Chief Abiola Abiona Akinnpenu Ogundokun is a famous Nigerian politician and media practitioner of over 5 decades. This Iwo, Osun State born titan is seen from two sides like a coin. While some view Chief Ogundokun as a very controversial figure other will rather describe him as an extra-ordinary entrepreneur with investment in real estate, media, politics and industry. Chief Ogundokun came into limelight in the early 70s (1972) when Juju Music Maestro Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey (MFR) waxed a special album in honor of Iwo, the birth town of Ogundokun in Osun State.
The Musician used Ogundokun’s personality famously in that popular album to illustrate the royalty and wealth of Iwo town. That was the beginning of the enigma called Abiola Ogundokun. He will later feature prominently in the regime of President Shehu Shagari where he played the role of Publicity Secretary of the ruling party at the time.
However, that role didn’t give Ogundokun more limelight than the one he played under the unpopular regime of General Sani Abacha where Ogundokun through his magazine, CONSCIENCE International played the role of the image maker of the government at several forum in the Diaspora.
There is more to the name and personality of Abiola Ogundokun than you will ever know. On Thursday July 7, the Balogun Musulumi of Iwo land clocked 80. Contributing Editor GBENGA DAN ASABE paid him a courtesy visit at his Lagos home in the heart of Festac- lagos and what the Chief told us about the story of his life could only make a good thriller movie. Enjoy the excerpts.
Sir, today July 7th is your 80th birthday. How would you describe life at 80?
I thank God for sparing my life as regards what I am; against the wishes of enemies who never see anything good in honesty, dedication and struggle to ensure justice in our society. I thank God for making me what I am. One thing about me is that I don’t ever celebrate birthdays because I prefer going into prayers. On such days, I go into prayers but some people believe they still have to pay you homage and they do come around and you have to just do little and the best you can to make them feel honored with their presence and respect for you.
What is the greatest lesson life has taught you at 80?
The journey of 80 has been a very turbulent journey; highly educative and a highly well guided life of discipline. If you live a life where you run away from injustice and corruption, you will enjoy your later years of life because there is nobody who can say ‘yes, he took my money’. Or ‘I had a business with him and he didn’t do me right or he chop my money’. What life has taught me in one way is that you must love God, you must respect God, you must obey God and you must do justice to your fellow human being no matter what you do’. Even if enemies rise up against you, you will conquer. And that is why people fear my existence because when I go into war with people I always win and no matter what they say, there is always that fact that debunks the falsehood they try to wrap around my personality. When there is nothing to talk about, they tell lies but one good thing is that with your good record, there is nothing the world will say that will work except you are equally in the bondage of deception. Well, I will say with all due respect that the major thing that I know should be the key mind of every human being is that ‘you should know God’. When you know God, you will do justice, you will do everything right. And God will protect you no matter how powerful your enemy or the opposition may be. I have contested elections several times in my life I have never lost one. It is the making of God, not me. I have contested so many battles, I have gone into war launched by people but they get disgraced at the end of the day. I am no God. I have seen lions, they come to fight but I swallow lions instead of the lions swallowing me. So, the biggest experience I have learnt in my life is knowing God and serving Him. Being honest and providing for the less privileged people in my society. Whatever money you have, don’t see yourself as a rich man, use it for your fellow human beings; when you don’t have let them know. Don’t go borrowing and don’t go stealing. Don’t do anything that is going to deny others of their rights. Whatever people say about you let your conscience guide you. It is not really what people say about you but what your conscience dictates and what you do right inside you.
When you know God, you will do justice, you will do everything right. And God will protect you no matter how powerful your enemy or the opposition may be. I have contested elections several times in my life I have never lost one. It is the making of God, not me. I have contested so many battles, I have gone into war launched by people but they get disgraced at the end of the day. I am no God. I have seen lions, they come to fight but I swallow lions instead of the lions swallowing me. So, the biggest experience I have learnt in my life is knowing God and serving Him. Being honest and providing for the less privileged people in my society. Whatever money you have, don’t see yourself as a rich man, use it for your fellow human beings; when you don’t have let them know. Don’t go borrowing and don’t go stealing. Don’t do anything that is going to deny others of their rights. Whatever people say about you let your conscience guide you. It is not really what people say about you but what your conscience dictates and what you do right inside you.
