Interviews
Why I don’t fly first class – Adeolu Akande
A POLITICAL SCIENTIST, Professor Adeolu Akande, is one of the leading governorship aspirants in Oyo APC . In this interview with our reporter reveals his background and other things many didn’t know about him.
Background
I was born in Idi-Arere, Ibadan on Jully 3, 1965. My parents moved to Lagos in 1970 where I started my primary education in Fadeyi, then at Ansar ud Deen Primary School, Itire but I was soon back in Oyo State when I was enrolled at Anwar ul Islam High School, Iseyin in 1976.From there, I went to Oyo State College of Arts and Science, Ile Ife before coming to the University of Ibadan where I did my Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees in Political Science.
Can you recall particular school experiences that you cannot forget?
Of course, I can. I remember an experience in form four. I lived with my uncle and guardian who shared same building with some corpers. One weekend when my uncle had travelled, the corpers organised a party and sent me to the girls’ hostel to invite some girls. I think I was 14 years old then and because of my small stature, I had unfettered access to the girls’ hostel.
The girls attended the party but somehow the principal got to know. Mr Babajide Disu of blessed memory was our principal and also English Literature teacher. In the Literature class on Monday, he asked a question and I raised my hand to answer. Then, he called out the name “Baba Eto”. No one bore that name in the class so everyone was at a loss. Then he said, “Adeolu Baba Eto. Are you not the one organising girls for the corpers”. From that day, Baba Eto became my nickname in the school. Mr Disu was a disciplinarian. The corpers were reprimanded, the girls were withdrawn from the hostel and I received very strong six strokes of the cane on the torso as my punishment.
Why are you showing interest in partisan politics?
When I had my first political appointment in 2001, my conviction was that technocrats could stay at the backside and work with politicians to provide best services for the people drawing from the experience and knowledge of best practices around the world. But I found out that such technocrats are disadvantaged because you could only play advisory role.
Besides, they are in such minority that their ideas about good governance are easily drown in the cacophony of political discussions. Finally, I believe anyone who believes our society could be better governed should descend into the arena and be part of the process. If we keep saying politics is a dirty game and we stand aloof, the murky water of politics will eventually drench us in whichever safe corner we think we are hiding. We all owe it a duty to our society to be part of efforts to make it better.
What in your view are the most pressing problems of Oyo State?
The first is generating money to run the government. The second is addressing the problem of youth unemployment that is a time bomb. You see able bodied men in every corner of the street idling away from morning till evening. The society owes these youths a responsibility for gainful employment.
We need to bring in skill acquisition and vocational training into the education system. The National Conference on Curriculum envisaged this crisis as far back as 1969 when it recommended skill acquisition and vocational training as the bulwark to future youth unemployment. The dismissal of this recommendation has resulted in the time tomb of youth unemployment. We need to train our youths in entrepreneurship so that we can promote small and medium scale enterprises which employs about 65 percent of labour force in developed economies. We need a vibrant entrepreneurship support programme to encourage and support youths with business ideas. We need to confront the problem of youth unemployment from so many fronts if it will not consume us.
Your CV shows many job changes, why?
Most of the job changes were evidence of the hazard of journalism. I joined The Punch Newspapers as Regional Editor for the South West in February, 1993 but by June, the June 12 crisis started. In 1994, the government of General Sani Abacha shut down and eventually proscribed Punch newspapers. I went back to Nigerian Tribune and by February 1997, four of us that were dubbed “NADECO Reporters” were sacked. The four of us went ahead to set up a pro-democracy magazine, Omega Weekly, with finances from people like Chief Bola Ige and Chief Olu Onagoruwa. The military government came after us and we operated the newspaper underground for two years until we could no longer cope. Our leader, Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji went back to become Editor and eventually the Managing Director/Editor in Chief of Nigerian Tribune. Bode Opeseitan, who was Executive Editor at Omega Weekly went back to become Editor of Saturday Tribune while the Managing Editor, Wale Adebanwi who is now first African Rhodes Professor in Race Relations in the University of Oxford and myself took up teaching appointments in the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan.
Can you recall some of your classmates from primary through the university level?
