LACOED prepared me for life’s challenges —Agoro

Honourable Tajudeen Agoro is the 21st president of Eko Club, former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Lagos State coordinator, National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). He told SUBAIR MOHAMMED, the story of his life.

 

Where was the starting point for you?

I started my life as a young boy, born in Oyingbo, Ebute-meta district of Lagos Mainland in Lagos State. I attended Apostolic Nursery and Primary School on Cemetery Street before going to St. Jude’s Anglican Primary School also in Ebute-meta.

I didn’t attend Primary Six. I did my common entrance examination while I was in Primary Five and passed. I was admitted into Alaaro Community High School in Epe but I couldn’t stay there for long because I was always falling sick and my father, that great man, late Alhaji Razak Sherif Agoro, who died 31 years ago, had to bring me back to Lagos. He insisted that I school around him.

So, I got enrolled at the Nigerian Peoples Comprehensive High School then known as NigerPeCo. But during the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, we were transferred to Denton Grammar School where I completed my secondary education.

Again, I did WAEC when I was in Form Four and passed. So, in Form Five when I sat for WAEC with other students, I was just passing time because I had made my WAEC results in my first attempt in Form Four.

But unfortunately for me, I didn’t go straight to the university. I was admitted into the Lagos State College of Education (LACOED) in Ijanikin for my NCE in Economics/Government.

I was an active member of the students’ union in LACOED. After graduation, I worked at the Lagos State Agriculture Development Projects in Oko-Oba, Agege. From there, I got a teaching job with the Lagos State Government and I was posted to the Nigerian Model High School, Idi-Oro but before this, I had taught at the Lagos City College and Onike Girls High School.

I taught at Nigerian Model High School for over eight years. I started pursuing my first degree at Lagos State University, I did my postgraduate in LASU and later, a law degree also from LASU. I got my LLB and went to the Nigerian Law School. I went back again to do my LLM and I am back now to do my LLD in Law because I love reading so much.

I started my law practice at Jaiye Agoro Chamber; he was my uncle of Ebenezer Obey’s board members’ fame. I started my chamber with a friend of mine who is from Akwa Ibom State. We started the chamber together at Market Street where I was born. I was there for 10 years before I moved to my new office at Onike.

 

What are the lessons you’ve learnt from your father?

My father was very strict. That’s his number one quality. He believed so much in education. I remember during my primary school days; he would hold my hand and take me to the bookshop to purchase all the books I needed.

He was a wonderful man. He never missed any Parents Teachers’ Association meetings. My father would visit my school without my knowledge to secretly inquire about my behaviour and my academic performance.

He did this till I was admitted into LACOED when he was over 70 years old. If he were to be alive, he would be 105 years old. The man really showed interest in my educational pursuit and showed me an exceptional love.

I enjoyed so much love while growing up as a child. I don’t want to start talking about my mother because I might get emotional. She was the greatest woman in the world. She spoilt me but she was a disciplinarian.

 

Are you an only child?

I am not the only child. That’s the funny part of it. My mother had eleven children but she lost five of them. I was supposed to be the last child but I was the first.

My mother, Alhaji Fatima Agoro died about six years ago but I still cry over her death because she was a great woman. Permit me to borrow the adjective used by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo to qualify Mama HID Awolowo that she was a woman of inestimable values. May I borrow such words to describe my mother? because she showed me love at every point in my life. Both parents never denied me anything that would be of benefit to me but they were disciplinarians. My father was a gentleman. I got the political traits from my mother because she was a successful businesswoman. That’s the story of my life.

The love I got from my parents gives me an understanding of life, and how to show love and respect people. I saw my parents exhibit that when I was growing up. People say I am humble and friendly, this was the way I was brought up.

If you see my children today, they are replicas of me. If you live in a family compound where from right, left and centre, you were shown love, you cannot but transmit the same to your community but if it is the other way round, it would be difficult to show love to people. It has really influenced my life.

 

You were a teacher, now lawyer and politician.

My journey into politics started in 1984 by accident. The then Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari came on board in December 1983, so it started in October 1984.

My school, Denton Grammar School was located at the end of Denton Street by the lagoon side while my residence was on Market Street. After school hours, I would walk through Willoughby Street. On that street was one Baba Osho who lived at 7, Willoughby Street. He was a member of the Unity Party of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the UPN at the time had challenges with his sight. So, one day, Baba Osho invited me to stand in for the secretary. I was called to take the minutes of their meeting. For me, it was just an exercise I engaged in for the sake of it but I didn’t know that those elderly people noted it.

After my school certificate, I left for LACOED where I stayed off-campus and during the zero party election; those elders came to our family house to request that I contest the council election.

When we had the council election, we had to pick delegates that would vote for their representatives at the election. At the election, I had the highest number of votes at Kadara Grammar School.

I had delegates more than other contestants. I assumed I was going to be elected into the council but a week after, I went to the NEC office at Adekunle only to discover that I had been disqualified for security reasons.

I was told by the DSS that my disqualification was beyond them. I was curious to know why I was disqualified. I contested an election and won but was disqualified based on security advice.

When I got to the Shangisa office of the DSS, I was at the gate and someone was about to drive in, I think it was an Assistant Director. He told me the situation was beyond them.

I went back to my late uncle, Chief Abdul-Hamid Agoro who made some efforts to contact some people but nothing good came out of the move.

He, therefore, advised that I direct my delegates to vote for another contestant and that was how I didn’t get to be elected into the council at the time.

 

That incident didn’t deter you?

When it was time for real party politics, the same elders said I can’t go to the council again. They insisted I contested for the Lagos State House of Assembly. I did and won the seat for Lagos Mainland at the House of Assembly.