Whatever money you have, don’t see yourself as a rich man, use it for your fellow human beings; when you don’t have let them know. Don’t go borrowing and don’t go stealing. Don’t do anything that is going to deny others of their rights. Whatever people say about you let your conscience guide you. It is not really what people say about you but what your conscience dictates and what you do right inside you.
I am no God. I have seen lions, they come to fight but I swallow lions instead of the lions swallowing me. So, the biggest experience I have learnt in my life is knowing God and serving Him. Being honest and providing for the less privileged people in my society. Whatever money you have, don’t see yourself as a rich man, use it for your fellow human beings; when you don’t have let them know. Don’t go borrowing and don’t go stealing. Don’t do anything that is going to deny others of their rights. Whatever people say about you let your conscience guide you. It is not really what people say about you but what your conscience dictates and what you do right inside you.
When you know God, you will do justice, you will do everything right. And God will protect you no matter how powerful your enemy or the opposition may be. I have contested elections several times in my life I have never lost one. It is the making of God, not me. I have contested so many battles, I have gone into war launched by people but they get disgraced at the end of the day. I am no God. I have seen lions, they come to fight but I swallow lions instead of the lions swallowing me. So, the biggest experience I have learnt in my life is knowing God and serving Him. Being honest and providing for the less privileged people in my society. Whatever money you have, don’t see yourself as a rich man, use it for your fellow human beings; when you don’t have let them know. Don’t go borrowing and don’t go stealing. Don’t do anything that is going to deny others of their rights. Whatever people say about you let your conscience guide you. It is not really what people say about you but what your conscience dictates and what you do right inside you.
How I spent 3 Years in my mother’S womb
Couple of years back I was in your Iwo country home on a visit and I couldn’t imagine the huge love your people have for you. It is like anytime you are in town; your country home automatically becomes a Mecca of sort. Can you tell me the story of your growing up in Iwo?
Well, Iwo is my home. I was born in a village after three years of my mother carrying me in her stomach. I spent three years in pregnancy. She delivered me by the bush path where she was buying cocoa. My mother was a produce merchant. Delivering me three years after pregnancy is the reason they named me ‘Akinpennu’. And delivering me by the foot path is the main reason they call me ‘Abiona’. I am also Abiola, Oladepo and other names. One thing about my birth is that my father and mother lived a very kind hearted life. They were so good to people, they are peace makers and peace lovers I inherited all these principles and traits from my parent. In my home town and in my life, I have settled problems between people more than me doing any other thing in life. And you see, I stay with my people. Many of my colleagues and contemporaries were afraid to build their house in Iwo. I built my house back in 1960s in Iwo town and my house is the first three storey building built with a block wall. I built my first housing estate in 1977 which was burnt in 1983 on the allegation that I was part of the instrument used to remove the then Chief Bola Ige and his government, which is not true because we didn’t rig the election. And you see when you stay with your people, you grow with them, you share their problems with them. They love you whenever you come around and whatever you have, you share with them and that make them love you the more. You see, there is poverty all over the world and Iwo is not exceptional, so, what I do is that whenever I go home, the little I have, I carry with me. Nobody in Iwo land will tell anybody that he came to me for assistance and I denied it. I have made sure that I treat every case with uttermost passion. Many people come with deception, with falsehood and we have continued to do things for them but in recent times we are becoming careful to find out before we give. People want jobs; I do my little best to help them wherever it is possible to find job for them.
How I became a socialite
Let’s talk about your social life, in the 80s you were very popular on the social circle that the Juju Music Maestro, Commander now Evangelist Ebenezer Obey did a track on you and Iwo town in his OCD58 album?
(Cuts in) That album was done in 1972
Wao! 1972? Are you saying you have started making money as far back as 1972?
