Wanted Nyako returns, plans to meet Buhari

former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako
| credits: File

Former Governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako (retd.), returned to Nigeria on Saturday.

Nyako, who arrived from London on a Lufthansa Airline flight, landed at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, around 4:42pm.

The former governor was received at the airport by former governor of Gombe State, Sen. Danjuma Goje; former governor of Zamfara State, Sen. Sani Yerima; his son, Abdulazeez, and other political allies.

One of his aides, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said Nyako decided to return to Nigeria following the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as President.

Nyako fled the country following his controversial impeachment by the Adamawa State House of Assembly.

His impeachment, which he is still contesting in court, was said to have been as a result of his disagreement with former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The former naval chief had accused the then President of having hands in the Boko Haram menace ravaging the North-East.

His problem with his former political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, started when the national headquarters of the party in Abuja dissolved the executives of the party in his state.

Nyako was one of the five governors that defected from the PDP to the APC at the height of the PDP crisis.

The former governor was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission over allegation of financial crimes.

It had not yet clear if the anti-corruption agency would now arrest Nyako, who is currently in Abuja.

His political associates were said to be preparing a heroic reception for him in Yola, Adamawa State capital.

It was however gathered that Nyako would remain in Abuja till Monday and that he was planning to see Buhari before leaving the nation’s capital.

When contacted on the telephone, Nyako neither denied whether he was going to meet the President nor confirmed it, but he merely said that “I’m back. Yes, I’m back in the country.”

He said the task of moving the country forward must not be left in the hands of the President alone. “We must all join hands with him to repair the country,” he added.

But one of his aides said the former governor was planning to meet with President Buhari.

He said, “Baba Maigoro (as the former governor is called by his loyalists ) is planning to meet with the President before going to Yola.

“I’m not sure when that would be, but I heard him saying something like that. He is going to remain in Abuja till Monday.”

We will get you…even if you have immunity — Buhari speaks on lawlessness

From March 26, a Thursday, and some 48 hours before the 2015 presidential election, Sunday Vanguard, working in close collaboration with the Publicity Directorate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Organisation, and specifically the Director, Mallam Garba Shehu, we kept tab on the activities of the President and Commander-in-Chief (as President-elect).   Yes, there have been one or two interviews with President Muhammadu Buhari, but when you compile the random thoughts of a President-in-waiting, it goes with the Biblical saying that “from the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks”, and it presents a broader perspective because, unlike the structured strictures of an interview setting, these random thoughts were devoid of the sometimes stifling interview setting which makes an individual more guided and guarded in response.

From Buhari’s pre-election expectations, to the sound bites from his residence and his views immediately after the election, Sunday Vanguard has packaged the views of Nigeria’s fifth executive President for your reading pleasure.  

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

My belief in the Nigerian Constitution

According to the Nigerian Constitution,  when you lose an election, you may go to court. I was there three times and ended up in the Supreme Court. Sometimes, people wonder why I tried so hard. I tried so hard because it is a system I believe in. I believe that multi- party democratic system is the best form of governance with a big caveat that election must be free and fair.

Really, this is why I am in it. I was in APP.   I joined partisan politics in April 2002 and, on that date, at my ward, I said that those who knew me, and myself, following my career and antecedents in the military, if I tell people that I will participate in partisan politics, people would not believe it and I will not also believe it. But I found myself in it and I never turned back.

Within one year, APP gave me the ticket. There were governors, senators and much older people than me, but all the same, I got the ticket. I lost; I was in court for 30 months. In 2007, we tried to have a limited merger and became ANPP and again, I participated and was told I lost.

I went to court for 20 months up to the Supreme Court and I felt that my party was not fair to me. While I was in court, the leadership of the party proceeded and took two marginal ministries in the late Yar’Adua’s cabinet and an Adviser. For that disgraceful behavior by the party leadership, I left the party and we floated the CPC.

Again, I attempted in 2011 and lost and, again, I was in court for about eight months and I contested now for the fourth time on APC’s platform having successfully gone through with the merger of the three legacy parties.

