I survived two murder attempts from close friends —Folorunsho

WHAT was your trademark as a lad?

I thank the Lord and my mother. My mother was a disciplinarian. If you don’t go to Sunday School and you don’t attend early morning Bible study, you are not going to eat the following day. So, the fear of not eating would make us not to do those things. I was a very stubborn person. When my father died, I would go and play football instead of doing the house chores. I don’t like cooking and as a matter of fact, we were all males. She would tie my hands and beat me mercilessly the following morning.

All boys’ home must be very interesting. 

Yes It was interesting. The sad thing was that the lady that was born before me died. So, when I was born, my mother thought I would be a female and when she saw me, she was crying because it was a boy again. Fortunately, that was the day my father bought two cars and I was named Oladipupo. Among the boys, I was very rascally. But my mum was able to put me in line.

There must be a lot of fighting

Of course. My brother is like my father now and a fine gentleman. But I fought the most senior one regularly because he too was stubborn. You know stubborn people don’t agree. He would beat me and I would break things in the process. He would still come and beat me again.

How rascally were you?

I fought and did all sorts that the young boys did. This hand of mine got broken as a result of football. I was playing football but my mum would beat me and tell me not to go. Despite that, I still went and played football and I broke my hand. Even with the POP, I would still go out and play. And when I returned, she would beat me again.

How much of the rascality affected your studies? 

I was very brilliant. I can tell you that I came second only twice in primary school. I was also the senior prefect in secondary school and I was playing football. In fact, former Green Eagles striker, (Segun) Odegbami, was my school mate. I think our brilliance attracted us to each other. The prayer footballers say on the field, we were the ones who started it in 1978 at the Liberty stadium. I was very stubborn playing football but brilliant. When I completed the O’ level, I had three As out of nine subjects. So, when my father died, I had to stop schooling at Premier College, which is now Jibowu High School, and went to Ilesa to attend Commercial Secondary School and when my mates were in the final year, I went back to class one.

You stopped schooling due to inability to pay school fees

Yes, my mother could not afford to pay the fees.  When my father died, it was the school that helped me to complete my payment up till the time I finished from there in 1969. I stopped college, more so because the first born of my father died and as a result, I had to stop and I went back to Ilesa to complete my studies.

And you went on to become a lecturer?

After the secondary school at Ilesa, I went to Yaba College Of Technology and I became a chartered accountant at the age of 25 before I finished my Ordinary National Diploma and the school retained me as a lecturer in 1984. I taught Management Accounting for about six years. Later, I became an ICAN examiner before I started looking for money. My book is still on the ICAN recommended list.

Hope female students didn’t trouble you?

You see, the doctrines of the Apostolic Church really helped me. Even in secondary school, the female students tempted me. Some would come and ask me to do all sort of things. But, I would resist because you had been taught of the danger in it.  When I became the Managing Director of International Computers Limited (ICL), the women were saying they were not seeing my children and they thought I couldn’t perform sexually. Our mothers always warned us to be careful of women. So, what our mothers put in our brains had sunk and up till now, I don’t look at them twice except my wife and those that are close to me.

So, no sex-for-mark proposals?

Not at all. Since they knew the stuff you were made of, they won’t come near you with something like that. It was not even possible at Yabatech, because if you have 100 marks, you would be having your test at different times and it attracts 10 marks each. So, maybe the final mark is about 20 or 30. So, if you have been failing instalmentally, you fail totally.

And you left?

I needed money. When I finished lecturing ICAN, God really helped me. The first software ICAN used for its examinations was developed in my house and all the computers were supplied by my company. I became the Managing Director of ICL in 2001 and of course, I left to start my own business because people expected so much from me.

What are the memories from your mum? 

I learnt discipline from her. Her faith was so strong that it impacted on me. I believe God determines all I have had in my life—the challenges, the successes, breakthroughs and He is still with me anyways. As a payback, I built a house for her in Ilesa. But up till now, I have not slept in that house because she was there for about three or four years before I brought her to Lagos when she was a bit old. She died in 2007 at the age of 87. I didn’t want her to go. My mother was my second God and I think I took care of her so much. She was not sick before she died. As a matter of fact, we even had dinner before she died.

