Patricia Otuedon-Arawore is executive secretary and initiator of Hallmark of Labour Foundation (HLF), a non-governmental organisation founded 16 years ago. A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, she spoke with Senior Reporter Anthonia Soyingbe recently on issues of national interest and her experience working with the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Excerpts:
What is your comment on the level of corruption in Nigeria?
The only problem we have in Nigeria is corruption. We have the manpower and our
Otuedon-Arawore
economy is good if only we can do things right. If you produce good products in Nigeria, you will definitely sell. Very few countries have the natural resources we have in Nigeria; we are well endowed. That is why I am happy that elections are coming up very soon. It is only a mad man that will continue to do the same thing and expect change. If you feel that this level of corruption should continue, then vote the same government but if they know that change is necessary and corruption is our problem, hen they should effect a change.
Corruption has never been as bad as we are experiencing it now. Let us go for the government we know will at least tackle corruption if nothing else. The amount they steal is annoying. They operate bank accounts that they themselves forget. If all those money are harnessed and put into free education, job creation and healthcare, then Nigeria will be so great. There is hope for this country and I know we have a few days to choose whether we want to continue in corruption or end it for life. I am not ashamed to tell you that even as an ACN member, I voted for Buhari is 2011 because I believe that this is the only man that will straighten things out. Some people are talking about him being old but I remind them that it is not about age but about capability. This is a man who didn’t steal when he was much younger, so such man cannot steal in his old age. I am not contesting any political position and I am very happy with what I am doing because I don’t believe it is only through politics that you can affect people’s life as you can affect lives outside politics andI believe that this country need change. We cannot go on like this and we cannot continue to believe that stealing is not corruption.
Despite the activities of organisations like yours in the Niger Delta region, there is still so much poverty in the region. What is responsible for this?
The government of the day should be blamed for this. Corruption has a lot to be blame for. A situation where an area is producing oil and the man who is sharing it is in Abuja, therefore, everything is stolen all the way from Abuja and the people cannot identify who is stealing their money. You will find no teacher in classrooms yet you find teachers who collect salary. Teachers don’t go to riverine areas. When you look at it, why should any teacher go and live in a condition like that? These are places without toilets, water and other facilities. Such teachers are happy to sit at home and share their salaries with the man that is paying them. It is so bad and sad as it is, the only thing I can say is responsible for it is corruption. I keep asking myself if those who call themselves governors and political office holders are not from these riverine areas? People look at people who have money and adore them. In Obafemi Awolowo’s government Minister of Transport resigned because his wife started a transport line; that was conflict of interest. One man will have 25 official cars and when they are leaving power, they take them away as if they were their personal properties. You find a man like Buhari who said the money they are paying to ex-presidents is too much and he choose not to be part of it and Nigerians are talking about certificate. A General in the Army who was former a head of state and you want to reduce such man to school certificate? This is a distraction that Nigerians must ignore. As usual, people are talking about things that don’t matter instead of facing reality.
Do you think General Buhari has the wherewithal to tackle the many problems facing us as a nation?
Has he not done it before? During his time it was an offence to go late to work; to jump into bus was an offence; law and order were taken seriously. Some people said people were jailed but if they were not guilty, they were released. Don’t forget that was in the military era but even then he just didn’t lock people up anyhow. You can’t make a corrupt deal with Buhari and for judiciary in Nigeria; they will sit up with Yemi Osinbajo. Law reforms in Nigeria started during Osinbajo’s time when he was in Lagos State Government. With Buhari, this country will sit up for a change and I think we all know that it is time we all change.
Women no longer contest elections?
(Cuts in) Contesting an election in Nigeria is still a function of money, which is a pity. Awolowo in those days used to say anybody who spent money for you is a business man, such man when he gets there will not only recoup his money, he will also make profit. Generally women don’t have the kind of money that men have. Politics is still “do or die” and people are willing to die. A candidate once told me that he won an election over an incumbent. The incumbent offered him N500million so he can take over the position. In other words, he should not go to court nor produce all the evidence he has. Most of the guys in politics today are so desperate and they are willing to do all sort of things and most women don’t want to be bothered with such vices. The time will come in a sane atmosphere when things will be done well. I pray if eventually Buhari is elected, they should make going to the House a sacrifice. They should be paid peanut, trust me if it is no longer business as usual, people will no longer want to go there. Buhari can never give them money; they will do the right thing. We can’t go on like this. I think people should also know that they could actually take people’s money and vote in the right candidate. You don’t have to reject their money, take but vote against them.
