I am coming from and where I am today, I just see myself as the female version of my late father.

    He was business-oriented, he was a strict disciplinarian, a devout Christian and above all, he was very neat. Everybody knew him to wear white. So, looking at where I am today and where I am coming from, I would say that my childhood has influenced a lot of what I do today. I have a niche for excellence and perfection. I am very elegant; I love elegance. I won’t say I am luxurious but I have taste for the good things of life. As a result, I work very hard.

    How did TPS luxury start?

    I started this business in 2013. Just like a big joke, I started with the scarves of my old boubous; you know, when you make a boubou and you have so much leftover. I brought out a whole pile and I was amazed. Then I started with just ankara bags, no leather. It was just ankara. Then I found out that the guy that was making my bags in Lekki market was using leather. I asked then where they got it and they said Mushin. We took off and went to Mushin. I went with two policemen; thinking of Mushin in those days that they could rob me. But guess what, I went into Mushin and nobody knew I was there. And I bought and bought lots of leather in one day. So, we started using just a bit of leather still with the ankara. Overtime, we started improving on our designs. And then I think I was just doing the regular Channel look that everyone was doing.

    When there is a craze for something in Nigeria, there is hype and everybody just goes in one direction. So, I also went that way and it was Channel. At a point, I said to myself, why must I do what everybody is doing? Then I started drawing my designs. I also asked myself, how else do I carve a niche for my designs, and that was how I started naming them after Nigerian women, which is how Morin Desalu came into being. She was buying the Channel look designs from Ghana but they had the problem with the locks for that particular design. I had fixed two locks for her. So, I said, “Ma can I do you a bag that the locks would not fall out or have any problems?” She said yes, so she was one of the very few that I did the Channel lock for but I now improved on it, so that it does not look like the regular Channel. We quilt it, use leather and Ankara. That is why I named that particular design Morin Desalu. And then overtime, once I do a design and I notice that this particular person is my client or she has bought three or five bags, I also do another design and name after that person. So when people ask why my bags are named after millionaires, I say to them, they are not millionaires. They are actually women who also support women businesses. They don’t need to be millionaires.

    The brand will be five this year, what does this mean to you?

    Yes, we are going to be five years in July. When we were three years, we changed the narratives. And then we started doing more of the leather in the exterior with just a bit of fabrics outside. Of course, we stepped up our game. We don’t do hardware in Mushin anymore. We do it in Hong Kong. I got the nameplates which have TPS luxury and I got it manufactured by the same company that manufactures for Samsonite. We have been able to identify the big manufacturers in Asia to also do our nickel plates and our hardware because they are already tested and would last over ten years. All the hardware on our bags do not tarnish, they don’t fade and they don’t wear-out. And then it has been success all over.

    What are some of the high-points for you?

    In the last four years, I have gotten four awards. The first was in 2017, I got the Emerging Fashion Brand in April from Bellaafricana. The same 2017 in November, I got the FADAN President’s Special Recognition Award for our contributions to the fashion industry. In 2018, I won the Lead Grand Award for excellence in the fashion industry. Then in 2019 March, I won the Best Female Entrepreneur Award by City People publications. That again has motivated us. For me, it’s an inspiration. It is also the catch to keep stepping up on my game.

    In the last two years, we have released three different designs. We released the latest on 23 February 2019, called the AAJ, the Annabel Adeyemi Johnson label, which has been a bestseller amongst the crème d’ la crème  of this country. Just before then, we released the Yewande Zaccheus collection; she is also a woman entrepreneur. She is a dogged entrepreneur, extremely hardworking woman. And then we had the Ndidi Obioha collection. We also did the re-branding of our AAA collections, named after Adebisi Abiola. This means that I redesigned it. The initial design was so easy to copy, so I decided to make it complicated and better designed. It was beautiful and adorned with rose gold, rainbow collection with hardware.

    What should your fans look for as the brand clocks five?

