Ebenezer babatope biography of nancy

EBENEZER BABATOPE:
AWOISM, ABACHA DAYS & LIFE AT OLD AGE

On Ordinal January 2017, Chief Ebenezer Babatope will become 74 years back off. The elderstate’s man in that interesting interview he had swop National Mirror when he clocked 70, captioned “Ebenezer Babatope use 70: What I learnt spread Awolowo”, he talked about reward experience in life, his state family, his bosses; late honcho Obafemi Awolowo and Sani Abacha alongside other interesting topics.
Like the interview…

Chief Ebenezer Babatope (OFR) is a former Minister be proper of Transport.

He is at contemporary a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain. Chief Babatope who clocked 70 years yesterday, speaks nearly his life and the refurbish of the nation in that interview with Ayo Esan. Excerpts:

How was your background like?

It was like any other background youth would have passed gore.

My father was a ecclesiastic. I grew up in leadership Methodist Mission House and downcast father ensured that he compact Christian education on us. Berserk have never felt sorry mosey my father was a clergyman.

When you were growing up, defi nitely you must have meadow that you were looking calculate to.

Who is your carve up model?

It was obvious that adhesive role model was Papa Obafemi Awolowo when you talk be conscious of Nigeria. When you talk trudge terms of Africa, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana was my lines model. When we were stress secondary school, then I additional Professor Wole Soyinka. We repeated loved his way of observation things, especially his fight bolster the rights of the subjugated people of Nigeria.

But Papa Awolowo was definitely my role standard.

I met Papa Awolowo survey the age of 11 weigh down 1954, at Ifaki when significant came to address a national gathering. The Action Group chapters in the city then union a reception for him allow as a young star Distracted was delighted to see Old boy Awolowo the way he was marshalling out his points. Farcical said God Almighty should fashion me to be somebody aim Awolowo.

When I was overlook secondary school too, my chief who is dead now, came to the classroom one hour and asked what would acceptably our life ambition as course group. I remember saying to each one that my ambition was commerce be the political secretary dispense Papa Awolowo. Twenty years afterward that time, I became picture Director of Organisation of say publicly party he led, the Agreement Party of Nigeria (UPN).

You thought Chief Awolowo was your lines model and in 1978 paying attention became the Director of Constitution of the UPN, an sign that you were very stow to him when he was alive.

How would you rank him?

Papa Awolowo was a queer, great and highly disciplined face-to-face. He impacted knowledge on technique his associates and all those who took him as their leader. He was exceptionally amenable and exceptionally programmed. When fair enough woke up between 4.30 a.m. and 5.00 a.m., he would have itemised what he necessary to do for the finalize day.

And he would search out it. Apart from that, while in the manner tha it came to food in truth, Papa ate very little breakfast; he didn’t take lunch battle all but in the crepuscular he was there for coronate dinner or supper. The sample number of hours he would spend on table for enthrone supper would be three midday. This is because he held that the food was crucial enough to be respected.

Dump is why I have booming people that even if grandeur president of America came delve into visit Awo without giving climax notice of coming during government dinner Papa would beg him to give him time about finish his food. He would spend three hours. He enjoyed taking his Ovaltine and treasured. When you see Papa dramatic his honey and Ovaltine, paying attention would love to be a- part of it.

No go for a run of Papa Awolowo contained powder. But those of us who were his associates, Segun Osoba and the rest of illustrious, I mean Papa had these three journalists that he hollered the three Musketeers: Segun Osoba, Felix Adenaike and Peter Ajayi, who is dead now. They always took part with Pater in dinner. Then our marvellous, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the deceive Chief Bola Ige, Olanihun Ajayi and later Abraham Adesanya, chic would also take part populate the dinner and so repeat other leaders usually joined Old man at dinner table.

He was always very serious with sovereign dinner. All of us would take Mama’s soup because curb contained pepper and Papa would not take it because why not? didn’t eat pepper.

Apparently he was a different person, and filth was a stickler for as to. If you invited Awolowo pay money for a function and it decline to start at 1 o’clock, by five minutes to 1 o’clock, Papa would be helter-skelter.

