•Obanikoro
After his stint as Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana, many continue to ask what has become of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. Senior Correspondent, Hazeez Balogun, met with the politician at his Ikoyi residence, where he spoke about some hitherto unknown aspects of his life.
The question on everybody’s lips is, what is Senator Obanikoro doing at the moment?
Prior to my engagement as an ambassador, I had a lot of things doing and among them was a trucking business. Also, I have a small farm which I tend. I am also into real estate. There are also many things we do here and there. Basically those are the three things I have been concentrating on and doing for a living.
You practised banking for a while before going to the university abroad. What was the experience like?
When I finished secondary school, I worked briefly at the Lagos State Health Management Board as a clerical officer. It was after that I worked with Union Bank at Broad Street before I travelled oversees. Children of nowadays are lucky; they have their parents doing everything for them; they see them through higher education. In our days, we did not have that luxury. We needed to work to support our parents and ourselves. It was such jobs I did after high school that allowed me to proceed for study in the U.S. Working in the bank then, it was quite easy for us to get a student visa. Out of those of us that worked at 131, Broad Street of the bank then, 90 per cent went to the U.S. to study with F1 Visa which was a student’s visa. We took our time, did our TOEFL and paid one year school fees from here before we could get admission.
With your background in banking, why did you not study banking in school?
To be honest, my thought at that time was to study finance or something that has to do with banking. Unfortunately, my mathematics was very weak; so I could not study such a course. I got the admission all right, but I had to study in the social sciences. At the end of the day, I studied public affairs with concentration in criminal justice.
You were also a social worker in the United States before coming back home
Yes. That was while I was doing my bachelor’s degree. I did my internship at the Houston Adult Probation Department in 1982. As a young man from Nigeria, I left with the impression that I was going to a paradise – a country where everything is perfect. During my internship, I realised that we do have common challenges – I mean Nigeria and the United States. The most important thing is to brace up and overcome those challenges. There is nothing abnormal with the mistakes we have made as a society or as a people. The downside is our inability to overcome those challenges. As a young man, I saw all those things. I saw many things Americans too were facing. My responsibility then was to tend to those on probation and make sure that they were meeting the terms of their probation. If anyone violated the terms of the probation, he or she may be sent back to jail. We also did pre-sentence investigations too. For example, if someone was to receive a sentence for a crime, we checked the background of such a person to see if sending him to jail would be more harmful to the society or beneficial to it. We looked at the family background to know, for instance, if the person is the breadwinner of his family. If so, will the family be at a disadvantage if he is thrown in jail, or will the society suffer more if he is left free?
Now back home in Nigeria; there was a wide range of things you could have done, but you decided to go into politics. Why?
While I was in the U.S., I was fascinated by people like Martin Luther King and John Kennedy and the roles they played and their sacrifices which in turn made America what it is today. Also here in Nigeria, I was more interested in people like the late Obafemi Awolowo. I mean there is no way you will go to Ibadan and look at the Cocoa House, Liberty Stadium, and the first television and radio stations in Africa and you will not be amazed that all these are legacies of one man. Also look at the time that these things were achieved; you will be left with no doubt about the amount of dedication and commitment put into them. I saw in Awolowo what should be our focus if Nigeria is to be a successful country. So, when I got back to Nigeria, it was very easy for me to make the decision to go into politics. In fact, I came back just for that sole reason. When I was in New York as a social worker, – that was when General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) decided to announce the transition programme. I came back to be part of that and as they say, the rest is history.
Your first major political office was being the chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area, as a green horn in politics. How was the experience?
First, when we got into the council, the thing that first caught my attention was the way the staff were paid. On my first day, I saw a queue of people at the council. I asked what was going on, and I was told that they were queuing to collect their salary. I was surprised, saying we can’t have that. So, I opened an account for every staff of the council, and it worked. Before then, the issue of ghost workers was a big problem. So the opening of a salary account for everyone erased that because there is no way you can open an account for a worker that does not exist. Also, I created more area offices. When I got there, I met just three area offices and I increased the number to five. We created one in Epetedo and one in Popo Aguda. The essence of that was to bring government closer to the people. People were accustomed to coming to the headquarters for everything. That was not fair, I thought, and concluded that we could take things down to their localities instead of them coming to down to the headquarters every time. I can also recall that I was the first sitting chairman to visit all the primary schools in the local government. We were stunned with the revelations we got while doing that. We saw some schools where students sat on the floor to receive lessons. We saw classrooms without teaching aids. I was taken aback by all these. Before we left office, we made sure we provided benches and teaching aids for teachers. We were also giving bursaries of N10,000 to 5,000 students. It is on record that we are the first local government in Nigeria to pay JSS3 WAEC fees for students in the entire local government. We raised the revenue generation from about N6 million a month to over N20 million a month.
Many believe that the Senate today has lost credibility and that it is merely kowtowing to the President’s wishes. As a former senator, what’s your view on this?
Given the parameters with which it works, I think the Senate is doing its best. You have to understand a system for you to appreciate what is there. Having served in that place, I know that they have a lot of challenges. You may disagree on the speed at which these challenges are addressed and overcome, but the fact still remains that the challenges are there and they trying to address them. I believe that there is need for the National Assembly to have its own budget office. It should not rely on the amount it gets from the Federal Government. It should have an independent data that will help it with its oversight functions and also enrich the budgetary process.
It seems you are also interested in international politics as it can be recalled that you once advised the Federal Government to use force on the military junta in Togo if democracy was not returned.
Yes; there was a problem then in Togo when their president died. It is unfortunate in this part of the world. The military in Togo then did not realise that the time for military rule was over. We needed to put that threat on the table in order for them to get the message. That was why we let them know that if they try to take over a legitimate civilian administration, we are not going to be on their side.
