EVERYBODY has a childhood story, what’s your own story?
I grew up in Lagos, but I had my primary school education in Kwara State. I lived with my grandma. After that, I went to secondary school in Igbeti, Kwara State. For the first 15 years, I didn’t live with my parents. From there, I attended Kwara State Polytechnic. Thereafter, I went to the university. But childhood was very interesting. We were brought up from a very poor background. My father was very poor. They could only afford school bag, when I was in primary school all through secondary school. But thank God. I survived it. My father had so many children, but I am the first child. He had about 11 boys. When I was in primary school, we moved from Amukoko to Ojo. We are the first set of people that opened that Alaba International Market. Then, my mum was selling small chops, soft drink and my brother and I used to hawk them around the market. We could go to Alaba Suru, three times a day. When it became difficult for us to even feed ourselves, the choice was to go to work with bricklayers. As a labourer, I would follow them in the morning to work and earn N5, N3 or N2 and also, it was from Sunday to Monday. If I did not go, my family would not eat. So, I took it as everyday business. I would carry sand, mixed with cement, carried blocks and still served the bricklayers because I did not have a choice. My brother later joined me in the business. Thereafter, my mother discovered again that people selling groundnuts were making money and those who were coming with the raw groundnuts were based in Ajegunle . She would go there by 6 o’clock in the morning and after bargaining, I would take home, wash and put on fire. After this, I would go and meet the bricklayers to start another work. So, the revenue was now coming from two sources. It was like that until I got to secondary school. But one day, I discovered that I had to stop because I was being overused. Instead of the bricklayer hiring about four people, I would be the only one doing all the work. I tried to revolt on a particular day that they should hire more hands. My hands had peeled off, my head too. I didn’t see it as suffering. I saw it as a means of livelihood and when you are looking for a means of livelihood, you may not see it as suffering. So, I continued because we were living in the same house, with the bricklayers. I didn’t see it as suffering, especially when I got home, I had money to give my brother for food.
Why the constant movement from Lagos to Kwara State?
That’s where I went to school. I attended ECWA secondary school in Kwara State.
Why were you sent to grandma?
That was during my primary school days. After primary school, I moved to ECWA secondary school, which was a boarding house. It did not cost anything because they supplied us the basic things we needed.
Grandma must have spoilt you
Grandma depended on the money sent to her from Lagos. She had about four grandchildren and depended solely on the money from Lagos. Unfortunately, my father couldn’t send money. But then, what were we looking for? It was just for us to eat, play football and go to school.
There is this belief that children that grew up around their grannies always had free reign so to say.
It’s not always true. Those from the rich family are so lucky. Every basic things they need, are there for them. But for some that don’t have means of livelihood, it may be tough.
But grandmas don’t usually flog?
Well, mine did not, but would shout on you. I enjoyed being with her. But immediately I left her and entered secondary school, another life began. That was when I knew what it meant when people say the world is in two folds (Ile aye pe meji). This was because I couldn’t go to grandma again. It was from secondary school to my parents in Lagos and I was also supporting the family.
Those trying times possibly shaped you.
Well! There is a certain thing attached to life and that is whatever you can do to make ends meet legitimately, do it very well. After my secondary school, I went to Kwara State Polytechnic, which is another story entirely. I remember I had two trousers and two shirts. Yes. I spent two years- Basic 1 and Basic 2. Every other clothes came from my friend, who would say that I brought this for you, Tayo. But personally, I would say I had two. To cut a long story short, one thing I remember is that I wanted to sit for the last paper but I couldn›t afford to pay the fee. It’s just about N7. Somebody owed my father, while the exam drew near. I carried my luggage and left for his house. He’s a big man o. The man would just show up on the balcony, look at me and say I don’t have money today, then wish me goodbye. This happened close to 10 times, that I would pack my load from Ojo to Ebute- Metta and I would get there and the man would just dismiss me though he was the one that said we should come. I was now thinking of how I would get the money to pay. I wrote a letter to a family friend that was close to my father. I told him to borrow me a certain amount. My father did not send me, but if I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have got money to pay. I wrote the letter and he said I should come and collect the money. He gave me the money. I didn’t even tell my daddy. I just told him that I got some money. That was how I was able to write the exams. When I passed, I moved to Ahmadu Bello University. Even though there was no money when I got there, I did not feel anything because I had friends. During school days, I could move to your room play, eat and you could also move to my room and do same too.