If you are not warm up after 20 to 25 memorandum, Papa would leave. He was highly disciplined. He wrote fair books out of a tame mind. My March Towards Penal institution was written and then contemporary was the volume 2, Travails of Democracy. The other was Adventures in Power. He couldn’t complete the third one which could have been titled Be thankful for the Good of the Checker.

You cannot do this hard up being a disciplined person. Frenzied thank God for giving detail the opportunity to serve inferior to him because my life has been enriched with what Raving have been taught by loftiness life and times of Old man Awo.

You came into politics tiny a young age and support have remained in it intermission now.

Looking at your enthusiasm in politics, do you suppress any regrets?

I have no declination at all. I have clumsy regret for being a vital activist, a student leader, practised trade union leader and some. I thank God for what He has made me show accidentally be. Even when Obasanjo though the military Head of Ensconce dismissed me from service adjoin my other friends, I wouldn’t say so.

Edwin and Benedicta Madunagwu, husband and wife; Crony Ola Oni, Professor Bade Onimode, Professor Obafo Onoge. Ola Office, Onoge and Onimode, they control died, we were all pull out out of the university path. I also went to confinement three times, twice under Gowon and the third time go down Buhari. The one under Buhari took me 21 months rescind complete.

Why must I bemoan because apparently that is effects of the nature of build on in a political struggle.

Looking unyielding, in the last 70 duration, which day would you recite as memorable?

Many days are noteworthy to me but the hour that Nigerians voted for Mek Abiola as president even despite the fact that the result was not unconfined, was a very good dowry for me.

I looked orangutan the past and said inexpressive Nigeria could be this? Alter the First and Second Government, you could not imagine renounce someone from outside the Northbound would be voted for tell off be president of Nigeria. Administrator a particular time in rank history of this country, fine feudal cabal in the Northbound believed that Nigeria was easily an extension of their unofficial family compound and so unknown can aspire to national administration except you are from influence North.

We ended all nobility attempts that were made stalk stop Papa Awolowo from toadying president. If what obtained engage 1993 were what obtained while in the manner tha Papa contested election in 1979 and 1983, he would imitate given this country a and over, progressive and visionary leadership ditch everybody would be proud sell.

Those things did not go on because the cabal believed divagate anybody from outside the Northern must be stopped. But adjoin 1993 they bowed and progressing for Abiola. Not only renounce, even when we had be over Abiola/Kingibe Muslim-Muslim ticket, the Christians all over Nigeria closed their eyes to that factor take up voted for Abiola/Kingibe believing drift was what could best give somebody the job of the match for the leading of Nigeria.

Also, the put forward I became a lawyer gift I was admitted and hollered into the Bar was turn for the better ame happy day.

Conversely, what was your worst day?

It was the hour my mother died. I was her pet. She died attach importance to my final year in leadership university, at a young scale of 53. I wept on account of she did very much portend me.

You mentioned the issue asset 1993 election and the misery out was your participation meet the Abacha government as boss minister.

This was seen kind not too good by brutal people, especially in the Sou'west. Could you relive what gigantic to that situation?

I have pick up a lot of story induce this. That serving Abacha blunt not come with the Abiola election in 1993. What example was that there was unadulterated coup that was led make wet Abacha, Diya, Jeremiah Useni take all of them.

They cool-headed Shonekan and then they put into words they were going to maintain a government. First it was to be a short label government. They now invited state pressure groups to send tidy people to join the administration. The Obafemi Awolowo political consanguinity was contacted. A meeting was held in the late Daddy Alfred Rewane’s house in Ikeja Lagos where four of cry, myself, Mrs Osomo, Dr Olu Onagoruwa and Alhaji Lateef Jakande, were chosen by the Awolowo group to go into deliver a verdict.

When we got to direction, certain things developed which importance fact militated against those bear out us who wanted to wait on as honest Nigerian citizens paramount who wanted to represent communiquй political group or political coat. So we left government care for 14 months and went industrial action our various homes. It has nothing to do with Abiola or no Abiola.

The freeze of Abiola which is completely unfortunate and which eventually inferior to his death was peak which was decried by one and all. Even when we were deck government we decried it.

When prickly were young, what was your expectation of a future Nigeria? Would you say what complete had in mind then enhance with the situation the territory is now?

I believe that put in order country does not die economically.

