•Details Of His 2 Hour 93rd Birthday Interview
As the Management of City People Magazine continues its 25th Anniversary celebration with visits to many VVIP’s across the nation, it paid Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the new Afenifere Leader a courtesy call at his Lagos home, last Tuesday.
Papa is 92 going to 93 in a few weeks time. But he does not look like a nonagenarian. He is still very fit and strong.
He does not use a walking stick. He sleeps well and eats healthy. He lives on Vegetable and Fruits and does not see guests daily before 12 noon. Unknown to the City People crew made up of ISAAC ABIMBADE and SUNDAY ADIGUN and led by Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE the day we visited him was the day, the leader of Afenifere stepped down for Chief Ayo Adebanjo to take over the leadership of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group.
We spent 3-hours with him talking about his life and how at 92 the only thing that makes him unhappy is the state of affairs in Nigeria today.
It was a really interesting interview with the grand old man of politics.
Below are excerpts of the interview.
City People is 25 this year. And we have come to tell you and also to get your blessings, sir!
Wow! Congratulation, City People has been so successful in so many areas, especially politically. You have been very consistent in the way you have been arousing public interest in the course of good governance and that’s very important. I want you to continue in the same direction because the future of this country is in your hands. You people have to fight for yourself. City People is one of the organisations, I believe to carry on the fight. Because some of these people are no longer focused on the development and the progress of the youths. The system itself is against the youths. The system is corrupt. Even the system under Buhari is corrupt because they got into office through a corrupt system.
You all remember before Buhari came into office, he said he had to borrow 26 million from the bank for the primary election thinking that he was going to change the system. Did he change it? How can you pay 26 million for party nomination? And you now say when you get to the office you won’t be corrupt. It is impossible. The same thing across the board. We are all complaining that the salary of the senators is too much. That’s why the battle is now for you. That’s why we have been clamouring for the restructuring of the country it is to create an enabling atmosphere. Unless the country is restructured you have no chance! Because this system is corrupt and must be changed. So we have to fight for it and it won’t be easy though because Buhari doesn’t believe in it. This system is exercising military power under civilian administration. To be candid Buhari is a Civilian Dictator! I don’t hesitate to say it and all the power embedded in the Constitution were made by the northern soldiers. And that’s why many of us say it’s a fraudulent Constitution. It’s never our Constitution. Abdulsalam created the construction and that’s why there are more local governments and states in the North.
This same man promised Pastor Bakare when he ran with him that he would do Restructuring. Even under this constitution; go and check the APC manifesto. I’m saying all this because Buhari doesn’t have any intention to restructure Nigeria; he has his own agenda and has said it. Everybody has been saying we need restructuring and he hasn’t come out to address it. He pretended as if he doesn’t hear. He sat down in Aso rock while Fulani herdsmen are killing, raping people from the Middle-Belt down to the south and when Ortom went to him and pleaded to save him from Fulani herdsmen and Buhari told him to go and make friends with his neighbours. I have been warning both the APC and PDP to do restructuring.
That’s how the national assembly say they want to review the 1999 Constitution. The national assembly itself is a product of a fraudulent constitution. It’s under the provision of that country constitution they came in. How can you say the fraudulent foundation should now review the foundation that brought it in?
Did you ever think Nigeria would get to this point at which we are now?
Never! Never!!. Next month (April) I would be 93. I am not a happy man because this is not what I fought for when I was your age. I protested in London then; carrying a placard saying Independence for Nigeria. We had the dream that this country can do better than the colonialist. But what do we have now? All this progress we made when the country was still practising the old system were gone. Awolowo built stadium, University. Ahmadu Bello built Ahmadu Bello stadium. There was competition. What are we having now? What we now have is that they distribute the wealth of the South in Abuja. Those who contribute one thousand, they give them a penny. That’s injustice under this constitution. Don’t let anybody deceive you. And until that constitution is changed everybody in the south is under slavery.
What do Yoruba people want?
We don’t want anything other than restructuring the country. I know what you mean by that question because there’s a clamouring for Odu’a Nation. Yes! That is the last resort. To be together as a united country is what pays us. I have even told Buhari several times that I have invested in Nigeria to remain United, from the first republic than him. In 1979 I spent one year in Maiduguri to campaign for the UPN. My party then had a candidate there called Paul Bassey. He died a few months ago. This is to show you that we wanted this country to be united. And in the first republic, we were the only party that had representation in all the assembly of the country. I’m saying this for them to challenge us. I’m saying this so that it can be on the record. I’m a realist and I can drop dead tomorrow.
Buhari is deceiving Tinubu thinking he would handover to him. He promised Tinubu, Fayemi. He’s bringing up Amosun. I’m saying this publicly if Tinubu contests APC primary he would fail. They have already organised Northers against him. I’m sorry for it. They call him a political strategist and he can’t see all these loopholes they dug around him. All the followers he took around then to form APC, are they with him now? Is Fayemi, Fashola with him? I even understand that the VP wants to contest!. While you are deceiving yourself in the South, the Northerners have their candidate. Note it down. I may not be around but God can be grateful, I may be around.
When Chief Sunday Igboho visited you a few weeks back, we were told you had various discussion. Can you share some of them with us?
We only had a security discussion. That’s all!. Until Igboho reacted, they didn’t even think of beefing up security at all. The government said they weren’t aware of the killings and raping that has been happening there. And when they were killing people in the Igboho area; when they killed a popular Doctor from abroad who has a big farm in the area. When they also killed a woman who owns a petrol station there. Buhari and the APC government didn’t see anything until the people reacted. And I repeat, Sunday Igboho came to me due to inaction, negligence and lack of responsibility on behalf of the federal government and state governments to protect the people. They are to protect their lives and property. That’s their role. When they failed to do that, Igboho has to exercise his constitutional right to self-defence. If they had arrested the people who were causing this havoc in Igboho area, Sunday Igboho would not have come out. See what happened in Ondo State too? Can we go to Kaduna and say we want to plant cocoa there? How can these people just treat us as if we are dummies. When we asked all the herdsmen to go, did we ask Dangote to go?
