Eighty-three years old Pa Olabode Olajide is a former driver of deceased former premiers of the old Western Region in the First Republic, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ladoke Akintola, as well as that of deceased Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi. He also drove other prominent Yoruba leaders like Chief Dauda Adegbenro and Dr. Moses Majekodunmi. But life has been less than kind to him as he is now spending his old age in penury, having been denied his pension for more than six years. The octogenarian shared his life experiences with ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA, as he cries for justice over his stolen pension funds.
What would you say about your background?
First and foremost, I must thank God for my life today because He is with me. That is why I am alive. My name is Olabode Olajide. I was born on December 6, 1932 in Ado Ekiti. In 1942, I started schooling at Emmanuel School, Ado Ekiti, and got my certificate in 1950. My parents were poor, so I could not further my education. So what I had to do was to opt for something that would fetch me an income and sustain me in the future. I opted for driving because if I had to learn tailoring, nobody would buy me a sewing machine. If I had also opted for photography, there would have been nobody to buy me a camera. So, I opted for driving because one only needed 15 shillings to become a qualified driver.
What I mean by this is that you would rent a vehicle for 10 shillings and spend another 5 shillings for learner’s permit. So, I decided on that and became a driver. At the end of my training in driving, I got my licence in 1954 and started work locally. After that, I was with Chief Babatola, the late Olora of Ado Ekiti. He was a school principal and later a politician who became Parliamentary Secretary to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. When he (Babatola) was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the late Awolowo, who was then the Premier of the Wester Region, we both went to Ibadan and I started driving him in Ibadan.
While I was driving him, he suggested that I should join the civil service, which I did later. He suggested that if I became a civil servant, I would be better off than driving him as a private person because of my future. So, in 1960, I joined the civil service even though I had been with him in Ikere while he was the principal of a school. I did not count those among my years in service, which was a mistake on my part. When I joined the service in 1960, I worked in the Governor’s Office. Awolowo was the Leader of Opposition and he had gone to Lagos then. He was in Ibadan throughout because the relationship between Awolowo and Akintola was very cordial.
Awolowo and Akintola were good friends, so I was with him. As a leader of opposition, I was with him, and in December 1961, both Awolowo and Akintola rode in my official car. Akintola’s car was occupied by Akintola’s and Awolowo’s wives when we went to Ijebu Ode to greet some party leaders.
What brand of car was it?
It was a Cardillac. Awolowo and Akintola were in my car while Mrs. Awolowo and Mrs. Akintola were in Chief Akintola’s car, following me. In Ijebu Ode, we greeted Chief Okunnowo, one of the party leaders, who was the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu Ode. And then we went to Ipara to see Chief M.S. Sowole, our ambassador. That was in December 1961. The relationship between Awolowo and Akintola was very cordial. They were friends. There was no problem in the West then; no katakata in the party. It was in 1962 that trouble started in Jos when they fought and things fell apart. I was in the Governor’s Office.
What caused their fight?
It was a leadership tussle. It was not known until they got to the Jos conference in February 1962. They fought in Jos, which nobody among us knew about. But when Awolowo came back, Akintola was expelled from the party and trouble started in the West. I was in the Governor’s Office. Awolowo and Akintola were friends before the crisis.
As the official driver to the late Chief Awolowo, what were the privileges the position conferred on you?
When I was with Chief Awolowo, he was a man of vision, giving us series of advice. He advised us to behave very well, to be punctual and hardworking, and he warned us against stealing. He was a good adviser, a good leader. He led with vision. He led with integrity. He didn’t want lateness. He didn’t want anybody to steal. He wanted peace with everybody and he wanted everybody to enjoy maximum comfort at his duty post. We all enjoyed him to the maximum when he was the Premier.
From all his servants, he didn’t want lateness. His one o’ clock was one o’ clock and his 10 o’ clock was 10 0′ clock. He used to hold series of meetings and he did not travel at night for one day throughout the time I was with him.
Who were the other eminent personalities you worked with in the course of your career in the civil service?
When Chief Awolowo went to the federal level, Akintola became the Premier of the Western Region and I started driving him. And when the crisis occurred, there was a state of emergency and Akintola was asked to quit. They appointed Dauda Adegbenro as the Premier. Adegbenro was expelled too.
Were you the one that drove Adegbenro too?
