On Thursday, 30 April 1998 at about Noon, I was in my office in the City Hall holding a meeting with the representatives of the newly formed Market Men Association, Lagos Island, led by Alhaji Sadiq Haroun (also known as Baba Taju). The Chairman, Musiliu Obanikoro had delegated me to meet with their executive before he left the office. About 30 minutes into the meeting, Femi Àjọṣe (a.k.a. White Horse) barged in on us while the meeting was on, screaming: “Dapo, fire, fire, fire”. The City Hall was on fire and I didn’t know. Though people were still scampering out of the building, I was virtually the only one left on the fourth floor of the building. That was the Chairman’s floor. “White Horse” himself had run downstairs. It was when he didn’t see me downstairs that he perceived that I must still be in my office holding a meeting. He was in my office before the fire started. He left my office when the meeting was about to commence since he was not part of it, nor was he a staff of the council. He is a friend of the Chairman and I, and a regular visitor to the council. He took the risk of coming upstairs to inform me of the fire because he was convinced that I was unaware of the fire. Immediately they heard ‘fire, fire’, the people I was holding meeting with had disappeared before “White Horse” could finish delivering his information.
Instead of running out of the building when he informed me of the fire, I was still thinking of how to salvage some sensitive documents in my office when ‘White Horse’ practically dragged me out. It was when we got to the corridor that I realised the stupid risk I was taking by looking for documents to salvage in the midst of a reckless and restless inferno. The whole corridor was covered with clouds of fire fumes. I had to hold my breath like a professional swimmer to avoid being choked on fumes. Incredibly, my office was three doors away from the room where the fire started. How the fire had not reached my office as at the time ‘White Horse’ came to Inform me, nobody could explain.
On 14 May 1998, the Buba Marwa administration set up a Panel of Enquiry into the fire incident at the City Hall, Lagos, under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner for Works, Engineer Anthony Pinheiro. Other members of the Panel were the state Commissioner of Police, Permanent Secretary, Office of Local Government Administration, Permanent Secretary, Home Affairs, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Director SSS or his representative, Director, State Fire Service, Director, Local Government Monitoring. The Secretary of the panel was Mr. Suraju Ayilara, Director (Special Duties). By June 1998, the panel had submitted its report. Its major finding was summarised in this way: “The panel was able to establish that the fire was caused by electrical sparks from the faulty socket of the airconditioner in the Chairman’s study room, The rapid spread of the fire and the large scale destruction it left in the trail was, however, traced to the substantial combustible materials in and around the study room. For instance, about 30 packets of exercise books meant for distribution to primary school pupils within the local government were stacked in the study room”.
While waiting for the report of the panel, I had found time to discuss a very important personal matter with the Chairman. I didn’t tell him anything prior to this time because I was waiting for the letter. I wanted to be sure that I had sealed everything before discussing the issue with him. Aside from other extraneous matters that kept me away from school for 11 years after I obtained my Master’s degree, my “toddler convoy” had increased from one to six namely EbunOLUWA, DunmininuOLUWA, IbukunOLUWA, OreOLUWA, OpeOLUWA and MoyinOLUWA. But it was time to return to school for my doctorate programme. Despite making a Ph.d grade (64) in my Master’s degree and finishing from a prestigious institution like the University of Ife, the University of Ibadan insulted me by offering me Mphil/Ph.d instead of giving me direct Ph.D. It was all part of the unnecessary inter-tower supremacy politics among the universities. The reason given was that I didn’t make the 64 in Unibadan. I later learned that Ife normally did the same thing to students who finished from UI and other universities. That was their problem. I accepted the course work condition and they gave me the admission. That was what I went to discuss with ‘Koro’. For him to know it was a fait accompli, I was armed with the admission letter dated 25 May 1998 when going for the discussion.
His reaction was quick: ‘Dapsy inter’ (that’s how he used to call me), we are going to finish this government together. I know I cannot stop you, but let’s work something out. You know how important and strategic you are to this government. Our administration is only one year old. We still have about three more years to go”. After an exhaustive discussion, we agreed that I should go for my lectures in Ibadan on Monday to Wednesday and come to the office on Thursdays and Fridays. Then, we could work in his house or my house on Saturdays and Sundays, if it became necessary. Fortunately, we were living very close to each other. He was living on Lagos Street while I was living on Borno Way.