    For our fifth anniversary, which we are doing in July, we are going to unveil the H I K, Hajia Ireti Kingibe collection. The big question here is why am I naming the bag after her? Hajia has touched my life in a way that even I can’t explain. Her younger sister carried my bag in Abuja and she saw and liked it. She told her, ‘I bought it at an event but I have the person’s number.’ So, her younger sister brought her to my place and that was it. That was how she walked into my life and ever since then it’s been a success story. Every bag she carried, everybody wanted it. So, I started stocking my bags in her house in Abuja without her charging me a dime.

    She’s been selling for me without charging me a nickel and without putting a naira on my products. And today in Abuja we have sold nothing less than 50 bags between February and June this year. So, that is why I said how do you pay back, how do you show appreciation or gratitude to such a person? And then she was 65 years this year. She’s an ageless beauty. She’s beautiful in and out. So, I decided to design a bag that would be named after her. I have been working on the design for over two and half weeks and it will be unveiled at our fifth anniversary. And I can tell you, it’s a must-have for every woman of class in Nigeria. I know it would sell.

    Apart from wanting to celebrate the Nigerian women like we do, we also like to celebrate the Nigerian culture. We have different fabrics that are synonymous with Nigerians. There is aso-oke, damask, adire and Ankara. So, we work with all these to support local content, which is why every product of ours, if it does not have an Ankara on the exterior it will have in the interior. And today by the grace of God, I have noticed that everybody wants to carry a TPS bag and they keep telling me that your bags are just different. There is something about them, they are not dull, they are not monotonous. They catch your attention. I also feel that what makes us feel or stand out is not only because of our hardware but because we also embellish.  We hand bead, like Fendi does. But Fendi beads only on soft fabrics, we bead also on leather as well. So, our beaded works are different and I think they are one of our bestsellers.

    So, you can imagine a bag that is beaded, it’s got leather on it, it’s got fabric and the hardware is super; you will want to buy it at any price. You don’t even want to price it, you just want to own one. And they are master pieces. As I always say, they are timeless luxury, timeless pieces that will withstand the fashion of 2025 to 2030. Even your children can own whatever bag you buy from us.

    The leather we use in this country works well with our temperature; it does not peel like those designers bags. If you store them for too long, the designer bags peel. But those who bought my bag from the beginning are still using them today. I only always say to them, can you please buy a new season? From the beginning till now there is a world of difference, even in the finishing. We have tried to move from grace to glory. It’s been like a geometric progression for us.

    We started from a humble beginning; we are still crawling but we are trying to crawl now with class, with elegance, with poise. So, that is what we have been doing.

    Why did you focus on bags?

    Good question. Initially, I was into real estates and, of course, I made money. Real estate and the real estate market were taking a downturn. It was becoming very difficult to get a client who wants to take a lease, it was that bad.  There was a lot of ‘To let’ everywhere, there was a lot of ‘For sale’ everywhere. It was rather tough and at that point I was just living on my savings. I had a lot of briefs but there were no clients. It wasn’t just me. It was everybody. I told myself that I needed a business that would give me money every day and I would have passion for it. Then it was my birthday and someone gave me an Ankara bag. I looked at it and said ‘Father, is this an answer to my prayers?’ It looked like a good idea. I haven’t seen people doing this. It was at that point that I pulled out my scarves and I started.

    And today, I say it with every sense of pride that I stand at par with big labels in the world because the hardware that they use is the same hardware that we are using. And ours is even more interesting, our bags have more content; they look more appealing. In those days, everyone wanted to carry a Gucci, Channel, Escada, Versace, Celine or Cavalli bag. But guess what, everyone wants to carry a Nigerian bag now. I named them after those who initially encouraged me with this business. They are those women who own bags that are worth ten thousand dollars; those who buy the very expensive designer bags in the world. They were the first set of women who were buying my bags. So, if you look at the run-down of the names of our brand ambassadors, they range from Adebisi Abiola, to Dame Adebola Williams, to Dame Abimbola Fashola, Morin Desalu, Olori Ladun Sijuwade, Hajia Bola Shagaya, Oludolapo Osinbajo, Annabel Adeyemi Johnson and Atinuke Onayiga.

