Mr. Hassan Bello is the immediate past Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC). He told SEGUN KASALI the story of his life.
You are generally regarded as a detribalized Nigerian. Do you think this is so?
I was never tribalised, because when you say detribalised it means you were once tribalized. It was from home and the training I received as a student from Federal Government College, Ilorin, where we all came together from different states. I met people from different culture, religion and orientation and you cannot but bury your biaes. All of us at first had biases. At that time, my mother was very worried that I was going to school at a tender age. As a matter of fact, we were almost refused admission. When the principal saw about two or three of us, he said ‘you better come back next year’.
Why?
We could not do the basic things and that was what my mother also said. But my deceased brother, Bayero, insisted and the principal considered us thereafter. So, that was how I went to Federal Government College. Great thanks to the principal, Mr. Olaniyan who made sure that nobody felt superior to others, on the basis of tribe and religion. He also made sure everyone became the best they could be. Honestly, the college was an atmosphere of learning.
There must have been memorable events at the college…
Yes. It was a drama on the novel, ‘the gods are not to blame’. I participated in the drama with my microphone voice. Also, I remember that we defeated virtually all the schools we competed against in football matches. I was not part of the footballer but I was a referee. I had passion for footballs but I never played. I unwind now by reading. I read a lot. I am also studying for my Ph.D at the University of Abuja. I am writing a thesis now and would wrap up in two or three years.
Did your doggedness endear you to your boss, Chief Adebayo Sarumi at NSC?
I think so. Chief Adebayo Sarumi made it easy for me while working under him. I remember that immediately I came in, Chief Sarumi sent me to London. He wanted me to take courses on admiralty law. At that time, we had two or three cases with shipping companies. Shippers’ Council was fighting to exercise its statutory mandate but there was resistance. When I came in, I found out that I was the head of the legal department because my position was Deputy Director. I thought there was a Director of Legal Services and I wish there was so I could learn from him. But, this leadership was crafted on me suddenly and I was like, ‘what?’. I thought I could not cope but we thank the Almighty Allah. I remember we won one of our cases with the shipping companies even though all odds were against us. They used to pass messages to me which were so damning. I knew I was new and we needed to win the case. I did not know it was on preliminary issues, but, we won the case. When I got back to the office and sat down, Chief said ‘Hassan, how was the case?’, and I said ‘sir we won it.’ He said ‘you did what?’ I said ‘we won the case’. Chief was highly elated and commended me.
What did you do differently?
I spent two weeks studying the case without sleeping. We had a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) handling our case but he was not in grasp of the nitty-gritty as far as maritime is concerned. So, we had to get young lawyers to work with him and we proceeded from there. So, when we won the preliminary issues, it was glaring that we were on the path of winning the main case. That was a watershed and all the shipping companies started to know that there is a regulator. Then, there was no recognition because we were totally unrecognised by service providers. Now, there is mutual respect. That is why when some people start praising me that I did this and that, I usually turn to check if they were not talking about someone else. There was indeed regulatory resistance. The intervention of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, was also phenomenal.
How?
He supported the council more than any other ministers because he understood quite clearly that there were some forms of resistance. Before him, many regulators had access to important decision making and they go behind Nigeria Shippers’ Council to get their instructions. But, Amaechi said no. He told them ‘if you need anything, go to Shippers’ Council’. He supported the dry port. There is no where we have not taken him to. I remember taking him to Jos in a rickety bus but he endured it. And because of this rail that Amaechi is putting together, people would realize how much he has changed the economy 10 years to this time. Again, the Lekki Deep Sea port. His insistence that NPA should not sell its marginal share so it could give a semblance of PPP is making the port to be alive. Two things- Amaechi rail and Amaechi port. Already, that port at Lekki has determined the ambition of Nigeria. All the neighbours now feel intimidated because Nigeria would certainly be a hub. He has foresight and that is why he would never joke with this Lekki sea port.
Your 22 years in service must have been fulfilling then?
Yes, It was fulfilling and I love every minute working with Shippers’ Council. I loved the challenges but I got depressed especially with the Apapa traffic. One day, I said (President) Buhari should fire all of us because this traffic has distorted all our efforts. It used to cost like a million naira to carry a container from Apapa to Ikeja, it now costs 1.2million or 1.3million due to the traffic. I felt depressed. And we did everything at Shippers’ Council to make sure we reduced the traffic. It was really an exciting moment and I thank the Federal Government for giving me that opportunity to serve my fatherland. My colleagues were my friends at Shippers’ Council. Within those 22 years, there were many emotional moments, which work did not allow us to express. Sometimes, we are triumphant- we won some things. Sometimes, we lost. I remember the time we were made the regulator and I was in the meeting with the then vice-president, Namadi Sambo, Nigerian Customs, Dikko; Minister of Finance, Okonjo Iweala and some others. I was the only one allowed in there and I had justified why Nigeria Shippers’ Council is the regulator. Of course, the reasons were not anything new. I remember vividly at one Federal Executive Council meeting that the issue came up and I was there. I remember Peter Obi, the former Anambra governor, who is a very honest man, said that there were problems at the port and he thought Shippers’ Council could handle it. I felt exhilarated that people believed in us. So, when I came down to meet my colleagues, they asked me what happened and I told them ‘just go, you have just become a regulator’. They were really happy. When we came back to Lagos, we increased workers’ salary to ginger our hardworking staff.