I don’t want to claim that I was one of the few most popular socialites in Nigeria. We have been in the frontline right from the ancient times of people before Ebenezer Obey; People like Haruna Ishola, Yussuf Olatunji, IK Dairo, Abalaki, Eric Enuoha in Central Hotel, Yaba and Victor Olaiya and many others. We have been in the forefront of making life good for them because God blessed us and when Obey and others like Tatalo of Ibadan became my inn favorites. Every week, you will see us at Obey’s joint at Yaba. We promoted Obey like anything and we thank God that today, Obey is a child of God and he is still very sweet in his music. He waxed two special records for me. Like the Iwo Olodo Oba you just mentioned is the first in 1972 and then you will remember in 1974 he waxed another one titled “Around the World” where he sang ‘Awa gbe ere wa d’America, Abiola ni, Biola Omo Ogundokun’. And that is why Mutiu (Obey’s talking drummer) said ‘Ko sibi t’ieti n jaiye, ko sa ja’merica, cruising global, ko sibi t’ietin jaiye’. That is the talking drum for me. We thank God; you see it got to a stage that even when they want to engage Obey, Sunny Ade, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister they will ask ‘have you been able to invite so-so set of socialites?’ and when they are able to get us there, they are easily ready to go and play there because they know we would do justice to them and we will enrich their pocket. God gave it to us and we were able to help so many people. We became so popular in Nigeria. I cannot but thank those musicians too for recognizing my patronage and singing my praise. It brought me so much fame. My present traditional ruler (Olu Iwo) said to me that there is nobody like Ogundokun, he propagated Iwo to the whole world. Up till now, he tells everybody that and that he believes he should give me the respect and love that he extends to me because he is asking for hands of fellowship in the progress of Iwo land and developing Iwo. I have never seen such a wonderful traditional ruler like the present Adewale Akanbi the Oluwo of Iwo, the Emperor of Greater Iwo who is there now.
How would you describe social life in Nigeria in your own time? How was the social scene at the time you made parties thick for famous musicians?
Age is not stopping me but religion has catch up with me because I have to spend more time serving God than those social things. And now, it is not the same thing. In those days you go out at night for your parties and nobody stops you. Today is a life of crime that you have to be very, very careful. You have to spend more time at home, talking to God, praying at night and in the morning. So, our own time was so sweet, so good that you even see women fighting over you. When you don’t even know them from Adam, they claim you are their boyfriend when you have never talked to any of them. It was so sweet. It was so sweet. We enjoyed it. Dynamic, young and handsome men we were, and you know in those days I wear turksido with bow tie and my suit is special designer. My perfume and all paraphernalia of fashion were extra-ordinary; when I move pass you; you can have a smell that you cannot compare.
How I made fortune From the Army
You have been a socialite for 50 years, how will you describe the experience of being a socialite?
It is good to be socially connected, it exposes you to people. You get to know more people and through that you do get business too. I won’t deny the fact that my social exposition through musicians also exposed me to business. Like I did a lot of contracts for the (Nigeria) Army during Murthala Mohammed’s regime; when you see the Supply and Transport (S&T) unit of the Nigeria army today, I designed all their logo and their alliance, I provided it for them and I made good money. And I was able to build my first housing estate from that money; the money was from garment business because I used to own a garment factory in London. I sold it when I was elected to the constituent assembly in 1977. Obasanjo pleaded with Nigerians to stop bringing imported goods to Nigeria and in obedient to him I obliged. In those days, I travel London-Nigeria three times a week. And I was selling to Balogun Market women, they will be waiting for me at the airport and they will just clear whatever I bring because there were so many women, so many traders who were my retailers. The business then was fantastic; they collect today, tomorrow you are paid. So, I made good money from garment business until in obedience, through Obasanjo’s clarion call that Nigerians should stop bringing in imported fabrics. And I fend for it, I was a member of the constitutional assembly in 1977 and that was how I gave up my garment factory. Maybe that money would have grown today, maybe I would have had too much of money. But I am happy that despite the fact that I gave up my garment business I went into other contracts and businesses and I bounced back. I played politics early enough. I was the Publicity Secretary of the NPN. I was financial and publicity secretary of the NNA Youth Alliance in 1964, 65, 66 until we were pushed out of government. Maitama Sule was my President of the Youth Wing; Obatolu at the center was national publicity secretary. The party is an offshoot of NDCN/DP coalition. With all these, I got exposed and became a national figure and highly respected because the good thing about it is that i put journalism and professionalism into my activities which helped very, very much. I can never thank those who groomed me very well in journalism. People like late Akinsuroju. My very good friend Peter Ajayi was very good to me, he was my News Editor and when I write he appreciates my skills. I remember Segun (Osoba) we were together. Segun grew up in Oshogbo. That is Segun Osoba, we were all colleagues on the job though politically we don’t belong to the same path. I am of the NCNC breed and I thank God the politics there is politics of honesty not chop-chop. We don’t hunt after people in the NCNC. But one thing that is killing Nigeria that I want to talk about is that politics of Nigeria is such a destructive politics. There is no government that can rule and succeed unless politics of bitterness is eradicated and politics of love is preached and exhibited by individual political class. I do not see why a government will not succeed. Americans don’t destroy their government; Britain doesn’t but here it is ‘if I don’t get it, I destroy’. And that has been in existence for long, from the first republic up till now. When are we going to succeed? It is when the government understands that they have to work hand in hand with the opposition and the opposition must embrace the government. That is the time we will be able to solve our problems. I am not happy about what is happening in Nigeria today; everybody is suffering for it and I don’t know what this is going to become of Nigeria. I can only beg the government to take it softly and find a way of reconciling and settling the major various inconveniences being created because of disunity among the political class.