And lessons from your dad? 

My father was polygamous. He had up to six wives. The funny thing is that all gave birth to their children almost the same time. I was the one that came alone. So, he was taking me out a lot more than everyone of them. Around 1966, I was going out with my father to the club. He would take me out which he wouldn’t do to any of his other children. I was going with him to the king’s palace and all other important meetings. His special interest in me caused problem after he died. My father was very kind and he was always for the truth. I took that from him. What I didn›t take from him is the polygamous life.

But it must be a house of commotion? 

Not at all. My dad was highly disciplined. If one wife cooked, my dad would make sure that all the children ate from the food. In fact, my dad adopted many children and we lived together well. There was nothing like competition among us. For instance, if my stepsister wanted to buy clothes for Christmas, she bought for everyone.

Looks like the church and mum shaped you.

The doctrine of the church taught me never to enter into a relationship with any woman you won’t marry. What you cannot eat, don’t taste. I always tell women too that the greatest thing they have is their virginity. The man that deflowers you must be the one you must marry. So, I met my wife in the church. Of course, we had been friends. We were living in the same compound. So, we grew up together and the affection was there. There was a day (Prophet Theophilus) Obadare asked the congregation to lay their hands on whatever problem we had and of course, I had no problem but I was chasing the woman everywhere. So, I laid my hand on her because she was my problem and that was the beginning of our relationship.

What was her immediate reaction?

She was like who are you? And I told her I am the one. I told her we would talk after the revival. I told her my intention, but you know women would always make shakara. But, she eventually said yes. So in 1985, we had our first child and now, we have three girls and two boys.

What does she want you to change? 

If I nag too much, she complains. I have to tell her what I want in a subtle way. Instead of shouting, tell her in a soft way so that you can get what you want. She wants me to correct the children but I should not beat them too much.

There must be an unforgettable experience. 

I don’t want to remember, but I cannot forget betrayal of trust. I don’t want to mention names because event is still on. Obasanjo gave me five projects in 2002 and the friends I took along with me disappointed me so much. The project was huge. One is even worth N20 billion. But I thank God because what would have taken one’s life did not. So, you learn to walk away from it. Again, I have forgiven them in order for me to be able to move forward. When I brought the issue before Obasanjo, he said I should move on.

How did you meet Obasanjo?

I knew him through Justice Ilori’s daughter and we became very close. We are still close till now. Dr (Mrs) Oby Ezekwesili was my colleague in the 90s. In all honesty, I was in my father’s house that day and I had not seen Oby for a very long time. So, the Holy Spirit asked me to go to NICON. I saw her back but she didn’t see me. Before then, there was this group called National Interest in 1999 and I was a member of that group. I was nominated for the position of finance minister. So, Obasanjo wanted a professional to be the finance minister. So, Oby also brought me and Obasanjo together and I did many presentations to him on what could be done to help this country.

Have you had any near-death experience?

That was poison by someone close to me. I had a land somewhere and there was a conspiracy to kill me in order to take the land from me. But something told me not to eat the food. The person was surprised that I didn’t eat it. I want to close that chapter and move on. The second one was about the land. The people you trust so much are your greatest enemy. I was in a vigil with the late MD of Pacific Company and the Holy Spirit said to me that there was a sign of death and called for a prayer and fasting. We did it. Just about  two months, they killed my friend and they went after me. But I did not die due to the mercy of the Holy Spirit.

What about your pet project?

I think by the grace of God for the last 25 years, I have been doing the prison ministry. I have a music school in all the prisons. If you go to MUSON Centre, you will see my name there.

How sociable are you?

I am a social recluse. I don’t like noise. I go quietly and peacefully. I have this belief  of let my work speak for me.

How do you relax then? 

I relax by playing saxophone. I love any B-flat instrument. I was once a member of the choir.