Two things were driving me. One, my parents were suffering. When I say they didn’t have, it doesn’t mean they were not trying their best to get what I wanted. Maybe I needed N4, they might have N1. Two, you recall I said grandma had four children and they had all gone far in education. Their own children were in the university already. So, I said to myself, if all of them could be in the university, I too, should be and it wasn’t that their own parents too, had so much. Again, one of my dad’s brother›s children, who just finished from the university, travelled out and in a couple of months, sent cars to his dad and I said that if that’s the case, I must be educated at all cost.
They said comrades are not always loving husbands.
Once I leave this office, before I get to my house, my comradeship ends. I don’t know how many times I get to see my family probably because I do travel a lot. I’m at work now, I may get home around 11 p.m. So, the little time I will be with them, will I still sit down and be calling myself comrade. I’m not comrade o. I’m a father and a husband.
Is there any of your kids showing greater toughness?
Yes but I will not encourage them.
Why?
You see, our job is a thankless job. Sometimes, you just decide to do something regardless of the fact that it doesn’t concern you but because somebody is suffering, you just want to help that person and at the end of the day, the person will just overlook and pretend as if you didn’t help.
Since you have agreed that we are not that perfect, what is that thing that mummy has been trying to take away from you?
I don’t think there’s any. I would describe myself as a perfect husband. When they asked us to make one vow on my wedding day, I said to myself that there would never be a day that I would abuse my wife, saying who are you, your head is not correct. God forbid. It was solemn to me. Our marriage is 18 years this month and I have not quarreled with my wife. But the human beings that we are, they want to get on your nerves sometimes. But if I can control the people in my office and not have any disagreement with them, I can deal with that. If the argument is getting too much, I would say excuse please give me water or I want to quickly see somebody there and I go out. By the time I come out, there will be nothing else to discuss.
So, how much of magic did education do for you immediately after your university?
I did not just turn into a comfortable man overnight. Not at all. After I had suffered in the university, I was still looking for job. I still struggled to have my MBA, while seeking a job. I had a sister in Shell, who said I should come and I was very happy that I was going to Shell. She said that there was a job for me, and I went there, well dressed. I got there and they said I should go and meet somebody. I just saw some boots, cap, beret and I was like who owns all these. The man said it was security guard o. He said I would man a gate. I was wondering but didn›t want to disappoint my sister. Secondly, even if I wanted to disappoint her, I did not have anything to do. I said let me do it. I wanted to do it in order to have a story to tell that I had gone through this. I also thought that probably if I was there, I could mix with those Shell staff and probably get employment from there. On that day, they gave me boot, shirt, and beret. And I started. Initially, I was ashamed and asked them if they could put me on the night shift so that people would not be seeing me. So, I started the night and two weeks later, I fell sick because it was not easy for you not to sleep at all. If one start 10 p.m, one will be looking like this (widening his eyeballs) till 6 o’clock, next day. Funny enough, one day, the owner of the company said I should come and when I got there, he greeted me very well but I didn’t know that was the end of my job. He said that they should measure my height and after the measurement, he said ‘you are not up to.’ I was like, ‘ah the job that I was managing, not proud of.’ I said ‘thank you sir.’ I handed over everything and that was the end of security job (Laughs). After that, I met another man that said I could be an audit assistant, moving from one company to the other and how much was I collecting then? But one thing is this, I needed to feed my family and that was just the most important thing. However, I was confident that someday, it was either I use that certificate to work or something about this education would lead me to something or somebody that would lift me out of poverty.