Why I love the Smart Card Reader

I think that 2015 will go down in Nigeria’s political history as a glorious year. Nigerians have deliberately understood what multi-party democracy is. But we thank God for technology – PVC and Card Reader. If not, this luck we had with technology and the insistence of constituencies to make sure they are used, in the two geopolitical zones where they were subverted, the people wanted to vote, but they were not allowed to vote.

They continued with what they used to do in their party offices or their sitting rooms, write the result, go to the radio house and television house and announce the result and say whoever does not want the result should go to court.

How many people can go to court when they are struggling to get the next day’s meal?   Where will they get the millions to give to those Senior Advocates of Nigeria? I was able to do it because of the goodwill of Nigeria which again demonstrated itself this year.

People agreed that I am not a very rich man, but I was lucky that Nigerians believed in me and they put their strength together, voted and made sure that their votes counted. I say thanks to the technology.

How I became a born-again democrat

I will tell you what made me a multi-party democrat. In 1991, after coming out of detention, I was sitting at home and the Soviet Union collapsed. They were the world power fighting the western world. They had more sophisticated weapons, but something happened.

There was confusion and everybody went away. Today, there’re 18 countries in the former Soviet Union. That was when I believed that multi-party democratic system is a superior form of governance and that is why I joined democracy.

I am in politics to fight corruption, insecurity and unemployment

Now the records are very clear. Anybody who wants to study the political development of Nigeria cannot do without getting the Supreme Court’s judgments of those years, 2003, 2007 and 2011. If you could recall, in 2007, the Supreme Court was split into two. A panel of six justices was divided. One group, led by Justice Oguntade, a Christian, a Yoruba man, including Justice Aloma Mukthar, I think she’s a Muslin but a Yoruba woman and another justice from Delta State, said that election of 2007 was null and void because it was not conducted according to law.

But the former Chief Justice, Mustapha, a Fulani man from Jigawa and another justice from Taraba, also a Fulani man, said the election was not flawless but, all the same, PDP won and then the Chief Justice cancelled the votes with them; so it was four against three. The point I want to make here is that the problem of Nigeria is not ethnic or religious.  You know what it is.

Corruption is number three on my campaign list. The first one is security. In the North-East and the Niger Delta, people are kidnapped and ransom is demanded. This is unacceptable. The second one is unemployment. 60 percent of Nigerians are youths; most of them, whether they went to school or not, are unemployed and that is dangerous.

We have to get the issue of the economy right to make sure jobs are made available and we should try to kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria. Let us practice what we preach as well. Whoever wins as a governor too has a lot of work to do because corruption is fast becoming a culture.

My biggest message

The biggest message is to try and persuade the people that it is not possible to change the state of affairs now. It took 16 years to get to that state of affairs. Nigeria earned more revenue during that period than what it earned from 1914 to 1999.

We used to have Nigeria Airways, Nigerian National Shipping Line, Nigeria Railway. Where are they now? Where is the infrastructure that is commensurate with what we earned in-between, what is on ground? That is how efficiently the PDP managed Nigeria in the last 16 years.

We have inherited all the problems 

Now we have invariably inherited all the problems, especially in the North-East. I am sure that you have heard or seen the children recovered from Sambisa forest. Only the children and women are remaining while all the able-bodied have been gotten rid of somehow. Some have been taken to Adamawa State to be resettled. A generation has been denied education and health care. Infrastructure is gone.

You can imagine what is happening on the high seas where up to 400,000 barrels of crude oil is stolen everyday with cooperation from those who are supposed to protect it. Meanwhile oil price has gone down and 90 percent of foreign exchange we rely on comes from that.

Nigerians must temper their expectations

Nigerians must know that we have virtually arrived at the wrong time and that they have to temper their expectation with some justice towards the leadership. I think whatever has to be deployed, especially in the churches and mosques, this is the quickest way to communicate this to the ordinary people. The people must be reminded of all the things I said in all the states I visited..

Obama’s phone call gave me relief

One of the reliefs I got was the telephone call I got from the President of the United States. I could feel the relief in his voice because Americans are people of conscience. Forget about religion, colour and development, they are people of conscience because they have reached a stage where they have stabilized their society and they are relatively secured materially, physically and in virtually every aspect of life.   They know we were in danger. Everybody was saying Nigeria was going to the dogs in 2015, but even beyond our expectations, we have managed to sail through and we say thanks to technology for the PVC and the Card Reader because the whole exercise of writing the result, announcing them and asking losers to go to court  does not make any difference. Those who defended the PVC and Card Reader made this change possible

On defection: There will be justice in APC

In a multi-party democratic system, fundamentally, it is the number that matters to the people. But to the party, what matters is the ability to manage the number so that the majority will have its way and there will be justice. No matter what remains of the PDP on  May 29, there will be justice in APC.