I lost contact with most of my primary school mates most probably because my family moved away from Itire a long time ago, I think in 1983 even though my relocation to Iseyin for secondary education explains that loss of contact more. My secondary school mates include Alhaji Ahmed Raji (SAN), Chief Biodun Owonikoko (SAN), Alhaji Wasiu Oladimeji, the present Commissioner for Works in Oyo State and Professor Taofik Azeez of the Department of English Studies, University of Abuja. At the University of Ibadan, my undergraduate mates include Sen. Teslim Folarin, former Senate Leader of the Federal Republic and Mr Olu Daramola SAN. At the post graduate level, my mates included Professor Wale Olaitan, former Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye and Professor Said Adejumobi, of the Economic Commission for Africa.
Why I don’t fly first class or Business Class
I used to covet flying first class or business class until I met Mr Tulsi Chanrai, the Indian billionaire promoter of Tulsi Chanrai Foundation. He said he flies economy because what he saves flying economy on a 10-hour flight enables him provide eye glasses for at least 1000 people through the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation. I found it instructive that the sacrifice of comfort for only 10 hours could provide a lifeline for a whopping 1,000 people. I felt I should copy this in my own little way.
What Adeolu Akande Foundation does
I think it is safe to assume that no one can grow up in our society without doing some form of philanthropy. In our individual capacities, we have to assist people around us. I am also a beneficiary of such philanthropy by others. The Adeolu Akande Foundation is only a formalisation of what one has been doing over the years. The focal points are youth development and empowerment through which we give assistance to keep children and youths in school or in learning some vocation, assistance in getting job placement, training for gainful economic engagement and mentoring for business. The second focal point is provision of free health services which we take all over Oyo State. Finally, we offer financial assistance to traders and artisans.
What is your attitude to religion?
I am at home with people of different religious backgrounds. I went to a Muslim primary school, Ansar ud deen Primary School, Itire, Lagos and a Muslim secondary school, Anwar ul Islam High School, Iseyin. The best man at my wedding who remains one of my closest friends is a Muslim from Ilorin, Kwara State and like many Yoruba families, I have relatives who are muslims.
What is your take on the restructuring debate?
If you follow the debate closely, you will conclude that no part of Nigeria is happy with the terms on which Nigeria operates now. Yet, there is no doubt that Nigeria is stronger as one entity. The whole idea of restructuring is that we need to sit down, discuss and agree on the terms on which to operate Nigeria as a country. I support the clamour for restructuring. The present system where 28 state governments cannot pay workers’ salaries is not sustainable. We need to collectively look at it, grant more powers and resources to the states and agree on terms that promote justice, equity and fairness in our national life.
Ife Grand Resort & Leisure, one of the best hospitality-care centers in Africa, located on an expansive hilltop, adjacent to the Ife-Ibadan Expressway at about 4 km from the heart of the ancient and culturally important city of Ile-Ife, in Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, is the right place to be not only for tourists, fun-seekers, holidaymakers, travellers; but also for government institutions and individuals seeking exciting and memorable experience.
Reuben Abib, the General Manager, of Ife Grand Resort & Leisure, in a chat with Idowu Ayodele, reveals the intrinsic values that set the hospitality center apart from others.
Excerpts:
Why is Ife Grand Resort & Leisure described as the people’s palace?
It is, indeed; the people’s palace! You know not everyone can enter the Enuwa palace of the Ooni of Ife, but Ife Grand Resort & Leisure is the extension of that same palace. Here, at the People’s Palace, everyone can feel and be treated like royalty. We set up on over 328 acres of land, over a hundred rooms with chalets of different categories.
We actually have tree houses as well, very interestingly, they are all air-conditioned, we have Eclipse nightclub, a zoo, African Village, which hosts a Bamboo Restaurant and a local kitchen where guests can visit to witness how local food menus are prepared and served to them in local pots, the Adire Oodua Textile Hub where they make traditional adire clothes (tie-and-dye).
The resort also houses a 200-capacity cinema hall nearing completion and would be commissioned soon, an event centre, a conference hall, an indoor spa centre for manicures and pedicures, swimming pools, restaurants and bar, barbecue, where you can get your catfish, bush meat, palm wine among other facilities. Honestly, there is so much to do here, this is a place to be.
Considering the huge staff strength, both permanent and casual workers, how have you been able to manage and coordinate them for optimal productivity?
We are very much like a family here. So, I see myself like a father figure to all my staff, even a father figure to my customers. We may not always agree on some issues, but the fact is that if you realise you have a relationship that you want it to be extended beyond this present moment, then you have to manage yourself to protect such relationships. There is one Yoruba proverb I owe dearly to my heart is that when a child knows how to wash his hands well, he eats with the elders.