That conviction was prophetic.
Well, when I didn’t have anything to do, I joined all these Afenifere people. I began to follow them up and down without specific schedule. They would just say do this and that. I was moving with them because I felt that they would just look at me and ask ‘don’t you have a job?’ They did ask me and I told them my situation, but nobody helped me.
Hon. Akinlaja and I are family friends. My mother and Mrs Akinlaja were close friends and I would say that that was the only friend my mother had. Hon. Akinlaja is like a father to me even up till today. Most people don’t know that I’m not from Ondo because of our close relationship. After that Chevron matter, (when security agents attacked Akinlaja during a labour protest) I went to greet him since I knew he was brutalized. I met some people in his house and as they were leaving, he called them back and asked (the position requested for, had you filled it?) They said no. He said okay, and he recommended me to them. The next day I went there. When I got there, all I saw was just a canopy (Laughs). It was like tent. I lamented to myself, why did Mr Akinlaja do this and he was the General Secretary of NUPENG then. He didn’t take me to Shell, Chevron and Mobil so why this place? What are they doing here? But the first day, they gave me N5,000 for doing nothing, it was like I should go and look for a bullion van (Laughs). The following day, they gave me N5,000 again. I didn›t believe it and this is for doing nothing. I was just sitting around. They would ask me Tayo have you eaten, I would say no and they would tell me, eat now, you are free. I began to study their system. I was with WABECO unit. WABECO was the first private tank farm. On Friday, they now gave me N20,000 (Laughs). I couldn’t believe this. Within a month, I that didn’t have a dime, suddenly had N200,000. But something happened. I got home and said Daddy, God has done it. Before then, on the first day I went there, I had said to my father, I was not going to do that job, that I didn›t like what Mr Akinlaja did. But he said go there, have you got anything to do? You that could do security, why won’t you be able to go there since you are not doing anything. I said okay. Two weeks after, I called my daddy and said, daddy thank you don’t bother to go out again God has done it, from that place, I can get enough money to feed the family and to train my younger ones and that was on a Friday. Saturday I went to work again and I was given N15,000. I had to be mentioning it because it was just like a miracle. I told my dad on Saturday but the following day, my dad had an accident and died (crying). It is such a painful thing because my father really suffered. Well! I thank God. Initially, he was in the hospital and I did everything. It was not about money because people were giving me money so that my daddy would not die. It was not about money. The accident was so much. He died and I faced another phase of life. Nobody planned for death anyway but I didn’t expect that to just come suddenly. I thought I would be a child that a father would proud of. Even before I bought a car, I bought my mother a car because common slippers, I did not buy for my father. As a child, he was someone that struggle to train me. Common slippers I couldn’t buy for him. Till today, that has been my agony- how I wish my father is still alive.
What did his sudden death say to you?
That there is nothing in this world except for one to know God. You can’t just say I want to build house today, I want to do this tomorrow . It is only when God is there for you and He allows it.
From doing nothing at WABECO to Chairman Lagos NUPENG.