For those coming into the APC, I have no fear because we have structure. The fact that you were a party Chairman or minister before you joined the APC, we appreciate that you remain relevant in your immediate locality. With majority of members of the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly in the states coming from our party, it means that it is with the agreement of their constituencies that the Federal Government has the power that it has. If the Federal Government is insisting on accountability and being responsible, even if they go back to their constituencies, there is nothing they can do about the decision of the government. We are banking on that. I will give you an example of my state, Katsina. In 2011, the CPC won all the senatorial and 13 out of the 15 House of Representatives seats but lost the governorship. Who did the elections?

Did people from space come for the elections? That is the bad thing about lack of cohesion in a party. Leadership at all levels must work in concert. Otherwise, what Katsina suffered, any state or the centre can suffer same. Those who were chief executives from local governments and states will be encouraged to work together. So, those that are coming in, I hope they will accept that they are coming to join those already on ground and cooperate with them. They can’t come and say that because they were once ministers under PDP, they will join APC and become ministers the following month or so. I don’t think that will be acceptable even by their constituencies.

 Things must just change

It is a difficult time for Nigerians as you all know. I have said that in the last 16 years, Nigeria has never realised the amount of revenue it received. A barrel of crude oil rose to about 140 dollars and then crashed to about 50 dollars. During the 16 years, we know some big organisations that employed a lot of Nigerians and gave them training like the Nigeria Airways, Nigeria National Shipping Line. Even Nigeria Railway is managing to be on paper with some refurbished engines moving from Lagos to Ibadan and a few other places. If you go to their stations all over the country, you will realise that it is in a terrible shape.

The important thing in a country with a huge population, with youths, more than 60 percent of them under the age of 30, who are unemployed, you need these institutions to give jobs and training to Nigerians. It is very disappointing that the PDP government virtually failed to use those resources to make sure that the economy continued to grow in a sustainable way. I think the worst thing is the lack of accountability and the terrible budgetary system. Imagine that over 90 percent of the Nigerian budget is on recurrent. How can you sustain development in a developing country like Nigeria with only 10 percent of your income? Things just have to change. There must be more money available for infrastructure, for investment in getting the factories back, employment and getting goods and services for the population. I think the sins of PDP will be coming out for several years to come.

People must not benefit from being lawless

I will like to work within the system because we believe in it. I have spoken about three governors and the battle they had with the law enforcement agents in their states. We discussed and I advised them to try and document these things so that they can be taken before the court, and we will make sure that we get cooperation from the judiciary so that people who worked against the law are prosecuted, especially those who have lost their immunity, even those who think they have immunity because this is the best way to stabilize the system. People must not benefit from being lawless. You can’t be in a position by virtue of the Constitution, subvert the Constitution and continue to enjoy the privileges offered by the Constitution. I don’t think that will be acceptable by the APC. So, whether you are in the opposition or the government, you have to behave.I think that is the way we can make progress.

It was tough training my boys — Osinbajo’s mother

Olubisi Osinbajo

Mrs. Olubisi Osinbajo, 80, shares her challenges as a mother and how she successfully trained four boys in this interview with GBENGA ADENIJI

What was your childhood like?

I was born in Ibadan, Oyo State on February 16, 1933. My father, Thomas Aiyegbayo, was a ranger from Osun State. He was one of the earliest rangers in the Western Region. My mother was from Ilaro, Ogun State. I attended Durbar School in Oyo for my primary education. Then, I went to Methodist School in Oyo and from there, I went to Sagamu Girls School, Remo, Ogun in 1946. We were taught by teachers who emphasised cleanliness, hard work and seriousness. It was later that I proceeded to Teacher’s Training College in Sagamu. After I completed the programme, I went back to the school to teach.

Why did you return to the school to teach?