I drove Adegbenro as the Premier. When Adegbenro left, there was (state of) emergency and M.A. Majekodunmi became the Administrator. I started driving the administrator during the emergency rule. When Majekodunmi was the administrator, (the late General) Murtala Mohammed was his ADC (Aide-de-Camp).
In other words, you were always with Majekodunmi and Murtala Mohammed, his ADC, and you used to ride together in the same car…
Yes. Majekodunmi would sit at the back with Murtala Mohammed while the orderly would sit with me in the front. So we were working together and I was with him when he (Majekodunmi) was the Administrator, and that lasted for six months. At the end of the emergency period, there was another event that occurred when Fadahunsi became the governor. I started driving the governor. I drove all the governors there were at the period. Then there was a military coup in 1966 and everybody went away.
Lest I forget, in 1960 when Ooni Adesoji Aderemi was appointed governor, I was appointed as his driver. I was in charge of all the drivers in the Western Region. I was detailed to be driving all the heads of state and heads of government that visited the Western Region during the period, and that was the job I was doing until the coup. And when the coup took place, everything fell apart. Before the military took over, the Sardauna of Sokoto (Ahmadu Bello) used to come to Ibadan to visit Akintola. I usually went to pick the Sardauna at the airport and take him round Ibadan. He would address the Hausa community at Sabo before heading back to the airport. Likewise (Nnamdi) Azikiwe when he was the Governor General. I drove him round the Western Region. He came to Ado Ekiti, my hometown, to commission a water project. That was in 1962 when he was Governor General. After the civil war, General (Yakubu) Gowon became the Head of State, and whenever he came to the West, I was assigned to drive him. He used the official car I drove to travel around. I drove Gen. Gowon to Kwara State and later to several places in Ibadan. I was in charge of that assignment.
Apart from that, I drove many African heads of state anytime they came to Ibadan. Personalities like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana who came in 1960, I drove him round Ibadan before he left for Ghana. Later, William Tubman of Liberia came, I drove him. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania came. I drove him, Sylvanus Olympio of Togo came, I drove him, and some others. One particular thing I want to say about Julius Nyerere of Tanzania is that he wanted to take me to Dar es Salaam in his country to be driving him there because he admired my style of driving. But I refused because I was serving my country and the confidence reposed in me was great, and because of the special regard I have for my country.
The old Ondo State was created in 1976. I went to Akure. Then I had been promoted to Driver/Mechanic Grade Level 6., so I assisted my Transport Officer in the office, testing and managing drivers and takingh charge of all the affairs of drivers, including promotion, transfer, administration, discipline, among others. I was only two years in Akure when I retired voluntarily in 1977. One company invited me to come and join them as Transport Manager. it was a brewery they wanted to establish. I retired from service to join the company. Unfortunately, the brewery did not take off eventually, so I had to stay at home after 17 years of successful service. I retired on Grade Level 6, Step 3 with a little sum of money.
After your retirement were you in contact with your former bosses? Because at the time you retired, (1977), Awolowo was still alive. Were you in contact with him and other people you served?
When I retired voluntarily, I got an appointment with one insurance company. When the insurance company did not function very well, I left the place. In fact, when I was leaving, I didn’t bother to see anybody because they were paying little pension. But when suddenly my pension stopped in August 2010 and the Federal Government had not paid me a kobo, because it was the Federal Government that was paying my pension. In Ekiti State, they are paying me N500 monthly as pension. Since then, I have been suffering. If you see my house now, I have no means of plastering it. The interior is not attractive; no good chairs. My electricity was disconnected. There is no water in my house. I have been suffering; no well, no pipe borne water in my premises. So I have been suffering since 2010 when my money was cut off. I am appealing to the Federal Government to look into my case.
All the things I have said about myself and the government of Western Region are facts. People who are still alive will know that all what I have said are correct. Nobody tells lies to the press because all these things happen in my presence. I want the Federal Government to look into my case and pay my money and see that I am properly taken care of. I have done a good job and this has earned me awards in my state because i have done excellently well. Otherwise, this couldn’t have happened. Nobody applies for award,.
The condition of my house is terrible. My place of abode is bushy. My house is not up to standard. It is not yet completed. I am just managing, I want well-meaning Nigerians to look into my case and rescue me from this hardship. I have not been enjoying for the past six years. I will be grateful if the Federal Government looks into my matter to rescue me from this hardship and poverty.
On leaving the service, did you receive your gratuity?
I received a little gratuity. By then, it was a little amount of money.