I warned Jonathan about Omisore
During the last election, you were in the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s camp and you visibly supported…
(Cuts in) I was in the PDP and I played such a wonderful role, I advised Goodluck Jonathan…
(Cuts in) So, why didn’t he listen to you?
You know when they go there they talk sweet. I think wherever he (Jonathan) is now; his conscience will be telling him that Chief Ogundokun told me, he warned me. I even warned him in the presence of the South West (PDP) Caucus in the villa. I warned him about (Senator) Iyiola Omisore too.
I warned him and I am ready to confront Omisore too. I accused him of collecting money; he collected money and denied it. Today, the new government is exposing him for collecting that money. So, where is he going to hide his face now? Can he deny he didn’t collect that money? The money for the election did he give it to us? I wasted two hundred million of my money, selling properties here in Festac and elsewhere in Lagos. Now, I am living on something that I have built ever before this party came into being. I want somebody to point out and accuse me of collecting one kobo for anything in my political career, any money from anywhere. I worked, used my money to build the party and equally used my influence as a go-getter. A go-getter never lose election, I don’t lose elections. I have won elections. I have been successfully in charge of Iwo Local Government elections. I put whoever I like there. I don’t need to have any relationship with you; if you have good credibility I put you there. But now, once you are strong people gather to destroy you. I thank God that nobody has succeeded in destroying me.
Why nobody
Can arrest me over PDP money
Sir, where did you think Goodluck Jonathan got it wrong. Today, they are arresting his ex-aides, ministers and political friends over several allegations of looting and massive stealing. We have names like Jide Omokore, Fani Kayode, Dieziani Alison Madueke, Iyiola Omisore, Olisa Metuh, Ayo Fayose and many more. But Chief Ogundokun is standing tall?
I took no kobo. I spend my money. So, they can never call me. Let them mention where they gave me one kobo. I mean one kobo. I spent my money; I sold four of my properties including my Biscuit factory on Badagry road to sustain PDP. Let them come and say I join them in collecting any money, anywhere. I warned him (Jonathan) about the sycophants. I warned him about hungry hearts who have gotten enough and they still don’t feel satisfied. Some of them have banks in their houses; they have a lot of money they acquired illegal properties. Where were they when we have been in place and winning elections? They are small boys who prostrate before us. Once they got the money they don’t longer respect (political) experience and leadership. Once they get money they become the leader, world leader and the sycophants also dance around them, not me. I told Omisore ‘you will finish, you will never win an election’. Now, it is true that he doesn’t have any support. Let him go to Ife and contest election as a Local Government chairman weather he can win there.
How Olagunsoye Oyinlola cheated me…
You were also a prominent figure of your PDP who delivered Osun State during the era of Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. You worked for the progress of the party until the opposition came and snatched the state off you. What really went wrong with Olagunsoye Oyinlola?
Yes, it is greediness that drove away PDP coupled with the act of compensating those who do not deserve anything and abandoning those who made it possible for the party to win in Osun state. One of the major reasons why (Olagunsoye) Oyinlola failed is that he believes in fantasy. I spent a lot of money and served Oyinlola but he betrayed me. He betrayed me in the sense that I deserved something good; they didn’t give to me and I see them making money. Why would I just continue to look? To the extent that I cannot deny the fact that before Baba Obasanjo intervened in Abeokuta at a peace meeting with him, he (Oyinlola) offended me to the extent that I cursed him that he will not last three months as governor and he did not last three months as governor because I was saying it from the bottom of my heart because he said something, that he will deal with me when I get back to Osun. But today, I have forgiven him o. I cursed him that he will not amount to anything in the party, he will not touch anything and succeed politically.