You set up a fund called Obanikoro Priority Projects (OPP) which many benefitted from. What was the idea behind it?
We are lacking in so many things in this country. Also, to whom much is given, much is expected. I am grateful that I have benefitted from this country and I cannot say that because I have benefitted, I will now deprive others of the same opportunity. That is why we set up the OPP so that we can lend a helping hand to those disadvantaged so that they can also fulfill their purpose in life. We also distributed books to libraries. Don’t forget that the reading culture of Nigerians has gone down. In order to boost this culture, we got some books from overseas, and we gave them all out to schools and libraries free. That way, students can have access to books.
You were asking for a state of emergency to be declared in Lagos because of the decay in infrastructure. What was that about?
I did not say that they should put Lagos under emergency rule. I said we should declare a state of emergency in those sectors of our lives. I am talking about decaying infrastructure, flood and education in Lagos so that maximum attention can be given to those areas.
Do you think Lagos can be better run?
Let me tell you, the Lagos we grew in was the Lagos that was providing bursary awards to indigent students to educate themselves. The best investment on someone is education. The government of Lateef Jakande invested heavily in that area. Today, that commitment is not there. Those are the kind of things I want us to go back to.
Tell us about your time as Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana
It was fun. I was not sent there to go and enjoy myself. I was sent to represent Nigeria and I tried my best. What was missing and what the system needs to recognise is that we have to have a focus in terms of our international diplomacy and it must be result oriented. The way we are doing it now is like Father Christmas. We just dole out money without getting anything in return. That era should be over; any time we put money where our mouth is, we should get a corresponding return from that venture. So, we need to work on that.
Your son was finally declared winner of an election and that makes him the chairman of the same local government you served. You must be proud of him.
Yes I am. That was not planned; but man proposes, God disposes. You must thank the judiciary for being courageous to stand by the side of the truth. It is not a common thing in Nigeria, but if you look at the facts, they are overwhelming. An election was held and somebody won, and the people who are the biggest beneficiary of June 12 tried to annul the election. Look at the irony of life. The same people who benefitted and claimed to grumble at the annulment of the late M.K.O. Abiola’s election are now the ones trying to annul a credible election. The so-called activists all kept quiet. You cannot have selective activism. If you want to stand for justice, you stand for justice in all ramifications. It is not when it suits you that you start shouting injustice. Unfortunately, we have lost a man like Gani Fawehinmi. That was the only man who stood by the truth at all times. Even if you were his friend and you are on the wrong side, he would not stand by you. The people we have now are just businessmen doing whatever is convenient for them at any convenient time.
Any regrets in life?
Not really. I think God has been kind and faithful. There is no how in life you will not have your ups and downs. Overall, if I look at where I am coming from in life and where I am today, I give thanks to God.
Some will say since you came from a rich background, you did not face any struggle
My brother, I struggled. What are you talking about? I will tell you some situations that will let you know where I am coming from. I did not have it easy. I lost my dad when I was 16 and my mum had to take over my life from there. Luckily I had an uncle who paid my school fees. My mum was selling pepper; so, she could not afford to pay my school fees. I had to do some labour work when I was in Form Two. I would go to a factory and help them to pack stationery. I also sold newspapers in Agege as a vendor. I woke up early in the morning, go and get newspapers and hit the streets to sell to make some money. It was after my secondary school, that I got a good job; and later, I left for America that things started changing. Even while in the U.S., I had to work because the money I took with me was not going to last forever. I worked as a cleaner, doing housekeeping job. There was a time I was doing two jobs. It was hell. So, it will be unfair to myself and my observers and supporters who knew how it all began if I say it was all rosy.
How did you meet your wife?
It was a coincidence. I went to a birthday party of a friend of ours and she walk in. I looked at her and said ‘wow’, look at this pretty girl; I can’t allow this one to go, I started talking to her, and asked about her name. She gave me a false name. After she left, I started making enquires about her from some of her friends I also knew. I asked where she lived, but they said they didn’t know. I was later told her real name and home. From there we became friends and one thing led to another, and we got married at the end.
How does a busy man like Obanikoro relax?
I am not an outdoor person. People look at me and say I am a socialite. I am not. When you see me at an event, know that the people organising the event are very special to me. I spend a lot of time at the gym. I am an exercise freak. I like to read biographies of people. I have a lot of books. Also, I try to uncover the magic behind the achievements of people who have done exceedingly well in public offices. This is because our tendencies tally with our history.
Can you rate the Federal Government of the day?
The President himself admitted that he is deliberately slow in order not to make mistakes. He is slow but steady. If you look at the system now, you will see that things are picking up. In terms of electricity, things are looking up, and he has said this year, we should expect better service. I understand that Nigerians are very impatient and rightfully so, based on the pains that we have gone through over the years. I believe that the President is a man who has his eyes on history, and cannot afford to fail.
Are you still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
Fully. I am very much still a PDP member
What are your plans for 2015?
Man proposes, God disposes. You will see when the time comes. Don’t be in a hurry. This is still 2013. We pray to God to keep us till then. But I must tell you that I will be an active participant when the time comes. In what ways will I be participating, that you will have to wait and see. God should grant us good health.
What will you say contributes to the fact that the PDP is not popular in the South West?
Who says that? We have just had an election here in Lagos and we won in some areas despite the manipulations. Can you honestly tell me that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is popular among the Lagos populace? You know this. Is it among the parents who have to pay three times the school fees they used to pay? Or, is it the Okada riders, or the businessmen who have been taxed out of existence? Who is happy with them, tell me?
In the future, do you see yourself running for the presidency?
Why not? In good time when I see that the time is ripe and I see that I have what it takes to run, why not? What I mean by what it takes is, the right age and financial resources.