I was supposed to be the secretary, it was just that I did not know what to do because some people had been doing it before I came there. What they were doing was just to register the trucks, going out and coming in. But there, I discovered that there were some problems tanker drivers were facing especially the security agencies. They saw tanker drivers as common people, illiterates that could be cheated. So, each time someone came to the union and reported that one security man did this and that, I would say let’s go there. You know most of them could not express themselves because they were not literate. By the time I got there, I would express myself and I would talk. Some of them would even think that I was a lawyer, called by the cheated drivers. So from there, I began to defend them. There was a time during Fashola’s time, they (security agents) went to coconut side and towed almost 100 tankers. The Zonal Chairman then said that I should go and meet them at LASTMA’s office. I had not been to LASTMA’s office before but I knew that I would be able to sort things out. I was the one that led them but one driver was just blabbing and before you knew it, they slapped and arrested him. I said to the rest, look you have followed me and so you don’t need to talk. Leave me and let me approach these people but that particular one felt he knew better. After they put him in a cell, I said we could not talk unless he was released or I should be made to replace him. They said no, it was not like that and they released him. At the end of the day after much talk, NNPC paid for the charges and the zonal chairman was surprised, asking how I pulled it through. That was how they began to push me from WABECO Secretary to Assistant Area Secretary to Area Secretary. I thank God for our big daddy- Otunba Salimon Oladiti. If somebody sees you and begins to send you on errands, he is trying to help you.That was how I met Fashola ( former Lagos governor). There was an event and one of his House of assembly members was shouting and I shouted back. Fashola now said that the man was one of his honorable members. I said these were the type of leaders Nigeria should reject. After Fashola left, he asked someone to call me and asked for my name again. After the introduction, he said, I love the way you talk. You can be my friend. Take my number. That was how we became friends till today. It’s not that I am perfect or I know anything. It’s God. I discovered that no matter the size of an assignment, God would have finished it before they send me there.
How far have you gone to show her love?
When we wanted to have our last born, I was with her in the labour room. The first one, I was with her in the labour room. The second one, I was with her in the labour room and the third, I was with her in the labour room. So, everything she passed through, I was there with her. I was by the bed side. The doctor said I should excuse them, but I stood my ground and asked if she wasn›t my wife again.
Do you also do flowers, cards?
I don’t appreciate it. Buying of flowers is oyinbo’s (western world) life and I am Nigerian. There are ways you can appreciate a woman. I know what she wants.
How will you describe your style?
I don’t have Gucci in my wardrobe. I live a simple life. I don’t crave for things.
Your wife doesn›t shop for you?
For me, it is not the amount of clothes I wear or the amount of wristwatch. If I am comfortable and someone around me is not comfortable and I begin to show off all those things, do you know it can cause problems. Let’s make life simple.
How dangerous is this job you are doing?
Every job has hazards. A driver can have accident at anytime. On this job, you must be passionate because you won’t see it as dangerous. Whatever we are doing, we should use our number six. We should use our common sense, and if common sense cannot take it, let’s go for another sense. This is because there is no way you won’t have challenges one way or the other on this job. It is either you dialogue or go into confrontation. Before you decide on confrontation, you must have dialogued, so that, by the time you confront, everyone would say you tried to avoid it. Before I would go on confrontation, I would have allowed the other party, to satisfy himself. Thank God for now. What happened to Baba Akinlaja was during the military era. The last one we did at V.I, we blocked the street because we were protesting against Nokia. The DPO of Maroko police station was there and he just called me that someone wanted to speak with me who turned out to be the CP. The CP was like who are you and why are you doing that. I said sir, my name is Comrade Tayo. He said Tayo you are you the one? I said yes and he said don’t worry, you can go ahead. This is because he knows that before I would say that I want to go to a place and disrupt any activity there, something must have happened. Later, he invited us to his office, for everyone to state his own side.
Have you been brutalized in the past?
Yes. WABECO is near Integrated Oil. Integrated oil people were fighting because of their chairmanship election. One contestant was Yoruba, while the other was Igbo. The Yoruba man was coming to meet me for advice and strategies but kept telling him not to go violent. The Igbo boy was now looking at it as if that Tayo was the problem. I got to the office one day and some people said that they were looking for me and one of the workers there said that was Tayo and I used to warn them that when somebody comes to the office and he is looking for so so and so person, don’t immediately say that is the person. At least, ask him where he is from. The guy had not even finished before the person in the office, said that was Tayo. So, they told me that they were from the police station and I asked what my offence was. He said that I was the cause of the problem happening over there (Integrated Oil). I was in the cell for three days o. I said I did not know anything about it, but the police called all the PTD leaders and you know what, I was charged for attempted murder (Laughs). But after the election, I was released and when I asked what was my offence, they said it was because of the election and that (my arrest and absence) needed to happen. Funny enough, the Igbo guy won because they did not really conduct any election.
and then