It was not something I planned on my own. The principal of the school liked some of us because we performed brilliantly well in the examination. So, some of us were selected. I taught in that school for two years. It was while I was there that I met my husband, Opeoluwa Osinbajo.

Was he also a teacher in the school?

He was not a teacher in the school. He came on a visit and he saw me. I knew him before that day and when he saw me, we exchanged greetings and he began to visit me in the school. It was later he told me he that wanted to marry me. And because I had known him before, I did not refuse his proposal. He was from Ikenne, Ogun State.

I actually agreed to his proposal because I knew him as a gentleman. He was a very good person. Besides, he was a friend to my sister’s husband. During that time, he was a student at the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo State. He was not rich then but I admired him for his other qualities.

What did your parents say when you told them about him?

I told them that I knew him very well and could vouch for his character. They told me to invite him to our house and I did. When he came, they were impressed with his behaviour and they endorsed our marriage. But our wedding did not hold immediately after he met my parents because it was not long after that that he travelled to England for further studies. He actually travelled abroad to be trained as a civil engineer. When he was there, he kept in touch. It was when he returned from England that we got married on December 28, 1954.

How was the union?

Our living together was very nice. It was a splendid union. He took me as his daughter because he was about 14 years older. He took very good care of me. God blessed our marriage with five wonderful children. We first had four boys and I prayed to God that I needed a girl. God graciously answered my prayer. I gave birth to a girl seven years after my last son.

What was the experience like bringing up four boys?

It was very tough raising four boys. That is why I am called ‘Mumisco.’ A mother with all boys will have to behave like a boy herself if she intends to train them properly. When they started growing up, I made it compulsory for them to say their prayers every morning. Whether they liked it or not, it was an activity that must be done. They would grumble but I did not budge. It was not easy training them. But we knew that someday, everything would be okay. And it turned out that way because all of them are doing well in their chosen careers. Two of them were once Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice in Ogun and Lagos states.

Can you recall any of the tricks they played?

One of them went out one day. I did not know but when I went to his room, I discovered that he had gone out. He returned the next morning. My husband was upstairs sleeping when I came downstairs to wait for him. He came in later wearing his night dress and holding his clothes in one hand. When he opened the door he saw me and I asked where he was coming from. He was surprised to see me and started crying when I said I would tell his father what he did. If his father knew what he did, he would beat him and refuse to send him abroad for further studies as he had promised them he would do after their university education. He prostrated and begged me. Since then, he did not do such again.

Did you influence the career choice of any one of them?

We did not influence the choice of careers of our children. Our duty was to guide them in making their career choices. My husband believed in allowing his children to do what they have capacities for. When he returned from England, he established the first electronic sawmill business in Ebute Metta to show what he had interest in. By the time we got married, I had stopped teaching. It was the sawmill business that we jointly ran. We would buy timbers and mill them for sale. The business flourished until his death in 1996.

What happened to him?      

He was just slightly sick and doctors advised that he should have some rest. He was at home resting all the time and one night, he called me that I should lead the prayer. I saw that he was dressing and I asked him where he was going. He said he was going nowhere. As I was about to round off the prayers, he shouted Halleluiah, became silent and died.

What happened to the business?  

It is no longer in operation because my children are not interested in it. And I do not intend to leave it without somebody to manage it.

Are you involved in any other business now?

I established a school in 1992 because of my passion for kids. My husband assisted me in building it. It was established to train children without consideration for the financial gains. We have five scholarships for pupils in the school.

Are you still involved in running the school?

I want to donate the school to a Christian body to run. I do not want to administer any business after I have turned 80. I feel contented at 80 and give God thanks for His love and mercies.

What do you do each time you remember your husband?

Sometimes I cry, but most times I pray because we were so close. When he died, I thought everything was going to end. But God has been holding me.

Is there any difference between the moral training during your days and what we have now?

Let me start with the way ladies dress today. During our days, we never exposed any part of our body. We wore dresses such as gowns but they never exposed sensitive areas. Our shoes were not as high as we have today. One thing I have noticed is that most of what we wore then is now common today, but worn in a different way. We had our ways of dressing. Everything has changed. We didn’t stare at an elder’s face whenever we were being addressed. Today, children don’t respect elders again. I warn my children never to look me in the face whenever I am talking to them. But if you are looking in another direction while an elder talks to you, it shows a sign of respect for that person.

