Ponzi scheme: Run away from things that are too good to be —Princess Olagbegi-Apampa

•My father had 39 wives, 147 children

United States-based human resource management expert, Princess Adenubi Olagbegi-Apampa and her husband, Dr Abila A. Apampa, recently inaugurated a multiple-event place in Ibadan as part of their contributions to the development of the city and also as an avenue to give back to society. At the event, which attracted highly placed Nigerians from all over the world, Princess Olagbegi-Apampa spoke with newsmen on many issues that concern womanhood and national development. SAM NWAOKO brings excerpts of the interaction:

On greed and Ponzi schemes

I know that such fraudulent schemes are all over the place. Online fraud is not a joke anywhere in the world. However, I must advise that people should learn how to be honest with one another. We must begin to caution ourselves and refrain from things that are too good to be true. The quest to make quick money is not a Nigerian thing alone, it is everywhere. It is the individuals who must learn to be contented.

Even though we complain about how bad Nigeria has become, I must register my happiness with something good which I witnessed at the airport on our arrival recently. Before now, when you arrived at the airport, they would ask you for bribes and gifts. They didn’t do it this time, and I really was impressed by that. I was so impressed. I was the one who called them and gave them something, out of my own volition, and I was impressed.

So, greed is something we must fight with everything we have. We must respect one another, and being greedy is not a way of showing respect to one another.

Crimes and other vices occur, even in the US, because of a lack of respect. We no longer respect ourselves and our elders. When we were young, when we saw anyone older than us, we wouldn’t want to do anything bad because we knew that the news would get to the palace, and we would be the worst for it. That is what I always tell people ─ we must respect ourselves and show respect to others. I also tell people in the United States to send their children to some of the African countries so they can get trained on how to live a life based on respect, because we don’t have it there.

In our country, we must do away with greed. If we can learn how to deal with greed, there would be enough for everybody, and things would be much better. How much can you spend from all that you have acquired? How many rooms can you sleep in at the same time? You build 16 rooms and 2 bathrooms; how many can you use in all? It is not about acquiring so much money—the question is, what do you do with it?

On the need to look back

We all have to remember our background and come home to do something to improve our environment. For those who can afford it and those who are well-to-do, we must give back to society and help improve our localities.

For instance, the complex we dedicated and inaugurated is not only an event centre. We have a pharmacy within the complex, and the plan is to bring in drugs from overseas to be given out free of charge to those who need them. I feel that is one of the ways we can support one another as human beings. The drugs are not for people who can afford them, because fingers are not equal, but they are for people who are in need.

We have a lot of people outside the country who do not want to come back home and do something tangible. Well, you can’t blame them because of their experiences. Some of them who had been through things, when you call them to come and do something at home, they don’t want to come. However, we still need to show good examples so that others can follow such examples.

Security challenges as a factor

This is one area where Nigerians need unity and understanding. In the United States, where I’m based, insecurity is also a problem, but they have normalised tackling it with sophistication beyond what happens in Nigeria.

Insecurity is all over the countries of the world. The only person who can secure us is God. I think once our telephone system is working well, those robberies and related incidents of insecurity will greatly decrease. In the USA, these things happen. I can say that we have triple what is happening here in the United States. We even have more beggars there than I have seen in Nigeria. When I go into my offices, there they are begging in their numbers. So, it is not only here in Nigeria ─ it is happening everywhere. Even the corruption we clamour about happens there too, it’s just that they are more discreet about it, unlike here. If you desire a big contract, you have to ‘lobby’ and also use those you know to help you.

However, what I think is that we should just encourage one another. Once we know that fingers are not equal, we will be fine. I’ve noticed in Nigeria that once you drive a big car, the next day, your friend too will want to drive a big car, regardless of the circumstances surrounding such. Things don’t work like that. Because you drive a jeep, your friend doesn’t have to drive a jeep. We have to be patient, work hard, and wait for our time. I also tell people that if God gives you money and you cannot share it with your neighbour, if you cannot do community work with such money, then it is of no use.

Giving back to society

In the state of New Jersey, I have a track record. I have trained hundreds of people, if not thousands. Imagine if I were here in Nigeria, my own fatherland. If I were here, I believe I could do better, and we have a lot of us abroad who could do many great things.

What are we doing? By the time we turn 65–70 years old, whoever is sick, what happens? If we are not careful, they will take his house and they will put them in a nursing home, and that is it. So, that would be the end after working for over 30 to 40 years. So, I have been preaching, even in our church, that Nigeria might be bad, but we all must come back home and make it work.

As I speak with you, I don’t know if I can live in Nigeria for two months straight, but I can go and come. I have been in the United States for about 40 years, but still, we have to pray so that we can all come back home and make Nigeria work. It is the least we can do.

For the free pharmacy, it will be taken around the country because my brothers and sisters are married in all parts of the country. So, how much can we consume when we refuse to give back to society?

How much went into the Seliat Complex?

My husband used to have a hall at the site, but the hall had no parking space. So, last year, my husband, being the Mogaji of the Apampa House, said you cannot be Mogaji by mouth alone. When they make you a leader, you have to put something substantial into where you come from. So, I pushed him to build a hall in Isale Osi, their ancestral compound. I also encouraged and pushed him to do something in their mosque. The Apampas own the first mosque in Ibadanland, and I encouraged him to do something there. When this event centre was ready, I asked him to take everything from the hall and put it there. We also bought chairs worth millions of naira to put there as a form of support.

Then I saw that he had pulled the hall down. I asked him why, and he said, ‘I’m giving it to you.’ I wasn’t expecting that. I also wasn’t expecting to do any project now because I just did one in Owo, because I lost my mother two years ago. We built a mini-mall there in her memory, and it was a multi-million naira project. He said, “Take it because I know that you can turn things around on the site.” As of November last year, we had invested a lot of funds in making the project come up to the expected standard. Also, the finishing consumed much more than I had expected, and we thank God it all came out as good as we wanted it, with parking spaces and other aesthetics. We give thanks to God.

Large family background.

My father had 39 wives and 147 children. All of us, the children, were made to live as one, and we were always doing so many things together as children of the same family. We blend and eat together. We still do so many things together. My siblings and I are still doing like we used to. Even where I live in New Jersey, when I had to do the drawing, it was one of my brothers who did it for me. One of my elder brothers, who is an engineer, supervised the construction for me. That is how we were brought up, and that is how we still are.

So, if they ask me, is it really good for a man to have two or more wives, I can’t say no. If asked if I can take it, I’ll say if that is what God wants for me. However, trust me, if I have the chance to come over again, I would still like to come from where I came from.

Also, on my mother’s side, I am from one of the largest families in Owo, the Adetula Family. Adetula was one of the kingmakers in Owo who knew how to read and write during his time. He also had 25 wives. Where I come from, it is like that. I come from the popular Adetula, who had 25 wives and 71 children. The children are also faring very well ─ some of them are into oil and gas in Florida, and they are doing very well.

So, if you ask me, is it really good to come from a large multi-family? My answer will be yes. Today, I give thanks to God.

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