What Babangida said to me before June 12 crisis —Odele

Babatunde Odele is a two-term chairman of Mushin and Ijaiye Local Government Areas under Sir Michael Otedola and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu respectively. Popularly known as PawPaw, Odele who now leads Salem Evangelical Church of Christ spoke to BOLA BADMUS on his life journey, especially his politics.

During the presidential election of June 12, 1993, you were the head of the Mushin Local Government. Can you give us some insight into how you dealt with the crisis?

Before June 12, 1993, God made good use of me. He instructed me to run for the chairmanship post of the local government in Mushin in 1991. He didn’t warn me that there might be an issue, but he did it on purpose. He didn’t explain why he was doing it. General Ibrahim Babangida invited all the local government chairmen in Nigeria to Abuja in 1993, I think it was in February or March of that year. Lagos State had 16 local governments at the time.

Why?

He invited us for a peace talk that he didn’t want a problem to arise in Nigeria. On getting there, but before we left for Abuja, God said I should wear my white garment, and not talk to anybody before we get to the Conference Hall. I had arranged myself with a man in his car. So on getting there, I sat in the front row where Babangida would ask those sitting in the front row to first speak their minds. All my friends that saw me said ‘this is not where I should sit.’ I didn’t answer them because God said I should not answer anybody, so I didn’t answer them.

Then the siren blew, signaling the arrival of General Babangida. General Babangida came. He addressed everybody, all the chairmen of local governments in Nigeria then. Then he now called Lagos State chairmen for recognition. After that, he now called Mushin Local Government. I stood up in front of him. Then, he said ‘are you a local government chairman? I said yes, and then he said ‘I don’t care; I don’t want to know who you are. Should there be any problem in Mushin, I will make a scapegoat because Mushin is the centre of Lagos, Apapa, and going to Badagry, and going to every other place, including Ikorodu’. And I told him there would be no problem in Mushin, and he asked Augustus Aikhomu to write it down, and he wrote it down, so I came back to Lagos.

What happened thereafter?

God said I should go and meet all the Christians, the Muslims, and everybody; that I should lower myself before them, I should not see myself as chairman before anybody, and that I should talk to them pleading with them that there should be no problem. I went to mosques; there was no mosque that they didn’t know me. I went to every church, met them, and delivered the same message, and there was nowhere they didn’t cooperate with me. I also visited our other leaders in Mushin, and they all cooperated with me.

We had 14 ghettos where the boys were, I went to them, I drank together with them, and I enjoyed myself with them. So we agreed with the boys, that they are not area boys, don’t call them area boys. I went to them, they are now Mushin boys, you cannot see Area Boys in Mushin, they are Mushin boys because Mushin is the only local government that was not disturbed, and every other local government in Lagos State was disturbed. So that was what happened.

Do you have an idea why the election was nullified?

I don’t know because I am not a politician, but God just sent me and made use of me to go to Mushin two months before the election, I didn’t believe it. I didn’t know anything and which party to join, but God told me the one with the colour that Baba Otedola belonged, who was trying to be governor of Lagos State. Baba Michael Otedola asked me, ‘Apostle, what do you want in politics? I said God told me you should give me a party ticket, that if I win, you will win’. I then asked: if you win what would you give me? Then, he asked me, what do you want me to do? I told him he should give me land in Ikoyi and should give my wife land too. That was all.

Looking back at your time as Mushin council boss, what are the memories?

I paid teachers’ salaries very well, and up to date. Go to any primary school and find out. I rebuilt some schools, provided street lights, cleared drainages, did some road construction, and provided water supplies. Tell me what you know that I didn’t do? I did at least 80 per cent of good work in Mushin Local Government.

I also ensured that Daleko Market became fully established because it was not a market when I became chairman of Mushin Local Government. Because of my good work, the late Mama Abibatu Mogaji of Tinubu who headed the market then invited me for prayers to open up the place. So today, if I pass through Daleko Market, market people there will be hailing and some would dash me some of the products they sell, like a bag of rice, free of charge. Idi- Oro Market, Ogunmokun Market, and the Ram Market were equally part of my efforts. The Ram Market, I gave them land, I gave them everything. That’s why if I want ram now if I go to the Hausa, people they would give me ram, free. I am so known and very popular.

 Did you grow up in Mushin?

I am from Ikorodu, in Lagos State. My father and mother are from Ikorodu. I was born in Sabongari, Zaria, on June 9, 1946. When I was two years old, my mother brought me to Lagos, because her uncle was trading at Ebute- Ero Market in Lagos. Mama Abibatu Magaji, Mama Jakande, and my mother, the three of them were training me then. We didn’t know the difference between Muslims and Christians then. I go to the mosque to pray, and people did not even believe that I am a Christian. It is the same God we are serving. At times if I go somewhere and I cannot see where to pray, I go to the mosque and pray, calling on God. God is God, but it is we Christians and Muslims that are causing this wahala.

I was the first Apostle in Nigeria who served successfully in Mushin and Odiolowo from 1991 to 1993 in peace. Therefore, Christians and Muslims should all pray for peace for Lagos State and Nigeria. I want to appreciate the good works of the council chairmen in Mushin and Odi- Olowo Ojuwoye for keeping peace in their domains. The various communities in the two council areas too, I give them kudos for ensuring peace. The marketers, men, and women; the Hausa, the Fulani, the Ndigbo, the Yoruba, the artisans, Christians and Muslims, the good Mushin boys of Odiolowo and Mushin, I commend them for their good support for peace.

That suggests you have no problem with a Muslim/Muslim ticket.

Yes, I support the Muslim- Muslim joint ticket.

Why is that?

Yes, if God put them there, and you voted for them, then it should be allowed. And since they are voted by the people, and not that they rigged themselves into office, yes, let them be.

Look at Bola Tinubu, he is a Muslim. The song we are singing for him in our church will surprise you. He is a Muslim, but he has helped a lot of people, whether you are Muslim or Christian. When he was sick and traveled abroad, this church prayed for him, for good health as we also prayed for Muhammadu Buhari.

But CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria) is against it.

I am not a member of CAN, we stand by God. Their objection is not good. I am not supporting that.

As a Christian cleric, you don’t see anything wrong with Muslim- Muslim ticket?

I don’t see anything wrong with Muslim/Muslim tickets. The chairman of my local government, Odi- Olowo, Alhaji Razak Ajala is a Muslim, and he is trying his best. If I need anything and I go to him, with immediate effect, he would do it for me.

From the spiritual perspective, there have been prophesies about the election not taking place next year. What are you seeing?

I don’t know, God has not even told us because if the election would not hold, God will tell us. You can see where this church is  it is in front and on a major road. God said He is the one who planted this church here, and it is thriving. You can never see any motor accident in front of this church. You can never see any breakdown of vehicles in front of this church.

Many people look up to spiritual leaders like you for a way forward at a time like this. What would you be saying?

My advice for Nigerians is that they should support Bola Tinubu. He is the man of the people. He is the one who can make things work in the country. Look at all he has started, and what he did in Lagos State. The legacies are there for people to see. He tried for everybody.

 If you are rooting for Tinubu to be President, what agenda are you setting for a new government under him?

The new government should seek peace, and togetherness, and make sure that all these killings stop. The new government that would take after Buhari should prioritise the security of this country, and make sure the country is safe, and her economy is strongly revived. There is hope for this country, definitely.