During my one year course work, I found myself in the same class with some brilliant young scholars doing their Master’s programme. We had names like Adeyi Musa Abidoye, Jide Ojo, Sheriff Folarin, Bonnie Ayodele, Adelaja Babatunde, Dauda Ademola, Edmund Oyenebo, Eromosele Bashir, Jide Olatunde, Jude Jacobs, Kehinde Adegbite, Okedoye John, Olayiwola Kayode, Akin Gbadamosi. There was also Kola Onifade but he was an MPhil/Ph.d student like me. It was an interesting class where seminars were conducted with panoply of seminal outpourings and intellectual funfare. Even lecturers like Prof. Bayo Adekanye, Prof. A. A. Ayoade, Prof. Adigun Agbaje, Dr. Jimi Adisa, Dr. A. Okunade, Dr. Kunle Amuwo, Dr. Willy Fawole, Dr. Taiye Simbine, Dr. Rotimi Suberu, Prof. Alex Gboyega, Dr. Eghosa Osaghae, Dr. F. O. Alalade and Dr. Layiwola Owolabi were always in their best element to ensure that graduate students of the political science department were solidly grilled in the tradition of Unibadan scholarship. Though Drs. Alalade, Fawole and Owolabi were on sabbatical from Ife, they still fitted into the Ibadan tradition of empiricism. There seems to be a socio-cultural force in the academia which creates natural and quintessential ties between students and lecturers. Or, how else can one explain the gravitational instinct that compelled an instant bonding between me and the households of people like Agbaje, Osaghae, Simbine, Fawole and Alalade? I got so used to Osaghae’s household that, for almost two years, I was his children’s music teacher and family organist. Some of my friends in UI who used to see me with these people couldn’t believe that I didn’t do my undergraduate and Master’s programmes in UI.
Another funny dimension was that I didn’t get to know Fawole in the Department of International Relations, University of Ife, when I was there because he was on a fellowship programme abroad. But as they say, blood is thicker than water. The moment we saw each other in Ibadan where he was doing his sabbatical, we became so fond of each other. The most sensational of these acquaintances was that of Tayo Adesina, who was my classmate in our undergraduate days. Back then in Unife, despite the fact that he was a very strong member of my inner caucus, I didn’t like his quietness. He was a complete gentleman and a back bencher in the class. He hardly made any serious contributions in class. In a way, one can say that he was not one of the top 20 in class. By the time I got to Ibadan, Tayo had become a Professor of History. He had turned himself to an intellectual celebrity whose expertise in history and historiography was in high demand. Not only that. He was the internal-external examiner for my work, which impliedly made him a critical decider in the award of the doctorate degree. Life is a lesson in history.
I was happy that at the end of the one year course work, my understanding of International Relations from the historical perspective and the administrative standpoint as espoused in the Unife pedagogical manual combined with the Unibadan rigorous orientation in political dialectics was enhanced with my exposure to a broader horizon of the international system and international politics. Sufficed in new courses like International Legal Order, Issues in Contemporary International Relations, Statistical Analysis in Political Science, and Public Policy Analysis which were not taught in Ife, a dyadic association has been established between domestic politics and international politics. This is an inspiring triad which provides the historian, the administrator and the political scientist sufficient tools to dissect International Relations as a multidisciplinary discipline. I learned all this in Unibadan. At the end of the course work and the conversion examinations, I was able to score an average of 65.5 per cent. This was one-point-five per cent better than what I scored in Unife. With this result, I proceeded straight to my doctoral dissertation.
On 8 June 1998, General Sani Abacha died mysteriously and was immediately succeeded as the Head of State by General Abubakar Abdulsalam, who doubled as the Chairman, Provisional Ruling Council (PRC). One of the actions taken by the PRC was the dissolution of all the political parties and democratic structures at all levels. A new political transition time-table was released by the Abubakar military government. This brought an abrupt end to the Obanikoro administration in Lagos Island. Though I was meant to leave with Obanikoro as a political appointee, the newly appointed Chairman, Mr Tajudeen Ojikutu received a directive from above (Alausa) to retain me as his PA. I was his PA until 29 December 1998 when I was appointed a temporary Assistant Lecturer in the Department of History and International Studies, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos. I was employed to teach Issues in Contemporary International Relations and Middle East and the Great Powers.