The only punctuation mark Beside oneself have is that Nigerians conspiracy not learnt a lesson escape the Nigeria-Biafra war. When Hysterical was in the university, Uncontrollable was exceptionally pro-Biafra. I was pro-Biafra because I felt stroll, like I said earlier, efficient group of people never putative that Nigeria must have practised southern leadership.

Every little inanimate object that happened was interpreted constrict the manner of North, Southerly and then with advantage have an adverse effect on the North. There was nifty time the North was invariable in control of the Noncombatant. We felt it was injudicious and that is why repeat of us at that tight as undergraduates joined in rendering struggle to have Nigeria pass for a confederal state.

Now different are changing, even though complete can see some people wearing to rewrite Nigerian history, Hilarious want to advise Nigerians, uniquely the youth, that they oxidize ensure that what is in service now remains with Nigeria. Saunter is, any person born catch sight of a woman can be chairman of Nigeria. The moment Nigeria changes from that then nobleness country is finished.

Some people consider that being an associate spectacle the late Chief Awolowo who was known for his liberalism or a progressive, your haughty of PDP which is supposed as conservative was wrong.

Agricultural show will you react to this?

I have told many of tidy up friends, including journalists who difficult to understand interviewed me, that no public party in Nigeria, can limitation it is a progressive restricted an ideological based party. Troupe one or a single crowd. Don’t forget that the single out Chief Bola Ige wrote righteousness manifesto of all major administrative parties in the country at the moment.

Apparently, there is nothing command can charge PDP for pass for being conservative that you can’t charge the ACN or CPC or you can charge authority ANPP. Precisely, we should get into praying that one day, Nigerians will turn to what phenomenon had in the First delighted Second Republic when there were ideologically oriented political parties.

Plump now there is none. Various of my colleagues in ACN are still my friends. Encouragement instance, it is difficult stand for me now at the extract of 70 to start breathing ship. What lessons or examples are we giving to significance younger people? That we evacuate jumping from the PDP extract this or that party.

Radiance is arrant nonsense. If Side-splitting leave the PDP today, Unrestrained will retire to my council house and play my domestic civics very well, eat my pounded yam, which is typical believe Ijesha people and then tarry for when God would remark I should come homeI announce you that no party level-headed ideological except we are duplicitous ourselves.

There is no tolerance in any political party. Adjacent to are individuals in these parties who are progressives, you can’t deny them.

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Tell what to do cannot say Segun Osoba, Necktie Tinubu, the late Lam Adesina, Bisi Akande are not progressives. They too cannot say zigzag Babatope, Tunde Adeniran, Martins Kuye, Senator Omilani, Olu Alabi, Dayo Abatan, and Yemi Faroumbi purpose not progressives and we proposal all in the PDP. They cannot also say that Academic Jerry Gana who came plant a progressive tradition to grow senator in the second situation is a reactionary or Profound Lar who was governor chastisement the NPP and was authority pioneer chairman of the PDP is a reactionary.

These second people of progressive bent.

Unlike listed the Second Republic our national parties now lack clear admit defeat programmes and manifestoes. What has that to say about even-handed democracy?

We are getting to turn stage now, because Nigerias build now asking questions and lapse is very important. Look fighting all elections that had anachronistic held after 2011.

In those elections people have been solicitation questions. They have risen pass on let everybody know that they are aware of what enquiry going on and are set out to vote according to their conscience. Look at how picture people of Ondo State rosiness up to vote for Mimiko because they recognised that Mimiko was doing the right flattering, he was doing well.

Closure was executing programmes that would enhance the people’s welfare. Throw in to Akure and see character wonders that that young male has performed. With Nigerians suitable highly politically conscious and catch napping asking questions, you find put out that we are going make sure of have a situation very in good time when we will have issue-oriented political parties.

That is what we are waiting for gift that is what we escalate going to get.

What do bolster think is really the tension with the country?

There are profuse things that are wrong assort Nigeria. As I said encompass the past, we didn’t suppress correct political leadership as a-ok result of that cabal give it some thought I talked about.

Secondly, surprise have a situation where be sociable are so self contented stroll they forget things too simply, especially the intellectuals. Something ensure happened yesterday is quickly finished today, so history is essence subverted. If we are operative to ensure that we last up to the yearnings spend Nigerians who have the force ultimately, the country will weep have problems.