Do you have any special food?

I do not have any special food. I eat whatever I know is well-prepared and delicious. Also, I go for medical check-up regularly. I prepare my meals. I do not allow anybody to do that for me. My husband, until his death, never allowed house maids to prepare his meals. It was something we agreed on long before our marriage.

How do you relax?

I go to England every year to relax for some months. Another form of relaxation I engage in is by going to church. I also attend weddings and birthdays but I do not attend wedding receptions. I only attend receptions if the host is my close relative.

What special training did you give your children?

I trained them to have the fear of God and be responsible children.

Do you still see some of your childhood friends?

Some of them are dead. But I still see some. One of them, Stella, also clocked 80 recently. There is another one, Funmilola, who will be 80 soon.

What is your advice to parents?

My advice goes to the mothers, especially those who have boys to train. They must be very vigilant because sons are full of tricks unlike daughters. If she is sleeping, she must not sleep with her two eyes closed because they can sneak out. I ensured that I always went to their rooms to check on them and pray for them. Mothers must pray for their children always. Also, they should take care of their husbands because they are like children to us. Men are like children and any woman who wants to enjoy them must behave like mothers to them. Even when a man is 40 and he marries an 18-year-old, the wife is his mother. That was how I treated my husband.

Dad is not a good cook — Ajimobi’s daughter

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and daughter, Ajijola

Ajijola is a daughter to Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi. She talks about the kind of life her father leads as a public servant withOLUFEMI ATOYEBI

What are you doing now?

I am a student of Woldingham School, Surrey, London. I am 17 years old. I left Nigeria when I was 10 years old. Before I left, I attended International Community School in Abuja and Ibadan International School, Iyaganku. Then I attended a preparatory school in England.

How would you describe your parents?

My parents are caring and loving and because I am the youngest, they give me much attention. It is always fun being around my father because he jokes a lot. We watch a lot of movie series together at home. He likes crime movie series which involve thorough police investigation. Every time I am at home, I sit down with him to watch movies at night. That is how he relaxes. I do not like going out, so I enjoy his company whenever he is at home.

How did he relate with his family before he became governor?

He created a lot of time for his children because he is a complete family man. We would go out driving around the estate almost every night. He taught me how to drive. He ensured that I enjoy his company every time.

Have you ever had any disagreements with him?

I had a major disagreement with him last year. He wanted me to read law but I preferred to study political science and international relations. I was not sure if I wanted to study law but he wanted me to do it. We had an argument over it and at the end, he said he would support me in whatever I chose to do. He is okay with me studying political science now.

How did you resolve the disagreement about your choice of career?

We sat down and talked about it. He wanted to know why I chose the course and I explained the reasons for my decision to him. I was able to convince him and he agreed with me. That was how we resolved it.

Did you choose the course because your parents are politicians?

I have seen the change that my father has been able to make in Oyo State and I want to be an instrument of change also. I want to be able to make Nigeria a better country by contributing to its transformation as my father is doing now.

Can you recall anytime he punished you?

None of my parents has ever beaten me because I listen to them and do what makes them happy at all times. I like spending time with them.

What is your plan for the future?

I want to be a politician. My highest ambition is to be Nigeria’s first female president. I am aware of the demands and qualities needed to reach my goal. My parents have taught me to be confident and to be strong in my beliefs. They taught me not to be influenced by other people. Most importantly, they taught me to be God-fearing. These are important qualities of a leader.

Do you think that politics has reduced the affection and care that your parents have for you?

I think normally, they now have lesser time to be with me but because they know that their jobs as governor and First Lady will not give them enough time, they go the extra mile to make sure that I do not miss out on anything. They still spend time with me.

How often do you speak with your parents when you are not in Nigeria?

I call my mother everyday but my father speaks with me at least five times in a week. I call to tell them what happens in school every day.

Apart from the disagreement over choice of career, was there any other quarrel between you and your parents?

I am their baby so they pamper me. We get along very well.

How does Governor Ajimobi relax at home?

He does not really have time to relax until late in the night. That is when we watch films together until around 3am. That is our bonding time.

Does your father help your mother with domestic work?