Many see you as selfless and always after merit.
I think it is the consciousness of responsibility. I was not the best at Shippers’ Council but became the Executive Secretary (ES) when I least expected it because I don’t like responsibilities. One day, my predecessor, Captain Adamu Biu was traveling and he told me to act on his behalf. I said ‘ah there are still senior officers before me’. But, he said ‘no you are the most senior because the two seniors of mine at that time had retired’. I am sure many people laughed and said ‘Hassan is now the acting ES’. I remember when the ES came back from holiday, he was furious with me because I left many of the files untreated. I told him I was waiting for him. But, I became very serious thereafter. You know my second term in office was with Rotimi Amaechi as minister I remember telling him one day that my time was up and i was leaving. I really wanted to go and face other challenges. So, he said okay. And the next thing he did was to extend my term. This is what Amaechi did. Don’t look at the facade you see. He is a very deep-thinking man. So, I had no option than to stay for another term.
You discarded the police, protocol officers attached to you. Why?
I think we were not materialistic at Shippers’ Council. We were not the ones to go with large vehicles blaring siren. Shippers’ Council is focused on performance. The policeman attached to me would call everytime asking ‘when am I coming?’. But, I told him there was no need. Protocol officers that were supposed to see the ES to the airport were discarded. I was not riding in an SUV, but a small car. It was not really a style but I think we should be serious about what matters. How can you be going to a meeting with siren? What have you done for Nigerians? If you are Ahmed Ali contributing millions, then you could do that kind of things. Shippers’ Council’s people are modest. But, of course, my staff were not happy with me. They kept on saying it is not about me but the agency. But, it is natural for me. It is not a conscious thing for me. I know I can never move with police. For me, what is wrong in going to the airport and bringing things yourself? Who are you? I join the queue, and I don’t care about the number of hours I spend there.
And you don’t feel embarrassed despite your status?
Not at all. It is not anything. There was no big deal about it because that is my nature. I don’t know if you want to call that modesty. I don’t want to give appellations to myself. But, I am a utilitarian, somebody who wants to use minimum time and resources to achieve maximum result. I have always been result-oriented especially when I am with Amaechi. Scrutiny and accountability is very important for me, perhaps because I was raised by a father who was a judge and a leader of a community. It was our house but we were like 30 children and we were treated same. And I thought my mother was not my mother. Why would she bring all the children? My mother was the first philanthropist I knew because she could go to infectious disease hospital and bring people to be washed and helped.
What are you doing now?
I am running a law firm and I do some consultancy. To be honest, I am busier than I was. Setting practical solutions, shipment, avoiding demurrage, organising specialized training especially for judges and some lawyers are what we do. I am also part of soon-to-be-formed maritime resource with Chief Sarumi, who is everyday, giving his life to the maritime industry.
Your family would have more of your time now.
Yes, I am more with them now. I have time to discuss with them now. At one time, it was as if I had forsaken them because I was always talking about this country and also talking about Shippers’ Council. But, they understand. They gave me tremendous support. I am most grateful to them for their understanding.
What message are you leaving behind for those still in service?
They should be accountable. That is what all our religion tells us. You must be accountable to the people. All these problems we are facing is lack of accountability. When I was at Shippers’ Council, I said our approved budget should be published in the newspapers. But, I was overruled. There was no meeting we had without the labour union. I empowered the labour union to be part of the decision making. Look at their welfare. The cars that were supposed to be bought for my office, I asked them to convert it to buses for the staff because this is what is more important. Let us give account of what we have done. Don’t think the agency is yours because you are the leader. It can never be. You are there to carry out some assignments. It is the hallmark of success. Inclusiveness is also key. We used to go round the offices to know if there was a problem. Some are good while some are not. I could have done more. I usually say this is my modest achievement. It is not spectacular. That is why it is a relay. I have stopped there and someone else has taken the baton to run again better than me. And that is what is going to happen in Shippers’ Council. The leadership now is going to work faster and smarter than what we did. For every baton given, there should be improvement until we get to, if there is anything, like a finishing line.