Was it from the old Ondo State?
Yes, from the old Ondo State, because I retired in Akure in 1977 voluntarily. Most importantly, when Ondo State was created in 1976, I came to Ado Ekiti to stay. I was at home in 1999 when the first Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo called me for an interview and I was interviewed. Later in the year, he gave me an award for excellent service. I don’t know what I have done to deserve that award, but I know I did well in service. I was the only state awardee for that year. That was in December 1999 as the Worker of the Millennium in Ekiti.
Was anything attached to the award?
They gave me a clock. They gave me honour and people prayed for me.
No cash was attached to it?
No cash was attached to it. That gift was a clock which was presented to me by Adebayo’s wife, and the plaque is still here with me. They thanked me and I went home on that day. Again, when Governor Fayemi came into office, they called me again to give me an award of excellent service from the Ekiti State Government. They presented us with plasma TV and a cash of N30,000. Since then, I have been suffering.
That takes me to the next question. How has life been in retirement?
My life in retirement, especially since 2010, has been very woeful and horrible. It is not encouraging. I am suffering in silence. I cannot take three square meals at home because my little pension is not paid, and it has been for some six years now. I could not train my children to the level I desired for them. Some of my children cannot further their education beyond the level they are now. So, I need assistance because I don’t know what to do. That’s why I am calling on well-meaning Nigerians to look into my case.
I served this country diligently, conscientiously, happily and joyfully, and when I retired I am supposed to enjoy the fruits of my labour. The motto of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) is “Rest is Sweet After Labour”, but the reverse s my own case. Since 2010 when my money has been seized, there has been nobody to help me. I worked with people of integrity, so I don’t deserve to suffer after my retirement.
Those in charge of pension payment, what would you say to them?
They are people who are not responsible. The funds were voted for, according to government rules and regulations. Some of my people are being paid regularly but I don’t know why many of us, including myself, they seized our money and our names has not appeared on the payroll since August 2010. My last pay was August 2010. Some irresponsible officers at the federal level did not pay us. People like Abdulrasheed Maina, he took our monies.
So you were among the retirees that were affected by Maina’s alleged scam?
Yes, I want this to appear on your record that Ekiti State Chairman of Pensioners and his deputy went to Abuja several times for my own case. Elder Ikumapayi, the chairman, and Omotoso, the deputy chairman and the late secretary went to Abuja several times over the issue. He wrote letter to Maina personally but Maina was the person behind the whole thing. He was the one who held on to our pension money.
One of the cardinal policies of President Muhammadu Buhari is to fight corruption. What do you want his administration to do over the money of pensioners hanging somewhere?
I must congratulate the President for his anti-corruption crusade. That is very good for our country and its image in the international community. Eradicating bribery and corruption will help move this country forward because all the money we have is being siphoned by some bad people in government. I congratulate Buhari. He is doing a great job and I wish him the very best in his endeavours.
So you want him to bring all those indicted in pensioners money scam to justice?
Yes, I want him to bring them to justice, all those who have stolen our money. A criminal should not escape justice. if you steal, you must be penalized. Those criminals must be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Even when some of the suspected pension thieves have run away from the country?
The Nigerian government must search for them. The International Police (INTERPOL) must look for them, bring them back to the country to face justice and recover the money from them. They are offenders and they must be punished for the offence they have committed. The gravity of the offence must be brought to bear on them and the money stolen must be recovered from them. The offenders must not escape justice. A criminal must be punished according to the law.
You are lucky to be alive because many of your colleagues had died. How do you take care of yourself when your monthly benefits are not being paid?
I thank my wife and my children who have not been paid for years and for months. I thank some of my friends. I thank my church. My church leaders have been helping me. My pastors and friends in Christ, ladies in the church have been helping. I thank God for my life because I believe that if you trust in Jesus, you will not suffer. I thank God for my life.
The experience you senior citizens are having is demoralising for the younger generation. Don’t you think this is responsible for government officials and civil servants stealing money because of the belief that after leaving service, nobody will take care of them?
Let us thank God for the job President Buhari has laid his hands upon to eradicate corruption. If bribery and corruption are eradicated in this country, things will augur well. if there is no stealing and people don’t loot the treasury, things will be alright and those that are coming will enjoy. Those that are stealing are making things difficult for us in this country. If they don’t steal and they are honest in government, I am sure we are going to have a better government by the special grace of God.