Interestingly, it is something the Yoruba culture has taught me which is the way we treat each other, the respect we give each other, we love each other so much that we bow to each other, in simple greetings, you must adopt humility to succeed. The secret I am trying to bring to the table is that you must love your children even if you must discipline them, binding it together, I think things are working fine here with us.
I am able to manage a diverse group of individuals with unique talents, skills, and abilities.
There are many resorts and hotels in Nigeria, what exactly sets Ife Grand Resort & Leisure apart from others?
We are the source, the cradle of the Yoruba race. The resort itself exemplifies everything that is housed within the Yoruba culture. One of our unique advantages is the pristine rain forest which is just a three-minute walk, and a tropical utopia for leisure seekers and discerning guests who cherish tranquility and communion with nature amid personalised hospitality services.
We are surrounded by nature , both flora and fauna.
We have more than enough facilities, stable security and fantastic personnel that will make your visit to this destination an exciting and memorable experience. In addition to everything you can do here, we are just a few minutes away from the 401 historical and religious sites in Ile Ife, so if you want to see culture first hand, this is the best place to be. There is so much to do here, so much to learn, there is no way even once in a lifetime you can take everything away. We are just a few weeks to Olojo festival, literally there is always a festival in Ile-Ife.
If you really want to get in touch with yourself and your culture, Ile-Ife is the only place to do that, this is the source.
How affordable is Ife Grand Resort & Leisure?
We are the most affordable four-star resort in Nigeria, I can assure you of that. This is the people’s palace, we want it accessible and affordable for all, the reason we deliberately splashed the prices by half. Can you imagine a standard room for N10,000 in a four-star resort?
Having spent some quality and eventful years in Africa, particularly Southwest Nigeria, how would you describe the Yoruba culture?
I am an African American. Growing up in Canada and the US, they will be telling us that our culture is dead. In 2017, when I met the Ooni of Ife and I saw living culture, I saw the culture of the Emeses, the culture of the cult, I saw the culture of the Yoruba people, prostrating before this amazing King, and I was touched to the soul. I am actually a born orphan, and one thing about orphans is that not only that people adopt us, we also adopt people. I must say that I have adopted Yoruba because it resonates with me – the history, the culture, proverbs, and wisdom of the Yoruba people, is something that I feel it is within my soul and it is wonderful.
Likewise, I spent 11 years in the Gambian and I already spent over 5 years in Nigeria, I can always see that for we the repatriated Africans, it is actually easy to find our home here and this is very welcoming. Thank you for sharing your culture with me.
Alhaji Muritadha Adeyemi Adeniji is a leading player in the Cocoa and cashew business in Nigeria. Therefore his insight into the challenges and prospects of the agro-industrial sector cannot be faulted. His company, Starlink Global & Ideal Limited, provides a wide spectrum of marketing and financial services for the procurement and export of Agricultural Produce and Commodities to both local and international markets.
SGI agricultural produce also includes raw cocoa beans, raw cashew nuts, shea nuts, and natural sesame seeds. SGI today has grown tremendously and is well represented in all cocoa-producing zones of Nigeria.
In this interview with online news editors, he bares his mind, among other issues, on the status of cocoa production in Nigeria, even as he expressed his fear about the future of the crop. Excepts
Sir, Nigerians are concerned about the dwindling production of cocoa in Nigeria, because the crop used to be a major contributor to the economic development of the country most especially in the western region in the 60, and 70s. Do you share their fear?
I appreciate your concern about the future of Cocoa in Nigeria. Unfortunately, we used to be number 2 between the period 1968 and 1975. Up to 1992, Nigeria still struggled to be between number 3 and 4 but we are now number 7. Ivory Coast as of 2013, the country was producing 1,000,000 tonnes. Today, Ivory Coast produces 2000400 tonnes. They have doubled their production and have even added more within that period. Looking at the same time, Ghana used to produce 750000 tonnes but they are now producing 950000 tonnes. Cameroon used to produce 350000 tonnes they are still on the 350000 tonnes. Indonesia used to produce 450000 tonnes, they are now producing 280000 tonnes.
They have had a reduction in their production. Nigeria used to produce 250000 tonnes, they are now on 300000 tonnes. Brazil produces 320000 tonnes. All other countries of the world produce the rest of the tonnes.
