Dr. ADE ABOLURIN, Former Civil Defence Commandant General
Dr. Ade Abolurin is one man whose services to Nigeria can’t be forgotten in a hurry. Though it’s been 10 years now that he was officially pulled out of the service, yet many of his good deeds are still speaking for him till date.
He assumed the command of NSCDC as the first Commandant-General in 2005, fourteen years after he joined the Corps in Abeokuta South local government as a Cadet leader.
When Dr. John Ade Abolurin decided to join Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in 1981, he did not know he was going to rescue the moribund and the hitherto voluntary organisation which was not taken seriously by the society. Then, in 1980s, those who joined NSCDC which was being run as a voluntary organisation were known as errand boys, at social parties.
He successfully executed and completed 61 capital projects for the Corps within his 10 years in office. The projects were sited in Abuja, Abeokuta, Imo, Benue and Katsina States. In addition to his position as Commandant General of the NSCDC, Abolurin had been lecturing at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau state since 2008 as a visiting Lecturer in Security studies.
Few days ago, City People Head of TV, SUNDAY ADIGUN met with this great man in Abeokuta and he spoke on the many things he did to sustain Civil Defence in Nigeria. Enjoy the conversation.
Abolurin has also published 20 books; 4 still work in progress and he has edited 2 amongst many. He has also published almost 150 articles in learned journals. Many of his articles have also been accepted for publication. He presented almost 250, papers at different conferences and seminars.
For the sake of this interview, can we meet you sir.
This is Dr. Ade Abolurin, the then Commander-in-General of the Nigerian Scouts and Civil Defence Corps. Well, we started the call on patriotic zeal, and if you look at it, we are not on payment,but we are doing everything that we are doing based on patriotism to ensure that we rally round, support government, commit ourselves to government by ensuring that we allow peace to reign, and we also raise consciousness on the part of the people. We raise consciousness on the part of the people by allowing them to see that education is vital, it’s necessary and it’s important, because we came on board during the Civil War. And in doing that, we did this on the basis of the fact that the country wasn’t all that okay then, and this was the time of the Civil War when we have to arouse the consciousness of the people by educating them, by trying to enlighten them, and by also trying to strategize to see that our people do not follow the path of war, but the path of peace. By raising alarm to alert them when we feel the need arises to let people to know how to avoid war, how to also ensure they sensitize the people within and around their area towards reduction of criminality, because when it started, it was in Lagos in 1967, and this was the time when, you know, anxiety was there, and people were also of the opinion that, well, let’s return to local Civil War, but, you know, Civil War doesn’t last in nations. It ends up in destruction and catastrophe, but at this time that we are talking about, this is the time when we have to let them know when to dodge, when to avoid, and when to also mitigate against all those crises.
Talking about the Civil War, what was the experience like?
Well, to people, they will look at Civil War as if it means nothing. It is when people become conscious, when people look at it that it appears government is far away from them, and there is a misunderstanding within the populace and government, and when they also look at it, there is a lacuna, you know, on the part of government. People are agitating, on their own to have sovereignty on their own, to be self-sustained, and this happens when we are not even ready for all those things. But unfortunately, it came on board, but then we preached against further steps in trying to see that the country is unstable, to ensure that the government was able to govern appropriately, and the only way out is that you need to educate people. You need to enlighten people. You need to also ensure that the people are committed, you know, towards nationhood, by protecting the environment, by also supporting those who are wounded, those who are killed, or those who have little or partial problems, with a view to, assisting them. For example, before the government came on board to give the Corps additional assignments, if you look at it in those periods, places that are critical, we need to reach out to them to ensure that they avoid them you understand. And people around that time, you will see things almost turning out to be a famine period, when people have no food to eat, they have no water to drink, and they also needed Medicare, they needed attention. So these are periods when we provided all those things to them.
Sir, how do you intend to finance the Corps? Because it’s a laudable effort, but the government is yet to pay you.
You mean then? Yes. You see, the problem is that, at the end, commitment is there on the part of fellow Nigerians. As in they were committed to… Patriotism is there on the part of Nigerians. And people have passion for their nation. That was why you saw the present government trying to reverse the national term. And if you look at it, the previous national term, which he reversed, is talking to us and making us look proud of our nation, compared to the refined one. So under that type, everybody wants to use the little that they have to serve fellow human beings, to serve their community, to help their nation, to assist and support the government. Unlike now that everyone is for himself and God is only for all of us. But as at that time, you see people like the Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Guest Guides, Civil Defence and others. So people are ready to spend the little that they have, commit them to the government and the environment. But like now, people hardly want to do that. So there is no free service. But then there is, that willingness. Gutter is bad, and people want to repair it. Road is spoilt, people want to participate. There is no security. People want to join themselves together to ensure that the area they live in, the environment they live in, is well secured. But now, people want to secure themselves, secure their house, and their family. So you can see that the reverse is the case.So people were willing. The willingness was there. But like now, the willingness is not there.
So how do you think we can bring back some of this patriotism?
Well, we have to reverse back and look at it. It can be reversed in the sense that, like you have the National Re -orientation Agency. People have to reverse to our previous way of life. For example, the Yoruba have a way of life. The Igbos have a way of life. The Benin have a way of life. So if people look back and see that we have a culture, and our culture is quite different from what we are now practicing, it could be reversed. Okay, for example now, in those days, 15 naira in the university, had a lot of things it could do. People will eat, drink, and you will still have change left with you. You understand? Before 15 naira, how much was it that they sold food in the hostels, in the school, and so many other things? So unless we go back to having national consciousness, to also look at it that the passion of the past must be reviewed and reversed to ensure that people look at it and do things accordingly. Look at it now, if you have 5000 naira, can it take you to eat for a whole day? Unless you manage.
But in those days, 50 Naira, you would eat chicken, and so many other things, and you would not even be able to finish it in the hostel, as a student.
How do you rate this government?
Oh, very fantastic. Very fantastic. You see, the person in charge of the government now, people misunderstand him. People did not realize that he is a fundamentalist when it comes to taking care of the people, taking care of the society, and taking care of institutional organizations like the political party. He has been a man, and not just a man, a man who is endowed, a man who has wisdom, a man who has mixed with people, and a man who is also out to make a change in the society. But you see, when you are trying to make a change in the society, especially in a decadent society, it takes process. Mr. President cannot turn Nigeria, to America in a day. But there must be a process. Now, in the process that we are going through, he will be condemned, he will be criticized, he must be appreciated, and he must also be honored and valued. So, But you know, in our situation, in an underdeveloped society, people want development immediately. Instant development. And can you get development immediately? Definitely, it is not easy. When civil defense came on board, people wanted a change at all costs. I denied myself to the extent that my trousers were almost falling down. But for me to justify my stand, for people to see that the thing is out, what do you want to tell me that I didn’t face? Four assassination attempts, fire, thunder, even on the scene, and why? I was trying to ensure and to put before the government and people that there is a problem. A problem that has not been looked into. A problem that has been tapped. Based on that, I introduced the word scooping of oil, stealing of oil, damaging of oil installation, vandalization. But people didn’t know. And this is to tell you that people from where crude, where oil installation are put, people build houses on top of it, and they were looting every night. So, when an individual is more productive than government, what do you expect? Today now, look at Port Harcourt and some other things. Look at Arepu. Look at Plateau. These are dangerous places where we tread into to allow government to see the ills of the society. The problems associated with the society where people venture to go into things that they are not supposed to do. But in doing it, the man who is doing it must be crucified. Must be run down because you are stepping on toes. But I believe by the special grace of God, with the movement of our choice things will ultimately work out and become fine.
Thank you. God bless you