At this point, I must appreciate the late Chief Olufunsho Williams for the role he played in my political career. I must also commend Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a former minister of works. He was so instrumental to my political trajectory. Another great man, Late Chief Kayode Olowu and Otunba Tayo Oyemade. I didn’t just mention all these people. I mentioned them because they played great roles in my life. These are the four people God used to propel my political trajectory. The earlier denial of victory taught me that there is leadership in politics. I am somebody that respects leaders a lot. It taught me that if leadership profits you today, be thankful to God but if it does not, you are not the only one there.

Do not think you must always profit from leadership at all times. This is very important. Do not always say that you must be. The reason people are bent on winning at all times is that they don’t have other jobs apart from politics. This is a major problem in our politics.

 

 

 

 

Any politician that has no alternative source of income will be desperate to get to the position. The holy scriptures instruct us to make efforts but for our efforts to be sanctioned, lies with God.

 

Can you recall some of your escapades as an undergraduate?

That one is uncountable (laughs). I was a very strong member of the Kegite club at LACOED but in LASU, I wasn’t that active in student unionism. I was well known in LACOED.

I belonged to a group called Photographic Press Club. I was the Public Relations Officer. We brought ‘A’ class musicians to the campus. This was as far back as 1983/1984. The first club where Adewale Ayuba performed was LACOED. We brought Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Kolington Ayinla to LACOED before I left the institution.

So, one time, we were pasting posters for a musical show. I didn’t know that a poster had been pasted on the wall by members of a cult group because it was in the night. So, I pasted our own posters on theirs.

A friend of mine who shared the same room with me was a member of the cult group but I didn’t know. I wasn’t a member of any secret cult and I would never belong to any cult because I don’t need it for anything. What value will joining a cult add to my life other than reducing value?

So, after we held the show, I was in my room sleeping when my friend came to call me out of the hostel. As we were walking on the street of Otto-Ijanikin, some boys walked toward us to attack me. They used charms and everything but I escaped the attack.

 

How did you manage to escape?

Ijanikin is a very sandy area. During the attack, I had nothing to shield myself. So, I decided to stir the sand into the wind to blindfold them and I escaped. From there, I didn’t go back to my hostel because I knew it would be their first port of call. I left for my home immediately in Ebute-meta and narrated everything that had happened to my parents.

LACOED is one experience that got me prepared for the challenges of life because all the people I lived with at the hostel were far older than me. I received positive ideas from them.

 

As a student unionist and social butterfly, how did you cope with girls?

There is nothing you can do about that. A boy and a girl in those days on campus are like iron and magnet. We had nice times on campus as students. But one thing about me was that I don’t get myself committed in a relationship because I don’t like breaking people’s hearts.

 

So, you just had flings?

No, that wasn’t the case. I don’t make commitments to girls. I was mindful of having relationships with women. I don’t know why I am like that. I watch what I do. That’s just me. I don’t just see and appreciate a woman. I would want to know you better and that is why my almost 30 years of wedlock with my wife have been very wonderful because both of us got to know ourselves better before we got married.

 

What is your love story?

We met as students at Denton Grammar School but there was nothing between us then (laughs). My wife, Wasilat was very strict. We didn’t have any sexual relationship. She was very religious and a disciplinarian but I was very patient with her because I found her to be a woman that would add value to my home. Funny enough, after LACOED she got admission into Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University, while I was admitted into the Lagos State University, LASU. One thing led to another, we got used to ourselves.

Whenever Kegites see us on the gyration ground, they had a special tune they sang for us. They would be dancing around us because I was an active member of the club.

On our wedding day, they came to Igbogbo, Ikorodu, my wife’s hometown. From Igbogbo, they came with us to Ebute-meta.

 

What are your indelible memories?

That was the day I had my first child. The day I had her was an unforgettable day in my life. I had prayed to God to bless our relationship with a female child and my prayers were answered.

I observed that girl child tends to be more caring in relating with people. And since she was born, she has never disappointed me. She is also a lawyer, too. And she is married now.

 

How fulfilled are you?

I am very fulfilled even though my aspiration to be a member of the House of Representatives has not yet been realized, as I was asked to wait for some time. Who am I not to be grateful for having a wonderful trajectory that makes me relevant even 15 years after I left government? But people still look at me as if I were still in government because I have never left my people. My life is still within Lagos Mainland.

 

How would you describe your lifestyle?

I am a very social person. I am not an introvert and I have never been one. Look at me now, I am the president of Eko Club. I am a member of the Island Club and a management committee of the Island club. I served two chairmen of the Island club. I am a member of the Yoruba tennis club and Idunganran club. I am a social person.

My mother inspired my social nature at birth but as an adult, my late uncle, Chief Abdul-Hamid Agoro. He was the one that introduced me to all these clubs. May his soul continue to rest in peace. I am happy when people around me are happy. I feel uncomfortable when people are sad around me. I derive a lot of joy when people around me are happy.

So, the only aspiration I have in life is for people around me and in my community to be happy without compromising my standards because I don’t take rubbish from people. I like to share ideas and listen to people.

 

Any regrets?

Yes. The only regret I have in my life, politically, is that at the time I got to the Lagos State House of Assembly, I didn’t have enough experience to manage the situation I found myself in at a particular time. If I was to go to the House now, it will be extremely resourceful.

 

How was life on the Island in your childhood days?

Everything about now is totally unbelievable. Things have turned upside down. Then we go to disco parties at Glover Hall and the cinema, there were no problems, neither was there insecurity.

I was a night crawler. We moved freely. But now, even in Ebute-meta, each time, I drive there, I am troubled. This is not the Ebute-meta where I grew up but we cannot fold our arms and watch things deteriorate further; we will look for a way to save the situation.

 

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