    Onayiga was a Permanent Secretary in Lagos State, in charge of primary healthcare. How much does a civil servant earn but she appreciated my bag and bought one. And then she bought a second one. Then I found out that this woman is in a line of occupation where she helps women in primary healthcare. So, she retired from Lagos State, I did a design and I named it after her. This is one of the beaded lines. So, you see when you see women who support women in business, women who uplift women, I always want to celebrate them without a doubt. You also have Yewande Zaccheus; she always does this show, where she encourages entrepreneurship. Oludolapo Osinbajo is the wife of our vice president. She’s a hand-crafter, she loves to knit and she loves to crochet. She loves gardening. She does everything with her hands and, as such, she encourages entrepreneurs; men and women. Her recent net project eventually gave birth to a day out with hand-crafters.

    It’s amazing the kind of talents we have in this country and which is why I said that the recession brought out creativity in Nigerians. And now that there is going to be a ban on imported products, this is when made-in-Nigeria products should be fine-tuned to meet international standards. This is why we are ready for exports at TPS LUXURY. We have gotten our NEPC export licence; we have also gotten our trademarks stamp. We are ready to hit the world. By the time you know what is happening, which is what I am looking at, it will become a household name like Gucci. But we are not doing mass production here. We are doing bespoke bags. We have started what we call, ‘Build-your-own-bag.’ The client comes in and you pick your skin, pick your style and you tell us the kind of hardware that you want as well as your choice of color.

    Let’s talk about the memorable moments in your life

    That would be my first awards. It was a very keen competition between five labels and people had to vote. So, when I look back today, I say God….I won. I had never won an award in my life before this. Apart from all those awards that you win in school. When I was in secondary school, I won the commonwealth scholarship which was not an award, I earned it. I competed with 82 students from 82 schools in Ogun State. I went to Federal Government Girls College, Sagamu. We all competed for just one scholarship and I won it. But this one was the first time that I was competing for an award. So, those are good memories. I think life itself is a good memory for me. I have also had my fair share of ups and downs. I feel that my life is a testimony.

  • My father never pampered us, says Ekwueme’s daughter

    My father never pampered us, says Ekwueme’s daughter

    Mrs. Alexandria Onyemelukwu, the eldest daughter of Second Republic Vice-President, Dr.  Alex Ekwueme, says the deceased was a caring but disciplined father.

    Onyemelukwu gave the description in Lagos at the “Night of Tributes and Music,” organised as part of funeral programmes of Ekwueme.  Dr. Ekwueme died on November17, 2017, aged 85.

    Onyemelukwu said that Ekwueme gave all the normal things a comfortable father would give the children, but not luxuries. She said their father never pampered them as he would provide only their needs.

    “My father was a very disciplined father who never tolerated our excesses as children and who never pampered us.

    “He taught us never to see life as a bed of roses in spite of our privileged background.

    “He would only provide us our needs, not our wants. He just wanted us contented with whatever we had.

    “While others were carrying “tush bags” to school, he would buy us “Nnewi-Must-Go”. Somehow, our mother would find a way, without him knowing, to get us those bags we wanted. “As children, we used to grumble, wondering how a comfortable man would not want to grant our wants, but as we grew older, we realised that he was actually preparing us an independent life”, she said.

    She said the way the deceased handled his children had made them well-moulded and they had him to thank for their accomplishments today.

    According to her, one of the greatest things they learnt from him is modesty and hard work. Onyemelukwu, who was the People’s Democratic Party’s deputy-governorship candidate in the last Anambra elections, described her father as a great politician and lover of the people.

    She said that her father’s accomplishments in politics gave her the inspiration to foray into politics.

    She thanked all those present at the event, saying the family was honoured by their show of love to the deceased.

     

  • My father, my father

    August 9 was the first anniversary of my father’s death.  Hard to accept that the man who meant so much to me and did so much to make me what I am today by the grace of God died a year ago, but it’s a reality I, my siblings, family members, friends and others have to live with.

    Our father, Chief Adebisi Japheth Otufodunrin, Balogun of Imagbon, touched not only our lives but that of many others and will always live in our hearts.

    I can write a whole book on his life and times, but words failed me last Friday to put up even a few line posts in his remembrance on face book. What kind of writer’s block stops one from writing a tribute in memory of a loved one, like my late father, if not for bottled-up emotions which words cannot sometimes express?