Well, he is not a good cook even though he pretends to be one. I do not really think my mother needs his help when it comes to domestic work. But they create time for bonding like going on a walk late in the night or driving around the estate in the night. My mother cuts my father’s nails but he does not do same for my mother.

What is his favourite food?

Dad likes pounded yam. He also prefers eating meat. He likes sausages and steak too. He used to sip champagne in the past but he has stopped.

What about you?

I do not really have a favourite food. I like pasta and I eat anything good.

What kind of a person is your mother?

She is an amazing woman; caring, selfless and loving. She is my best friend. She is always looking after the good of everyone around her.

Does being a daughter of the first family in Oyo State put a burden on you?

There is really nothing like that. I just see them as normal people. I do not think anything has changed in the house. I treat their status as normal. Their status does not reduce my freedom.

Do you miss anything from the time your father became a governor?

I left Nigeria for England at 10 and when I was here, I was not really going out. I did not stay in Nigeria enough to pick anything from the past. But since I grew up knowing my father as a senator and later a governor, I still do whatever I wish to do. I do not know if there is any difference between then and now.

How do your friends relate with you having realised you are a governor’s daughter?

I do not really tell people who my parents are. Some of my friends know who my parents are but it does not change anything. In England, we go out as children of normal parents. Nobody really cares about what one is.

Do they treat you specially?

I do not get any special respect from my friends. They do not behave in any way different to me. I choose my friends wisely. I make sure all my friends are on the same level. The status of my parents does not dictate who my friends should be. It does not matter who you are or what your parents are, once I like you, you become my friend. In four years’ time, my father will no longer be in government as a governor. My friends will always be my friends.

Did he increase your pocket money after he became a governor?

I do not really need to spend money and if I need to, my mother gives me what I need. She keeps all my money for me.

Would you say that your mother is a bit strict?

They are the same at home. I do not know if I should describe her as being strict. She is just a normal mother. I feel being pampered but not spoilt, it only shows that they love me. When I go wrong, they tell me not to exhibit such behaviour again. They want me to be the best at all times.

Who chooses what your father wears daily?

My mother does that at all time. I help him to choose what he wears once in a while when I am around. Today (Friday), I chose his tie. But my mother does that every day.

Do your parents encourage you to do domestic chores?

I cook noodles with chilli, rice, eba, pasta, vegetable soup and I can prepare pounded yam from poundo yam. I can bake cake also. My mother taught me all these. When she was teaching me, she said I would cook for my husband someday and my father sometimes.

Has your mother ever influenced your choice of friends?

As a good mother, she tells me what to do. I do not keep friends that she does not like. I have a few friends though. I have five friends in Nigeria and she likes all of them.

How do you feel each time they return to Nigeria after visiting you in school?

I always feel sad. I feel like returning home with them. I love Nigeria and I always want to come back. After my studies in England, I will like to return to Nigeria after a year holiday. I want to work in Nigeria and my ambition is to start in a law firm and from there, we shall see what the future holds for me. Right now, I study a bit of law. I do not want to study law as a first degree.

How about your siblings?

We get along very well. I see them every month and they also visit me in school. I am also their baby and they take good care of me.

Do they assist you in your study?

Yes, they do. If I do not understand a topic, they come to my aid. One of my sisters earned a degree in political science and she is also a lawyer. She understands what I am doing. She helps me a lot. She tells me what to do to excel in school.

How do you cope with seeing a lot of people in your home every day?

I do not mind because I love being around people. I love seeing them and it is exciting having them around. I like to speak to them because they help me rehearse my future. When eventually I am ready to do politics, I would not have to learn how to relate with people.

Have you ever seen your parents quarrel?

It does not happen often. They understand each other but as human beings, they could disagree and agree later. Their relationship is protected by the love they have for each other.

In the morning, they eat at the table but we do not eat at the same time. I do not eat early so what I do is to sit with them if I am awake by the time they are eating. My mother likes fresh fish and vegetable. She also likes oats and cereals.

Your mother has dual citizenship, Nigeria and Lebanon. How much of her Lebanese background do you know?

I have visited Lebanon to see her family. I was there last year and her family has also visited Nigeria. There is plenty of food to eat in Lebanon. They feed visitors very well.