(Cuts in) You mean ex-Governor Oyinlola of Osun State?
Oh yes.
But has he practically come to apologize to you and seek your divine forgiveness?
In fairness his family came o, and now, for the first time, about two and a half month ago we greeted. So, I felt happy when he came to greet me.
Yes, you know I once visited you in Oshogbo in those days and I could see the passion you had for Oyinlola throughout the election, you were there. You did so many things for him, so, why would he decide to mistreat you?
I erected his campaign boards; I produced all the bill boards with my money, all the T-shirts, all the campaign jackets, hijabs for women, face caps with my money without getting any kobo from them. And then the thing came out to be successful and they were just choping the money and doing what they like.
At 80, what are those things you normally do before that you can’t do any longer?
I am actively doing everything good. You can see I am still fit at 80. I still write and publish my magazine. I go out to events whenever I get invitations and like I said earlier, the ability to socialize is still very much there but religion has caught up with me. I must talk to my God every time now and that is the essence of living a life.
What about your children and grand children?
Very interesting. They are all happy and I am happy with them. My grand children called me this morning and they sang ‘happy birthday to grandpa’ to me (burst into hearty laughter). I was on the bed when they called. Most of them, about six-seven years old I don’t know how they did it. They all assembled themselves and 5:40 am this morning and rendered a song for me.
What about your meal regime at 80, what do you eat that gives you this trim stature?
I try to eat any good food that comes my way. I don’t think about problems. Take problems off your life, don’t think at all. Don’t create hypertension for yourself. When any problem comes, accept it as one of those things in life and don’t run beyond your level. Don’t short cut. And this is very important, wait for God’s time to come. Be disciplined. Good food. Good sleep. And above all, be honest and helpful to the society.
As a veteran journalist, what do you have for young and upcoming journalists if you are to be their guest lecturer at a seminar?
The journalists should be practical. Go to the school, do a good job, get fully identified by the society and the profession before you jump out to want to start your own magazine that will not last two months. And internet journalism is not it. When everybody becomes internet journalist how many people will read and how do you make the money? And they become redundant, they don’t make money. They have to go begging, they have to look up to people. This profession is not that kind of a thing, the profession is for you to go and work. Get identified, get known. When you are known the money will come. Be creative. All these things that is going in the society today is bad, they are all thinking of what a publisher is making and they want to make the same thing. It is not possible. Journalists should learn to be good explorers in the sense that they have to become creative and serious professionals in their chosen fields. You cannot be a master of all trades in journalism. You have to pick one thing. If it is judiciary, be a super judiciary reporter. If it is business, try to report the beat well. But today, once you employ them, they don’t even respect their publishers any more. They want to see the money. How many people have we employed and they are gone? And when they go out they will not tell the truth.
Maybe they will say Chief Ogundokun didn’t pay them?
Nobody can say that in this world. Even when I want to sack you, I pay you off. No Nigerian journalist that ever worked with me will tell you I didn’t pay him before firing him.
New Story
LOLA ALAO Stages Classy Burial Party For Dad
- Details Of The Gig @ LEKKI COLISEUM In Lagos
Star actress,Lola Alao recently took Lagos city by storm when she threw a classy burial party for her father,Pa Lasisi Alao (alias Baba Soldier).The once bubbling military man breathe his last on the 23rd of March 2016 after a very brief illness. He was aged 75. The burial plan began immediately the man passed away.,and by virtue of being a celebrated actress alongside being a socialite,Lola together with her siblings left no stone unturned in giving their late father a befitting burial that can’t be forgotten in a hurry. He was buried on the 3rd day after his dealth, March 26. And on Sunday July 10, all road led to the much talked about Lekki Coliseum where the celebrity studded event took place. The classy event had celebrated Gospel Artist, Lanre Atorise on bandstand.City People’s Bukola Bamgbose Oyawoye was there to serve you gists.
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