    Not even the tributes by my siblings on their Facebook timelines could lure me to do what I usually would have done on occasions like this. I only managed to send a short message on our family whatshapp group.

    For whatever reason, I just wanted some quiet moments to reflect on the occasion instead of having to respond to the torrents of messages from well-wishers, many of whom I still owe a debt of gratitude for their support during the burial last October.

    I, however, succumbed to writing this column on the first anniversary of my father’s death, probably because he was perhaps one of the most adherent readers of my weekly views on issues. When I don’t write for any reason, he usually calls to find out why.

    Unfortunately, he can’t call again, but the best I can do to acknowledge how he inspired me to become a journalist, is to write about him for the world to know that he was indeed a father in a billion.

    His legacy of love, unity and generosity has kept me and my siblings going. His commitment to ensuring that all his children got university education, which he did not have the opportunity of getting, is our best inheritance.

    But for him, I would have been contented with seeking admission to just any tertiary institution, but he was too determined to ensure that I made it to the university and nothing else would do.

    Not even my initial poor school certificate results could discourage him as he got me to re-take the exam as a full-time student along with those who used to call me Senior Lekan.

    Even when I didn’t have enough scores to get admitted into the university, I was enrolled for Higher School Certificate and had to endure the two years on his insistence, even though I could have secured admission for a diploma course.

    When I got an admission form for the University of Agriculture for one of my brothers who he wanted to be a medical doctor, he told me I was joking and he would not allow him to attend the institution. Thank God for his clear vision for his children, he got his heart desire; a Dr Otufodunrin along with others who are graduates in other fields of endeavours.

    Like many others have attested, my father left his indelible mark, not only on the sand of times, but on the hearts of men.  Posterity will never forget him.  We will continue to celebrate the man who came, saw and conquered before returning to his maker.

    Sleep well, Baba.

  • My father, my father

    Last Friday was the first anniversary of my father’s death.  Hard to accept that the man who meant so much to me and did so much to make me what I am today by the grace of God died a year ago, but it’s a reality I, my siblings, family members, friends and others have to live with.

    Our father, Chief Adebisi Japheth Otufodunrin, Balogun of Imagbon, touched not only our lives but that of many others and will always live in our hearts.

    I can write a whole book on his life and times, but words failed me last Friday to put up even a few line posts in his remembrance on face book. What kind of writer’s block stops one from writing a tribute in memory of a loved one, like my late father, if not for bottled-up emotions which words cannot sometimes express?

    Not even the tributes by my siblings on their Facebook timelines could lure me to do what I usually would have done on occasions like this. I only managed to send a short message on our family whatshapp group.

    For whatever reason, I just wanted some quiet moments to reflect on the occasion instead of having to respond to the torrents of messages from well-wishers, many of whom I still owe a debt of gratitude for their support during the burial last October.

    I, however, succumbed to writing this column on the first anniversary of my father’s death, probably because he was perhaps one of the most adherent readers of my weekly views on issues. When I don’t write for any reason, he usually calls to find out why.

    Unfortunately, he can’t call again, but the best I can do to acknowledge how he inspired me to become a journalist, is to write about him for the world to know that he was indeed a father in a billion.

    His legacy of love, unity and generosity has kept me and my siblings going. His commitment to ensuring that all his children got university education, which he did not have the opportunity of getting, is our best inheritance.

    But for him, I would have been contented with seeking admission to just any tertiary institution, but he was too determined to ensure that I made it to the university and nothing else would do.

    Not even my initial poor school certificate results could discourage him as he got me to re-take the exam as a full-time student along with those who used to call me Senior Lekan.

    Even when I didn’t have enough scores to get admitted into the university, I was enrolled for Higher School Certificate and had to endure the two years on his insistence, even though I could have secured admission for a diploma course.

    When I got an admission form for the University of Agriculture for one of my brothers who he wanted to be a medical doctor, he told me I was joking and he would not allow him to attend the institution. Thank God for his clear vision for his children, he got his heart desire; a Dr Otufodunrin along with others who are graduates in other fields of endeavours.