Do you speak the language?

When I was in Nigeria, one of her cousins was teaching me Arabic language but when I moved to England, I forgot about it. My other siblings visit Lebanon more than I do. When I finish my study, I could spend some time there.

When your father was reelected, how did the family celebrate?

We were all at home. We hugged one another and danced to good music. We had food, drink and cake to celebrate. I congratulated him specially. I want him to rest more now because he works too hard. I want my mother to also rest more. She is the first lady and the work is huge. She needs to rest. My father is strong and I have only seen him fall sick once.

How do your parents keep fit?

My father has a treadmill and he walks a lot at night but not a rigorous exercise. My mother used to jog every morning at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium but now, she uses the treadmill with my father once in a while. A trainer also visits to take her through aerobics.

The Osinbajo we know — Church members

The associates of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and members of the Olive Tree House Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Banana Island, Lagos, where Osinbajo served as a senior pastor, tell ARUKAINO UMUKORO and GBENGA ADENIJI what they know about him

‘He is a no-nonsense man’

What is your name and position in the church?

I am Tope Jegede; the administrator of the church.

How long have you known the vice-president?

I have been working as the church administrator for five years. I got close to pastor-prof (the way the church members address Osinbajo) about five years ago but I have known him for 10 years.

What can you say about his person?

He is a man of service. As a pastor in our parish, he is highly respected. His major calling into the ministry is to touch the hopeless and the vulnerable. I am not surprised that he got the opportunity to serve the nation because he has always carved a niche himself anywhere he finds himself. In Olive Tree, before his involvement in the elections, he had created 10 programmes designed to touch lives. Some of them include feeding the poor through a programme tagged ‘soup kitchen.’ He started it in the church without nursing any political ambition. Through the programme, we provide food for people that would have gone hungry. Another one is Mercy Cross, which provides medical insurance for children between ages 0 and 3. There is also a programme he termed ‘Just Justice’ through which he provides legal representation for the less-privileged for free. He started the programmes under an umbrella scheme known as ‘Whom Shall I Send?’

He carries the bearing of a no-nonsense man. Does that describe him?

Yes, he is a no-nonsense person. But he is also a very compassionate person. He gives people a very long rope to pull themselves together. He does not suspect people; he gives people equal opportunities to prove themselves. But once an individual proves otherwise, as a man of integrity, he will not tolerate that. There was a time some people confronted him and said he would fail in the parish. Till today, he shows them unconditional love. He neither bears grudges nor victimises anyone. Rather, he will do all he can to help anyone in need. I can dare say that since I have known him, I have never seen him get angry publicly. He is always calm. I am not saying he is perfect but he has allowed Christ to rub off on him

Was his ambition announced in the church before the elections?

One thing he never did was to use the platform of the church for his political ambition. It took him a while before he could address the situation. The first time he mentioned anything about it was when he was elected as the vice-president. And he told us that he did it deliberately so that nobody would accuse him of using the church platform for politics.

How did his absence during the elections affect the church?

He is a very organised person. He does not use his position for anything apart from service. When he was in the church, he gave many people opportunities to work. We did not miss him much because he would come in on Sunday to minister and after the service, return to the campaign ground. We are missing him already but we are convinced that he is an oak seed that we have sown into Nigeria as a church.

Considering the fact that he has the gift of oration, what is a typical Sunday service like when he preaches?

He always has a theme message. If he was talking about any issue in life, he would always pin it down to the grace of God. In fact, if one reads under his sent emails, one will find, ‘Saved by grace alone.’ The first time he told me about his election, there were six of us there. He said it was as if God was trying to tell him to do what he had always been championing in terms of making people’s lives better.

Does he crack jokes?

Yes, he has a very good sense of humour. He laughs with his heart, but one has to be intelligent to make him laugh.

How was the church service like after Buhari won the presidential election?

It was like a carnival. Prof. attended the vigil last Friday. But on that Sunday, we had an overflow. He was in church the Sunday after the election and the one after. Interestingly, he did not address the church. In fact, it was the guest minister that joking addressed him as ‘His Excellency’ and we all clapped and laughed.

‘He is humble’

Briefly introduce yourself.