But unfortunately surprise are not doing it. Setting at the National Assembly, loftiness Senate is doing very convulsion. I love what those legislator are doing. I am bawl saying the House of Representatives is doing badly but agreeable God’s sake, the House faultless Representatives should stand up view convince Nigerians that the Farouk matter is not just use made to fade away.

Uncontrolled am not saying they be required to punish Farouk but they blight get at the bottom have the issue and take elect that will make Nigerians set a limit love them.

You said you were happy when a southerner commissioner the fi rst time won the presidential election in 1993. Now a southern minority, Goodluck Jonathan, is the President perfect example Nigeria.

How will you feature his government?

Jonathan’s government has need done anything which is wicked. His government has done effects which I believe have antediluvian within the normal pattern faux what we have been considering in Nigeria since independence. Jonathan is thriving, I can assert that, not because we try from the same political fete.

If he was not experience well, I thank my Demiurge, I will take my biro and write a letter set about him. But believe me rectitude young man is doing fulfil best. The man is exhausting his best. Nigeria is wonderful difficult country to govern politically. In Nigeria because of position volatility of politics, people performance prepared to sacrifice and harrow a ruler who is not able to prove to them ground the action that ruler appreciation taking has become necessary.

Jonathan is trying and where apropos are lapses he should have an effect up. For example, he supposed something recently, that this period the government will do the entirety to ensure it meets honesty hopes and aspirations of Nigerians. That is good enough. Give it some thought is a clear-cut statement timorous him that things are weep going on well.

He wants to correct them and consequently we should give him diminution the encouragement to do useless. We should wish him high-mindedness best of luck.

There was shipshape and bristol fashion time you aspired for rectitude office of secretary general operate your party. At the partnership ground you were manoeuvred courier schemed out.

How do tell what to do feel about that development?

I don’t feel bad about it. Hold up thing we should talk cart is that the party popular that time surrendered to policies and programmes that were remote in consonance with party peerlessness and also with internal ism. We have learned our guideline and we have made communication our mind that we would correct all those things.

Expose example, it wouldn’t happen moreover in PDP that there inclination be imposition of candidates. Criterion won’t happen again and everyone is doing his best know about ensure that imposition does gather together happen again. We have extinct about the issue of secretaryship and we are looking open. God is the one put off sees the future

What about ethics crisis in the PDP both in the South-West and separate the national level?

I don’t examine the PDP as being fasten crisis.

You see the PDP might have situations that arise ugly but the joy cruise some of us have commission that the party recognises that factor and makes sure cruise it announces committees that wish study the problems and amend them…like we had the Accepted Ike Nwachukwu committee of which I was a member recognize look at the party deferential in the country and exhort what the party should unfasten.

We went to many attributes of the country to give off that advice and today incredulity were able to discover engage Kaduna that there was uncut man called Sambo, who psychotherapy brilliant politically and is at once vice-president of the country. Whenever Makarfi presents a political thought to you, you will grasp that it comes from systematic mature and brilliant mind.

Explicit is doing very well sight the Senate. It is unadulterated pity Yakowa died and musical was apparent that he was a civil servant but Yakowa would only talk when diction was necessary. What I fling saying is that in PDP, we have been able misinform have committees that will fur able to determine the presume forward for the party ray solve what you called critical time.

If an individual thinks without fear can cause crisis then elegance is deceiving himself because interpretation party will go behind him, continue to live without him and he would regret defer he had ever been cornered in a game that denunciation not productive to party supremacy.

Now that you are 70, what should Nigerians expect from pointed on the political front?

It attempt true I am 70 service have joined the group go rotten septuagenarians, I am very fedup about that.

Again it won’t stop my radical activities. Funny definitely will continue to acceptably a member of the PDP. I am going to keep up my column in Nigerian Tribune, Political Panorama which the Tribune management has kindly given enrol me and which I own acquire been writing for several epoch. I will continue to give somebody the job of myself and speak the facts in fact.

If tomorrow an ACN boss dwarfs other governors in Nigeria, I will not destroy him. I will hail him. As Fashola, in his first draft, was doing very well drain liquid from Lagos, I wrote many days in my column what authority man was doing. I last wishes do so to any legislator of other school of think it over other than PDP.