    Like many others have attested, my father left his indelible mark, not only on the sand of times, but on the hearts of men.  Posterity will never forget him.  We will continue to celebrate the man who came, saw and conquered before returning to his maker.

    Sleep well, Baba.

  • Ngige: my father left the legacy of fairness, equity

    Ngige: my father left the legacy of fairness, equity

    •SGF leads Fed Govt’s delegation to burial

    Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has said his late father, Pa Pius Okonkwo Ngige left legacies of truth, fairness and equity.

    The former Anambra State Governor spoke yesterday at his Urueze, Alor in Idemili South home while meeting with the burial committee. He described his late father as his friend because they shared stories and many other things in common.

    Senator Ngige said the most interesting aspect of the deceased’s life was that he admired the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, because of his free education policy in the Western Region.

    His words: “My father’s life was a book of many volumes where you learn a lot of lessons. There was not a day I did not learn a new thing from him.

    “He fought for the helpless, the voiceless, the down trodden, without looking for any compensation, which led to him resigning in 1958, for standing his ground against British intimidation.

    “Because he stopped at standard five, he vowed that all his children must acquire western education and the same thing lured him into giving scholarships. The man we are talking about dropped his original name Ujokanma (fear is better), and adopted his nickname “Okwudike” (voice of a strong man) because he did not want to associate with fear.”

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Babachir David Lawal will lead the Federal Government’s delegation to the burial on Friday.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will arrive in the state on Thursday. President Muhammadu Buhari will arrive on Friday.

    Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and members of the diplomatic corps are also expected. Others, according to Ngige, include Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and others.

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano and his Enugu and Imo states counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Rochas Okorocha, will be hosts.

     

  • ‘Here was my father, my best friend’

    ‘Here was my father, my best friend’

    On June 28, 2014, at about  7 pm, I got a call from my mum that my dad, Suleiman Gambari, had been taken to hospital. It was on a Saturday and by the next day; I headed for Ilorin from Abuja. I had to go by road as there were no flights out of Abuja to Ilorin on Sunday morning.

    As we set out on the trip, I couldn’t help but think about him. He had received treatment in Abuja the previous month and was certified okay before he traveled to spend some time resting in Ilorin. While in Abuja, we shared a lot. He told me stories of how he started his career. How he wished being enrolled in the Army and eventually became a journalist. The funniest part of the story was how he met my mum. They went to the same primary and were worst enemies. Until fate brought them together many years later as husband and wife when my mum travelled to Kaduna where he was working after school. I thought about how we argued endlessly about me reading law and I insisted on Mass Communication.

    All these thoughts flashed in and out of my memory.

    Then, I decided to put a call to him. I called several times with no answer. Relentlessly, I kept calling until someone suddenly picked up the phone. Rather than hear his voice as he usually calls out my name “ Hajia Aishah, Allah ya yi miki albarka”, anytime I called him,  it was my mum’s voice I heard who said dad had been under close monitoring and cannot pick calls. Then it dawned on me that there was trouble.

    While the illness lasted, my dad used to pick his calls. He even called many times to check out on us. For him not to pick calls on that day, then I knew something seriously has happened. But, I kept praying and hoping that everything will be alright.

    After eight hours drive, we arrived in Ilorin. Immediately, I headed to the hospital. Getting there, I called my mum who sent someone to pick me up at the hospital entrance to lead me to the private ward where my dad was.  There he was lying in pains. I broke down immediately because I just couldn’t imagine seeing him in that state. This was a man who hardly falls sick. Not once has he ever complained of headache.

    Being the eldest child around at that time, I had to quickly put myself together and be strong for my mum and younger siblings. I called the doctor in charge of his case and he briefed me about his findings. He recommended several tests and ultra- sound scans which we immediately conducted.

    By the evening of that same day, while sitting by the edge of his bed, he opened his eyes, and the first thing he said to me in Hausa was “Aishah, kin zo ne, ai da kin bari. Zan samu lafia In shaa Allah,”  meaning Aishah, you came, you shouldn’t have bothered, I will be fine by Allah’s will.  He then looked up and smiled, while I smiled back too.

