I stopped taking soft drinks 20 years ago —90-year-old Sonaike

Chief Festus Folarin Sonaike, the founder of Ilisan Microfinance Bank and Asalu of Ilisan-Remo clocks 90 years today. He speaks with WALE AKINSELURE on his life and times and on the state of the nation.

In a country where life expectancy is about 55 years, your attaining 90 years is a big deal. Briefly, take us through your journey in life thus far. Then, to whom, to what do you owe attaining this old age?

My name is Sir (Chief) Evangelist Festus Folarin Sonaike. I thank God for my life which has been so eventful. It has been up and down but today, I want to thank God that I am still alive, and that I have been able to go through the up and down. I started school very early. I finished with struggle because, those days, not many of us had the privilege to attend school; we were all dragged to the farm but, by luck, I was pulled out from my family that I should go to school. I did my best in elementary school and this encouraged my parents to send me to secondary school and, after some time, I went overseas for further studies. I started my schooling from Ilisan Wesley school in 1940 and proceeded to Sagamu Oko Wesley school and finished standard six in 1947. I was a teacher in 1948 and 1949, then in 1950, I proceeded to Methodist Boys High School, Lagos, for my secondary school education. I worked briefly before proceeding to Britain in 1960. I spent about 10 years in Britain, I came back in 1970. I qualify as a chartered secretary and chartered accountant. My life has been really eventful especially when one hasn’t got someone to finance all his projects, and one has to struggle on one’s own. This is the type of life we lived then. Many of us were struggling, we matched going to school with going to the farm and all other engagements. We didn’t have an easy time during those days. I was never a full time student because when I leave school, go to the farm, go to other places, I was occupied and I rarely had time for leisure.

You talked about ups and downs, would you consider yourself fulfilled at 90?

Yes, I do. When my children said they wanted to mark my 90th birthday, I went looking for some documents. Incidentally, I couldn’t find the documents but, one day, I remembered that I had packed them somewhere when I was writing my will and writing preparation for my burial. I didn’t know I will be 90years at all, I was all the time thinking of all the odds, life sickness and I didn’t know I will make 90 at all.

What do you consider as your landmark achievements in life that whenever you remember, you feel so happy?

Two things come to mind. First of all, in the 1950s, I was working in Lagos, many of my fellows were travelling overseas, I didn’t have the means of travelling out. But I had it in mind that anytime I have the opportunity to travel to Britain, I said I wanted to venture into professions that no Ilisan boy has ever attempted and make a breakthrough in such. Today, I am happy that I am the first chartered accountant in this community. For that purpose, I have tried to help the community with my experience. I led the formation of Ilisan Microfinance bank; I hatched the idea; I started it; I called a few people and the bank is flourishing today. The Ilisan Microfinance bank was helpful to many people as Ilisan had got no banks then. Even the one in Babcock university back is not an indigenous bank. At that time, people considered me as Asalu (someone they can come to for help). And that was why Kabiyesi gave me the title, Asalu of Ilisan-Remo.

Tell us about the kind of lifestyle you led that might have aided your long life?

I am a socialite; I mix social activities with other activities. I don’t go to night clubs. I drink but I don’t drink much, those days though, because for the past 20 years, I have not taken beer; I take water alone; I don’t take soft drinks too. I attend social events. I don’t see anything that will stop me from being social; I mix with people and it doesn’t affect my profession, my work. To be a professional accountant, you must be social, you must meet people, you must do whatever they do. There are times we go out and people say accountants don’t want to spend money to drink, so you have to drink and tell them you spend money on drink, otherwise, one will be ostracized. I mix both social and professional.

What do you make of the notion about accountants being miserly, stingy?

They are not stingy; I will say they are prudent. If you want to do something, you sit and plan it; some people don’t do this, they just go into things without planning and that thing can eventually fail. But an accountant will say before starting anything, sit down, match it because he doesn’t want any mismatch in the end.

People of your age talk about the good old days, how does the present time compare to the past?