Why are you not contesting in this election?
I have women I am supporting. I contested for a seat in Delta State to represent my people at the Green Chamber sometime back. My people know me well enough to know that money will not be an obstacle for me to contest. What I saw made me know that there is no point because as a candidate I couldn’t vote for myself. There was no official at the pooling booth and at the end of the day somebody emerged. People who want to go there to make money will go by hook or crook. I want to give service and people allowed themselves to be raped like that. You know what happened when Nigerians kicked against pump price hike. Let us see what will happen after now if change will really come as we desire.
We make the parents know that their children are catalyst for growth. Sometime when the situation gets so bad, we empower parents to sit at home and trade so that the children will come back and meet people at home. We tell parents they must mentor their children because we are giving out scholarships to such children because we see potential in them. We have a reservoir of people in Nigeria that will match their counterparts anywhere in the world. You can become Emeka Anyakou, Rotimi Williams and other notable individuals who are still making this nation proud. We are presenting these role models as examples for the coming generation. We are a great nation not just full of natural resources but with great people.
What are some of the challenges you have in running this organisation?
To be honest, when I started this foundation, I was a journalist; I was already assistant director and Research of Unity Party of Nigeria. I ran an advertising company and so I already had a name. When I was in NTA, Benin, I ran strictly current affairs programmes. I started the foundation on a straight and narrow path looking for role models. It was very difficult because they were role models who were already made, who are dignified. You need to prove to them and they need to see the same qualities in you. I have been able to sustain it all these years without being tempted. Do you know what it means for a sitting governor to beg you for award? Big industrialists also come begging for these awards because they want to be on the same list with these noble individuals. ent of the programme. I looked at him when he told me that and I started crying. I had to rush back home to change my dress but I was so upset and angry. To further compound it, he was not in the station. I anchored the programme and when I finished, the first person to come and hug me was Tony Iredia. He was inside the OB van directing the programme when I was on set. He hugged me and said, he can now go on his leave. I enjoyed that but I also had a set time for myself to work on television for like two years before I go to print media. Unfortunately the two years I gave myself to start anchoring interviews started in six months and about a year later through my interviews one Professor told me about an opening somewhere and he advised me to apply for it. It was the Publicity Department of Unity Party of Nigeria then that had an opening for a researcher. I rose to become Assistant of Publicity there. By the time the military took over, I realised that I had pass newspaper because working with a man like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and working at the Desearch Department of UPN then I was too broad. I doubt if any publisher would employ me and not sack me within 24 hours. I am a passionate person once I take to anything, I hold it tight and I run with it. There is no way I will work with any newspaper that is against the views that I have formed. I have become a freethinker that must be allow to breathe on my own thought rather than to be streamline on policy of any newspaper. I wrote my first book when I was with the UPN. I also wrote a book which Chief Awolowo himself lunched gracefully.
What are some of the fond memories you have about the late Awolowo?
Working with Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. The more you knew him, the greater the respect you have for him. The man despite all you said about him was a simple person. He was an ordinary man also a great man. The simple pleasures of ordinary human beings meant nothing to him. With him everything was timed and programmed. A very kind-hearted man who was intellectually sound. He did not just give you assignment; he also worked on the assignment. He was a thorough human being and his vision for Nigeria was great. His only ambition was to make Nigeria a great nation. He struggled hard for a better Nigeria. He had no time for drinking, smoking or for women other than his wife. He has no malice, anger or jealousy. He was a philosopher, a big thinker, a straightforward man and godly man. He slept and woke Nigeria. He was lucky to marry a woman that was totally dedicated to him and his dream. Her husband was her life. We pray God to reproduce an Awolowo for us in Nigeria.
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