    We were at the hospital until July 2, 2014. That morning he called me and he started talking about where he has what, and what I should do with them. I got frightened and insisted that he takes some rest. He insisted on talking, but I called my mum in and we both found a way of making him rest.

    The most intriguing thing about the whole situation was that until he took his last breath, he had hope. He kept repeating it that we shouldn’t worry, he would be fine.

    On the morning of July 3, 2014, my worst fear came. That morning, I sat by his bed side and started reciting various prayers for a sick person from the Quran. By this time, he couldn’t talk again neither was he able to eat anything all day. His eyes were opened which suggested he wasn’t asleep. My mum and younger sister who were also there joined in the prayers.

    It was during the month of Ramadan and we decided to seize the opportunity to intensify prayers for him. By the evening of that day, his condition started deteriorating. We were all scared and we kept praying. The doctors came in and out trying to revive him. And at 6:36pm just as everyone was getting ready to break their fast, he lost the battle, and gave up the ghost!

    Then a pandemonium followed. My dad’s elder sister, her kids and his mum were all present. Everyone started screaming.  My mum broke down immediately, my sister was also down. I was the only one who tried to hold myself up so that I can take care of my mum and my sister.

    While many other families were breaking their fast in comfort, we broke our fast with the drop of tears rolling from our eyes down our lips.

    It was the worst day of my life. I went close to his body, felt his pulse again just to be sure because his eyes were still opened. Nay, he’s gone! We closed his eyes, covered him up and said prayers for the repose of his soul. It was a day I will never forget.

    Here was my father, my best friend, my mentor, my teacher, my strength being taken away forever. I realized I will never have a father again. There will be no one to fill that gap he left behind.  No one can ever replace him in our lives.

    My father was born into the Royal family of Ilorin by the then District Head of Lanwa, Mallam Muhammadu Laufe, son of Shuaibu Bawa the 7th Emir of Ilorin. He was the brother of the 9th Emir of Ilorin Alhaji Sulu Gambari Mohammed. Suleiman Gambari is the great grandson of Mallam Abdul Salam, the first emir of Ilorin who was the son of Sheikh Salihu Moddibo Alfa -Alimi, the founder of the Fulani dynasty of the ancient city of Ilorin.

    Sheihk Alimi was one of the trusted flag bearers and disciples of the great Jihadist and Islamic scholar, Amir Almumunin, Sheikh Usman Danfodio from whom he received a flag of authority and a letter of investitude to establish orthodox Islamic religion and government in Ilorin in 1831.

    Gambari, a renowned journalist, started his early career life with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in Sokoto, in 1969. In 1970, he was transferred to Kaduna and subsequently joined the Nigeria Defence Academy, (NDA) and was attached to the Training branch of the Academy.

    In 1975, he decided to take journalism as a career and he applied and got a job with the New Nigerian Newspapers in 1978 as a reporter. He attended series of journalism professional courses at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Lagos, between 1981 and 1983.

    Since then, he has held various Editorial positions in the New Nigerian Newspapers. First, he was appointed Editorial Representative in Zaria, Kaduna State, he was also a State Editor in Minna, Niger State, Sokoto, Kano and Ilorin between 1984 and 1987.

    He was later posted back to Kaduna where he was appointed the news editor, editor special pages and later daily editor of the New Nigerian Newspapers.

    While in Kaduna, he enrolled into the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, to study part time Law. He graduated in 2002 and was call to Bar before he got a transfer of service from the New Nigerian Newspapers to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) where he retired as the Editor in 2013 to join the Afe Babalola Chambers as a legal practitioner  before his untimely death.

    Dad, as we mark the first year of your demise, I know where ever you maybe, you are resting in peace. I miss your smiles and laughter. You were always happy. I never saw your sad face. You were humble to a fault and carried yourself with such humility which many princes of your caliber never exhibited. Your friends were the downtrodden as you treated them with so much love and was ever willing to give your last plate of food to the needy.

    Your wife misses you a lot. You were the best husband any woman can have. You showed her so much love and care and you were very faithful to her.