The total need for Cocoa in the world is 4million tonnes in a year. 75% of the production is done by Ivory Coast and Ghana, which is why they went into a collaboration to ask for Liquid Income Preferential from the chocolate makers. I am the first Nigerian and African to be a member of the Federation of Cocoa and Commerce (FCC), which is responsible for regulating the Cocoa economy in the world. This gives me insight into the problems and solutions to Cocoa production.
When we talk about Nigeria, it’s not only about Cocoa but the quality of leadership has been the problem. When we have leaders that only think about 4 or 8 years in office and do not have a long term plan. This is criminal and injustice to the people they are leading. We must have a well structured country, that has immediate, short and long-term plans. Developed countries of the world have all these plans with strong institutions that Nigeria is lacking.
Unfortunately, corruption has killed almost everything in Nigeria. I don’t like politics and I won’t be one of them. Take a look at the time of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was an Ijebu man, what was Cocoa production like in Ijebu then? He institutionalized Cocoa production across the Southwest. He had a big Cocoa farm, not for himself but for the country in the present-day Edo State. Things need to change. The law of diminishing return is taking effect on the Cocoa trees as some are now 100 years while some are 75 years. If they are cut down how many years would it take for us to have the new ones? What incentives are being given to the youths as motivation to engage in farming?
What have they been doing in Ivory Coast that Nigerian government has not been doing?
In Ivory Coast, the government allocates 2.5 hectares of land to the youth to engage in farm production. Nigeria’s government needs to create a medium for large farm sites and put necessary social infrastructures to make life bearable for the people. West Africa produces almost 75% of Cocoa in the world, all other countries cannot. We are blessed in this part of the world. For instance, in Indonesia, natural disasters destroy the farms. The government should start to have long-term plans. This is one of the reasons we are faced with the challenge of insecurity such as banditry, kidnapping, and others. We need to face the reality of how to navigate the perennial problems. Unemployment is directly proportional to poverty, banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
So how can we get it right?
For Nigeria to get it right in Cocoa production, the government needs to remove what is known as Land Use Act. The people should be allowed to have access to land. This is one of the major problems of agriculture in Nigeria. Physical planning is very key. We are very lucky, Nigeria has the largest arable land in the whole of Africa. You can see the incursion of foreigners into the country, Chinese, Indians, and others are buying lands in large quantities and they are collecting documents from the government, we need to be careful about that. We are talking about colonization, what is going to happen would be worse than colonization. We should learn from the apartheid in South Africa and Palestine because the major cause of what is happening in Palestine, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is land. This is also evident in Kaduna and Jos.
No government agency or parastatal in Nigeria is working, corruption has destroyed all of them. We are not investing in technologies that will improve our agricultural system. We need huge investment in technologies in our institutes for us to have alternatives. The kind our fertilizers we use on our farms are the ones killing our soil.
The government should create an enabling environment supported by reasonable laws that wouldn’t be broken. So many people are interested in agriculture but they are being discouraged by the lack of enabling environment.
I want to call on the government to have a well-structured system, long term plans and be proactive in the needs of the citizens, especially the youths. We don’t have accurate data in Nigeria, we only have estimates.
The Nigerian government has been talking about diversification of the economy, especially in agro-industrial sector, in your own opinion do you think they are walking the talk?
As a stakeholder, I have constructively criticized the government to challenge them on the necessary things to be done. Nigeria is retrogressing at a fast pace, something needs to be done. The chocolate factory needs 24 hours electricity, are we having this in Nigeria? A factory cannot be successfully run in an unpredictable place like Nigeria. Look at the price of diesel which used to be N350 which is now N800. So many companies are folding up in Nigeria not because they are fraudulent, it is because they operate in a very harsh economic environment.
How did you get into this business?
I was a biochemistry lecturer at the University for 11 months. Religion discrimination and politics in the institution made me leave lecturing job. There was a terrible gang-up as I was the only Muslim, I didn’t see myself developing quickly in such an environment. When I left, I secured another job in Union Trust before the death of my Managing Director which made me leave there after 11 months.
I never wanted to do this business because I have experienced different things in this business. I had so many crises in the Cocoa business. Although, it is my father’s business. Hunger and desperation forced me to stay in the Cocoa business.
How long did it take you to build Starlink Global & Ideal Limited?
We started in 1999. Today, we are the largest exporter of Cocoa, Cashew, and palm oil in Nigeria. In the last 10 years, the growth has been wonderful. We are now into processing, we have just bought the largest and multi-million processing plant in Nigeria.