Congratulations sir! You are now the new leader of Afenifere.
I don’t know about that. You met me here. I was to attend our monthly meeting but I couldn’t due to some circumstances.
Do you know I had covid-19 during Christmas? For the first time in 40 years, I spent Christmas in Lagos; I always celebrate it in my village. That’s why my family has restricted me not to go out. But I’m not afraid to die. If a man who’s above 90 is afraid to die, what is left. I’m not afraid to die. God has been kind enough to me and my colleagues. When we were 70, 80 years we said thank God. We are now 90 and we are still afraid to say what is good for the country. If I don’t say it who will say it? If that is what will take me away, I don’t mind. I told my kids that has God not done enough for me? Until I’m in the grave, I will always contribute to the development of this country.
Can you share with us some of the things you took or remedy for Covid-19 when you had it?
When you arrived here, you saw what I was taking. I have taken my Lemon this morning. What I will take next is Vitamin-C and I take my Zinc. That is what I take. The only native I take is “Dongoyaro”, which I steam with every night. That’s all.
Were you worried then sir?
Worried? When I am over 90 years. I got it (Covid-19) after going to Ibadan for the funeral of Mrs Oyediran and I attended Seyi Makinde’s mother’s funeral. I just came back and I thought it was the only malaria. So my last daughter brought a man to run the test for me and I was told I was positive. And I didn’t feel anything. I am never afraid of death.
My wife has left my wing of the house, because I receive many visitors and she stays in another room. She’s afraid because she’s over 90. But they can’t stop me. Covid-19 didn’t kill me. My father was 105 before he died. But the reality is I’m a funeral candidate. You can get to the office now and hear that man is gone! That’s the possibility.
Is there any other way youth should do things better in demanding and putting the government on their feet?
You see, what happened during the Endsars, more of it should happen. I’m telling you plainly that there’s no faith in these two parties. I could see the personnel in the two parties, save Governor Seyi for now, all the other governors especially in the South-West are under Tinubu. As I said, I said all of them are corrupt.
You all remember Alhaji Ganiu Dawodu? When he was to be a councillor here. When Jk Randu died and we were looking for somebody to replace him. The party had to pay for his nominations and other things and he became a councillor and Chairman. Can that happen today? I have challenged them here. Let a councillor come out and say he’s the choice of people.
Let’s talk about you and Tinubu. What do you have against him?
Nothing: Tinubu is a liberal man but I don’t like his politics. He knows. Some people say we made him Governor in 1979. No. We didn’t impose Tinubu to run then. He won the primary election through the system we set up. I want to repeat again for those who are saying Afenifere imposed Tinubu. No, Tinubu contested three-corner fights, himself, Dr Akerele and Funsho Williams and he won. We have decided on the party that if we do any election at the party and there’s confusion, we would cancel that election. What I later learnt from one of his supporters is that they intentionally created confusion where Funsho Williams was strong in Mainland and Ikorodu. When they brought the vote and our Chairman, Alhaji Dawodu, said if they had counted those two places Funsho Williams would have won. That was how it came. Alhaji Dowodu forwarded the result of Funsho Williams to the INEC then. I countered it as National Chairman because that’s the system we all agreed to.
Were you surprised when Tinubu came to your birthday party a few years ago?
Why should I? I have said it. He’s humble. He’s very generous. 80 percent of my life has been in the struggle. It is when you are within that context I fall in love with you. If that were to be attractions, I have several attractions. It is the principles of Awolowo that I follow. I was fanatical with Awolowo. I was close to him; I knew him inside, out. He preaches what he teaches openly and quietly. That’s why people say I’m rigid. I’m just following the footpath of my leader. It’s not easy to follow.
Some Lagosians are saying they are not part of Oodu’a Republic?
They are stupid! Without the Yoruba, there would have been no Lagos. It was Chief Awolowo who fought for Lagos to be merged to the West. They wanted it to be federal capital, turning it to no man’s land but Chief Awolowo said if you want to make Lagos no man’s land then go to a place that has not been inhabited.
At 92 you have remained very stylish. How do you explain that sir?
Well, that has been my pattern from school. I learnt from my father. If you ask my contemporary at grammar school. I used to wear white canvas and that canvas had blue tape. But all I can say is that I learnt that from my father.
What is your daily routine like?
Right now when I wake up, I do my prayers and take my bathe. I used to walk on that bridge (Lekki-Ikoyi bridge) but now I exercise in my compound.
What has kept Afenifere going?
Discipline. Those who can’t accept discipline can’t be part of Afenifere. The other party who call themselves Afenifere are rebels. That’s what I call them.
What is wrong with Yoruba now is called leadership
We understand that you were instrumental in uniting Aare Gani Adams and Chief Sunday Igboho. How were you able to do that sir?
According to a Yoruba proverb that says ‘nkan ti agbalagba fi’nje ko, abe ewe lo’wa’. There’s nothing they were fighting for. They are fighting for Nigeria, Yorubaland to be precise. Why should they fight if there’s no personal interest? So I made it clear to them. For Yoruba to get united and free from this Fulani. We have to be united. Right now I’m still preaching it. Until we are united, and until this country is restructured we will continue to be slaves.
People are always saying that the problem is that we are divided in opinions!
That’s what I have been saying! We don’t give regard to elders.