    And to us your children, you showed us so much love. You raised us to know nothing but Islam. You raised us to be responsible in life and always responsive to the needs of the less privileged. Thank you so much for all you did in our lives. We shall continue to live to remember all you left us with. How you taught us the Quran, how you taught us how to observe Salat, how you thought us never to give up on anything in life but to hang on to God? Worldly things to you were vanity, all you preached was modesty, the fear of Allah and  care for the less privileged.

    May Allah reward you for all you did for us. May your soul continue to rest in peace. May Al-Jannatul Firdaus be your last resting place.

    And for those who stood by us during those trying times, may God reward you. May you never have any cause to shed tears.

  • My father predicted my present position on his deathbed— NURTW National President Yasin

    My father predicted my present position on his deathbed— NURTW National President Yasin

    Alhaji Nojeem Yasin is the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), a formidable organisation mostly populated by drivers from all parts of the nation.  He understands how the body works. And from his office in Abuja, he oversees it. This has been his life. From being an ordinary member of the association, he became its leader.  He spoke to Paul Ukpabio.This is his story.

     What is life like for the president of an association that has members in every nook and cranny of Nigeria?

    It is not an easy task to head an organization like ours, especially an organisation of this size. But with God, everything is possible. I try my best in all I do. We are repositioning the organization from where we met it. We are having a transformation. We now have peace. Before, we used to read negative news about the NURTW.

    In Lagos, though there has been peace, there is always one problem or another…

    Now, our members have been comporting themselves properly. It is definitely not like how it used to be before when there were usually problems.

    How did you put a stop to the violence that usually accompanied the  leadership changes at the parks?

    It is true that there used to be succession problems within the union, but now we make sure that we carry everybody along in the daily administration. Also whatever any one feels, such person has a right to complain. So there is awareness among members as regards what is due to them and what is expected of them and who is ahead of them in hierarchy.

    What are the challenges that you have been facing as the president of your union?

    There are many challenges because as the leader, every attention is on me. All the members look up to me. They come around and when they do, we make sure that we give them attention and solve their problems. It is God that has been taking care of the problems.

    What is your perception of life?

    I will simply say that I am here because God has destined me to be here. From my early life, it has not been easy. Without God, you cannot be somebody in this life. And when God says you are going to be somebody, nothing can stop it. You will just have to reach that place. It is God that makes things happen. It is God that crowns a leader. Without God, a person cannot be crowned an authentic leader. Also, when you are crowned a leader, you wake up every morning and thank God. That is what I do.

    When I was young, I was close to my parents. I learnt a lot from them. What I learnt from them is what is keeping me going now. But more importantly, as a youth, I received their blessings. I have also learnt in life that one’s background matters a lot in life. If you want to know somebody very well, check the person’s background well.

    Before now, no one wanted or liked his child to go into transport business. Parents would scream at such a child. Everyone knew and believed that such vocation was meant for the bad boys or the unserious ones. So when I wanted to go into the business, my father and mother prayed for me. My father said: ‘Well, if that is what you have decided to do in life, go ahead.  God  will be with you.’  But these days, the young ones do not care for parents’ blessings.

    So how did you start?

    I started as a conductor in old Sokoto State, now known as Zamfara State. From being a conductor, I moved up to become a driver. Years later, I moved into the union where I became the organizing secretary and then the secretary. Later, I became the treasurer. My first vehicle was a small car. I bought it at N600 around 1978. Shortly after, I bought my first bus. It was a Ford bus.  I bought it on hire purchase.  I paid N1, 500 for it. I had to travel all the way from Sokoto to Ikirun to purchase the bus. That was what was obtainable then. With N500, you could get a bus on hire purchase.

    What are your links with Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria?

    My father’s name was Alhaji Usman Akanji Abiola Yasin and my mother was Alhaja Asande Usman Yasin. We are from Offa in Kwara State. I grew up in Zamfara State. I was born there, and I have lived my life in Zamfara State. At present, I am the Makama of Guzau. I am also the National President of the Offa Descendants, home and abroad. I have not forgotten where my parents came from and at the same time, I have not forgotten where I grew up. Today, I have my house and family in Gusau.

    Tell us what is unique about Northern Nigeria?