At SGI, we have 452 direct workers and about 900 appendages. We see the human being as the most important asset. We have warehouses in about 16 states. I motivate my staff for maximum production with sustainable empowerment. Most of them are now self-independent
Chief Mutalubi Adebayo Ojo read Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, he later proceeded to the University of Ibadan to study Law. He equally served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under late Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.
Last Tuesday, he appeared on Ayekooto On Radio, a magazine programme anchored by Olayinka Agboola live on a private radio station in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State. Read some of his submissions:
On one of your Social Media profile pages, you wrote that laws must be used as tools of social engineering, for economic development and poverty eradication. Why did you think along this line sir?
Lawyers are called legal luminaries all over the world especially in a democracy to lighten paths and ways of their fellow citizens so that they can see through and will not fall or slip from their ways. Law is an object to develop the country and engineer development and tackle poverty.
Today, as we are speaking, do you consider yourself to be a full fledge politician?
I must not pretend about that. I am a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I formally joined the party very recently during the revalidation exercise. When I was in government under our late leader, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, I was not a card-carrying member of the party.
What was it like when you were the Chief Lawmaker in Oyo State?
It was all about service to humanity, contributing your quotas to your community, state and society at large. All of us cannot be satisfied to remain in our comfort zones because if it is something we are going to eat together with our family and how to educate our children, we do not have such problems. Let us think of others who are less privileged and who do not have the same opportunity like us. In life there are basic amenities of life such as food, shelter and education and health. Let us strive to make life more meaningful to people, I believe that any aspiration to be in government and public service should be geared towards service. As a commissioner, I served to the best of my ability.
States are at war with Government on the issue of the Value Added Tax collection (VAT). What is your opinion?
I have a very different view and I have expressed it at different fora before. Value Added Tax (VAT) is not listed specifically in the exclusive list. We have already had in place a VAT act – since the era of the military. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has been collecting it from individuals, company without any level of protest from any level of government. It will be wrong for any state now to enact another VAT law like Lagos and Rivers have done. We already have a federal act which has covered the field and that will be inconsistent with any law that is happening now.
During the second republic, we had a similar case between Attorney General of Ogun State and Aberuaba which was litigated up to the Supreme court that it was stated that Ogun State could not enact sales tax.
Also, during Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State, there was this law that was enacted by Lagos state government on hospitality and consumption tax. It happened that Eko Hotel took the state government to court that they could not be paying the same tax when they were already paying same to the federal government and they won the case.
Now, as a lawyer and politician, you know the way things are in Nigeria today – insecurity and economic woes, where did we get it wrong?
Leadership is the major problem facing Nigeria. Our current president, Muhammadu Buhari has failed and has disappointed many people. He has failed woefully and the party, APC has lost its goodwill that brought it to power in 2015.
But some observers said Jugdes/Lawyers, Policemen and Journalists are mainly responsible for the situation Nigeria has found itself..
I do not agree with that assumptions that Lawyers, Judges, Police and Journalists are responsible for Nigeria’s problems today. We have all failed. We cannot have a better country if we do not have a good family unit. A good community cannot exist if there is a bad local government and state. We have lost it all and all sectors are affected. We are the problems and if people in the country agree to change and do the right things then Nigeria will be better.
What do you think is the difference between APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
There is no difference between the two parties. Our political parties are not ideology-based. They are just platforms through which one can get elected to serve. There is nothing like progressives’ party in my understanding. Both parties are bereft of ideologies.
So, what is the way forward sir?
We cannot keep complaining that because politics is a dirty game. It is dirty because majority of the people participating in it presently are dirty. We must not leave it to charlatans, we must all participate in it to improve the system.
What is your stake on the ongoing agitation for Yoruba nation?
Looking at the rate at which we are going in this country, unless Nigeria is restructured, we may disintegrate. Things are not at ease and we have never been divided like this before. The Hausas are seeing themselves as different from the Fulanis. There is nothing like one north again, even the Hausas and the Fulanis are even more divided than the south. We need to sit down and find solutions to the myriad of problems we are facing.
Independence of Yoruba Nation is just one of the valid options to be used to solve Nigeria’s problems.
Before you go, do you wish to send a message to fellow politicians?
Let us all resolve to do the right thing at the right time. Let us be selfless and put the interest of the country at heart first and let us love Nigeria above our personal interest.
I will also counsel Nigerians not to cut corners and to do the right things always.
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