I remember those days, we may have three events for a night, one in Ibadan, another in Ijebu-Ode, another one in Abeokuta, and we will cover them all. Then, anytime you finish one, you take your car and move; there was no fear travelling even traveling at 2am, 3am. You cannot do that now. But, we lost a lot then engaging in social events, spending extraordinarily. Those days, we held parties in the night; we start 8pm till 8am, drinking, eating. Insecurity is the snag. Security wise, those days were better than this time but we wasted a lot of money on social events then. People are murdered on the farm. So, insecurity is the problem comparing then to now.  Also, those days we were disciplined. The reason my father allowed me to go to start school at age six years, six months. Then you close 2pm from school and by 3pm you must be on the farm. And I have to comply otherwise they won’t pay my school fees.

You are an accountant, Nigerians worry that the country has accumulated a lot of debt but government usually would say the borrowing is to fix infrastructure. As an accountant, do you fear that Nigeria is accumulating so much debt?

The situation is very embarrassing. I am not a politician but I think we practise a special kind of politics in this country. I don’t think it looks like what happens in other countries. We read of the trillions borrowed and I ask, ‘For what?’ I saw a story of N14billion to be spent on furniture in Aso Rock. The borrowing in this country is abnormal. You can borrow if you want to use the money wisely and profitably. As a businessman, you don’t need to have all the money you need, you can borrow, but it must be applied to useful and profitable ventures. The borrowing in this country is embarrassing, even to the international community.

Are you on the same page with those who say that leadership is our greatest problem in Nigeria?

I think so. We don’t have conscience. In other countries, you don’t go into government to get rich. But here, people struggle to be in government; why do people kill themselves just to be in government? Why should there be so much chaos because you want to serve the nation? It is abnormal. If we live the life that Chief Obafemi Awolowo lived, this country will be very peaceful, rich and prosperous.

Why is it difficult for us to have leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo?

It is because we don’t have conscience. People want to grab power and satisfy themselves. Even to please the self is impossible. People must know the difference between serving self and serving God.

What is your level of optimism in the new leadership of President Bola Tinubu bringing about the desired change and progress for the nation?

We have to pray. Tinubu could be a good administrator but the people around him is the problem. Tinubu has already committed himself during the campaigns and he wants to fulfill promises he made to people. It is still daisy. He may have the intention, but what about the environment. Also, Tinubu’s intention matters, whether he wants to enjoy himself or wants to serve. It all depends.

You founded Ilisan Microfinance bank. How can Microfinance banking be more impactful on the nation’s economy?

We started with community bank quite different from commercial bank operation because you touch the individual people according to their needs and you make things simple for them. To have proper financial foundation, it converted into Microfinance banking. Micro is something with rural banking. Commercial banks are for high people: to borrow you are asked to bring your property documents. Microfinance bank deals with people who have no property documents. So, it makes things easy for these people to grow. Any country that wants to grow must start from the grassroot. The Microfinance bank has potential to grow the economy. The economy is boiling and we need fresh approach like access to loan, application of small loans on micro issues which commercial banks don’t have time for. If we can develop new products from micro activities, it will help our economy. Bodies like microfinance banks can help facilitate new products into the market. Micro finance has future and would later, if they cannot surpass, match commercial banks.

What would you advice should be the priorities of our leaders to better the lives of Nigerians?

We need proper study of the segments of the economy. There are natural resources that government can develop to help the people. We need a critical study of our requirements and how we can meet these requirements. The problem is failure of government to understand the grassroot; they fail to know why the grassroot is suffering thereby identify how to meet the people’s need appropriately. Government fails to satisfy the grassroot by providing food, housing, amenities that they lack. Nigeria has a lot of problems to solve.

As a Knight of John Wesley of the Methodist Church, tell us of your contributions to the church and the society.

I have been in the Methodist church for 83years and I can boast that I have served for the whole 83 years. When I came back from Britain, I did a lot to serve the local church, my diocese and the conference. The only thing a Christian has to do is to serve. Whatever you have, use it to serve the church and society. I was auditor for the diocese for about 21 years; I have served as treasurer for about 10 years. I have been Chairman, President in many other societies. Today, I am still the president of some societies in our church and I still want to serve if I have the opportunity. I was given Knighthood in 2018 just because of my service.

At 90years, how do you want to lead your life going forward?

I still want to do more for the church and the community. I don’t have money to spend but I can serve the church and community.

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