    The place has always been a peaceful place. It is unique in the sense that everyone goes about his business without hindrance. If one person runs into money, that person takes care of every other person. You sit together and eat together. In the North, people are free with each other. People do not harbour fear that the other person may poison him or her. People eat together freely.

    Do you think your early life influenced you?

    My dad was a quiet gentleman. My mum was the same too. I was told that when I was born, my mother prayed that God should bless me with wisdom She also prayed that God should provide all my needs. That prayer is what is keeping me on today. On my father’s part, he said on his deathbed that, ‘my son, you have been struggling. If you do not get to the top today, you will get there some day.’ He also added that ‘all over the world, you will be recognised in this work that you are doing. God will take you to the top.’ It was a prediction. I have lived to see those prayers come to be. Today, we are all over the world because the union is not only in Nigeria, we are an affiliate of the International Transport Federation with 750 affiliates across the world in 750 countries. We are part of that global body with headquarters in London. We have a regional office in Kenya. I am one of the executive board members, representing Africa. That is the level that the union has reached. It is a very strong international union and I just returned from a global conference in Bulgaria which was attended by all the member nations.

    What is the message that you brought from the conference?

    As usual, it is always a good opportunity to interact with officials of the global union. The opportunity of networking at the level is the chance that it creates for imparting knowledge from one to another and an opportunity to tap creative ideas to bring home to our members.

    Tell us some of the things that your union is doing differently as against what obtained in the past?

    Yes, we have moved up the tempo in assisting the general public and making life easier and better for everyone. Just last week, we had a meeting with the Inspector General of Police where he urged us to assist the police with useful information in their duties. You know, as road transport workers, we are in the public. We work hand in hand with the public. We work for the masses. So our members recognise the fact that we, as a union, have a role to play in the development of our country.

    Also as a union, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with the INEC. According to the memorandum, our union will provide motors for the movement of people and electoral officials across all the states in the country in respect of  the  coming elections. We have directed the states’ union officials to meet with the residential electoral commissioners to work that out. A report will be sent here, so that we can publish the numbers of vehicles that we will be providing for the INEC. It will be our contribution towards the success of the elections.

    The government recently reduced the fuel pump price. Are you happy with the reduction?

    The government needs to do more by bringing the price further down. The recent price reduction is good, but there is need for the price to be reduced further to meet the expectations of my people in the union, so that the people of this country will be able to enjoy.

    The reduction has not brought down the fares. Why?

    As far as we are concerned, there is no impact whatsoever that the reduction has made because, prior to the reduction, prices of things in the market had already escalated. The cost of keeping a bus or haulage vehicle at work had gone up. So there is virtually no impact that the reduction has made. Motor spare parts are imported and as it is today, the naira has been falling. So I can say that the recent reduction in the fuel pump price has not had any impact.

    Are there training programmes in place to develop your members?

    We have a lot of programmes. We organise workshops and seminars so that the members will have a sense of belonging. The leadership organises training for the members, so that they can develop and be better people to themselves and to the general public that they interact with daily.

    In your opinion, do you think the available vehicles for commuters in Nigeria are enough?

    No, the vehicles are definitely not enough for moving the people from one place to another. If you look at the present vehicles that commercially ply our roads, you will find out that it is only the government that can readily buy new vehicles for commercial use. And that is because of the outrageous costs of these new vehicles.  The Tokunbo buses that we are buying are already 10 to 15 years old. You buy that, and a little while, it starts developing problems, breaking down on the road, constituting a nuisance. So the government has to come in to assist the public in terms of mass transit buses or in assisting our members with loans, so that they can be able to purchase new vehicles.

    Recently, the Federal Road Safety Corps  (FRSC) boss announced that road accidents have reduced generally in the country.  Do you think your union contributed in anyway to achieve that?

    Of course, yes. We  contributed because we have been educating our members through workshops and seminars about safety on our roads. We educate them to avoid road accidents and other problems. We educate them to ensure they arrive safely at their destinations. We educate them to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before they put the vehicles on the road.

    What does your day look like?

    I wake up, do morning prayers, do exercise to ensure that I am fit. It is important to note that if you do not do exercise to be fit, you could collapse and die just like that. After that, I leave for the office. What I meet there determines how the rest of the day will be.