I am Dr. Daniel Ismaila (OON), a former Director of Finance and Administration, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

How long have you known Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo?

I have known him for about five years now. He was my instructor at the Bible College where he taught me ‘Transformational Leadership.’ He was also the pastor of the Olive Tree Parish, the church I attended at the time. Besides teaching me in the class, we have had personal contacts several times and we have discussed very sensitive issues concerning this country. I was a director in NDLEA for 15 years. We had met several times in economic and financial crimes seminar which was organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before 2011. One of the reasons why I started attending the Olive Tree Parish was because of the way he was managing the church.

How would you describe him?

He is not just a very good lawyer; he is also a very good pastor. He is passionate about this country. We believe that God would use him to play a key role in the government of the country. On February 16 last year, President Goodluck Jonathan and Pastor Adeboye came to Olive Tree service. During that service, Adeboye told Jonathan that Prof. Osinbajo is one of his sons who, ‘if you give an assignment, you can go to sleep.’ I have a video recording of that service. I had thought then that it was a message to Jonathan to see how he could utilise Prof Osinbajo in his government to turn around situations. I have always seen him as such, but I did not know that God was going to take him closer to the centre of power.

Beyond Osinbajo’s leadership qualities, what can you say about his personality?

He is not one to talk too much. For me, he is a symbol of humility. I am very proud to be associated with him.‘He taught me to cater for my family’

Briefly introduce yourself.

I am Emmanuel Bassey; the church’s maintenance officer.

How long have you been in the church?

I have worked in the church for eight years and I have known pastor-prof for about four years. I know him as a man who keeps to his word. He has touched the lives of many people including that of my family. Personally, he taught me things I did not know before. If I had known all these things before now, I would have been better off.

What are things he taught you?

He taught me things like taking good care of my family, especially my children. I used to see him regularly four months ago, but for two months now, I have not seen him because of his new position.

What was the last conversation you had with him?

He called me on the phone some months ago and asked where I was. He always asks where one is whenever he calls one on the phone before saying what he needs. I told him I was downstairs while he was upstairs. I ran up quickly to meet him. He then jokingly told me that my strides showed that I was still very fit. We both laughed over it. That was the last time I spoke with him. He cracks jokes with me. His wife is also another person I respect a lot. She does not say much, but when she speaks, people listen. There was a time I had a personal problem and I told her. Despite her schedule, she told me not to worry. In no time, I started seeing the result of her efforts. I respect her and her husband a lot. Nigerians should expect good governance. I know that with him, Nigeria is safe.

What are you going to miss about him now that he will be mostly in Abuja?

I will miss his sermons. I will miss his inspiration including his wife’s good nature. I am inspired each time I see them. If I have the opportunity to see him today, I am going to tell him that, “Pastor, it is well with you.”

‘He practises what he preaches’

Briefly introduce yourself.

I am Pastor Ben Ewuzie, Rector, the Redeemer’s International Leadership Academy, Ikoyi, Lagos.

How long have you known the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo?

I have known Prof. Osinbajo for about 20 years now. We met as students in the Bible College. We were in the same Bible class. Thereafter, he was posted to start a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. I head the leadership school of the RCCG. He comes to lecture in the Bible school. We have kept our relationship as friends and associates. We have had an unbroken friendship for 20 years. While he was an Attorney General, I wanted him to come and lecture in our academy. I thought he would be quite busy, but when I went to him, he said, “Pastor, you know I must do the work of God, office or no office. That should not deter me from serving God.” He came and delivered his lecture. That is the kind of person he is. He practises what he preaches and teaches.

Do you think the position of the Vice-Presidency would change him?

I don’t think so. This is not the first time he would be in the corridors of power. He was the Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice for eight years in Lagos State. Throughout the duration of his service, he remained the same person and came out with his integrity intact. Also, he has served in the United Nations, and as Special Adviser to the Chief Justice of the Federation. So, he already wields some influence at various circles. This is not the first time he has been exposed to high office. He has done it over the years and has remained the same person, simple and easy to approach, with a listening ear, and humble. So, I don’t see him changing now. He cherishes his integrity.

He teaches visionary and transformational leadership in our leadership school. He has had the opportunity to put that into practice at various times in his life, translating his classroom teachings to the field, through the various projects he initiated.