As at December 1998, the race for the governorship election in Lagos State had become very acerbic among three notable political figures, namely Funsho Williams, Dr. Wahab Dosunmu and Bola Tinubu. In Lagos Island, our group, ‘Atayase’ , led by Hon. Wasiu Ogunlana and Obanikoro had become a formidable force in Lagos politics. Koro’s accomplishments as Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government boosted the group’s political influence in the state. We instantly became a beautiful bride to the three contestants. But we eventually settled for Tinubu. The nucleus of the group comprised Ogunlana, Obanikoro, myself, Femi Àjọṣe, Soji Ajayi-Bembe, Mutiu Are, Fatai Sulaimon, Semiu Alebiosu, Oga Ibadan, Iya Koro and Sherifat Badmus. As at 14 December 1998, the party, Alliance for Democracy (AD) was yet to decide on its governorship candidate for an election that was less than a month away. The state governorship election had been fixed for 9 January 1999.
As at 14 December 1998, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dapo Sarumi had started his campaign officially. Acting on a confidential information given to me by a very close ally of Senator Abraham Adesanya, I wrote a personal letter to Pa Adesanya. The close ally had told me that Afenifere would be meeting that week in Ijebu Igbo and that Baba Adesanya loved reading my write-ups, especially on Lagos politics. He suggested that I should do a personal letter to him and make sure that Baba Adesanya received it before the meeting if my group wanted President Tinubu to be the state’s flagbearer. There was no time to waste. That same day, 14 December 1998, I wrote a personal letter to Baba Adesanya to argue for President Tinubu’s candidacy. I didn’t dwell much on Dosunmu because I had been told that the contest was keenly between Williams and President Tinubu. The only person supporting Dosunmu was Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu. But other strong Afenifere members like Pa Onasanya, Pa Adesanya, Ayo Adebanjo, Femi Okurounmu, Reuben Fasoranti, Olanihun Àjàyí, Olu Falae, Adebayọ Adefarati, Alhaji Adeyemo, A. Adegbonmire were sharply divided between Williams and President Tinubu. This was the summation of my submission: “If I may ask Sir, what have been Funsho Williams’ contributions to the 12 June struggle which you are spearheading. He was in Col. Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s cabinet as the Commissioner for Works. He served briefly under Col. Buba Marwa. This in essence means that while President Bola Tinubu has been putting his life in danger for 12 June actualisation, Funsho Williams was busy reaping from 12 June… Sir, I may have cause to write you again but I believe that this letter would be useful to you during your crucial meeting in Ijebu Igbo when deciding who will represent the state in the governorship election”.
Baba Adesanya got it and the rest is history. President Tinubu became AD’s flagbearer and went on to defeat candidates of other parties in a landslide victory. He scored 841,000 votes, Sarumi (PDP) scored 184,000 votes, and Nosiru Kekere-Ekun (APP) 122,000 votes. President Tinubu also won 19 out of the 20 local governments in the state.
One year into my appointment in LASU, precisely, 7 December 1999, my friend, Femi Fálànà got in touch with me that President Tinubu was looking for me. Needless to say that President Tinubu had become the Governor of Lagos State on May 29, 1999. I had known President Tinubu as far back as 1991/92 when he contested for the senatorial seat in Lagos West. His campaign office was right in front of my house in Otigba Street, Ikeja. The house belonged to Alhaji Kafaru President Tinubu. Kafaru was living there with his family before he moved to Victoria Island. But he left his two sons, Deji and Wale in the house. When the ban on politics was lifted in 1998, President Bola Tinubu converted the last floor to his campaign office while Deji and Wale were using the middle floor. President Tinubu was not living there but his campaign office was located there. Two of my uncles were his political associates. Rahman Owokoniran, my Aunty’s husband, was his campaign manager during the senatorial election, while my second uncle, Dr Frederick Fasegun Machado, my father’s little nephew, was Sarumi’s deputy in the 1992 election. Sarumi was the gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) before he was disqualified along with Prof. Femi Agbalajobi for electoral violations by the national executive of the party. After his disqualification, Sarumi still insisted that Machado should remain the deputy governorship candidate to Yomi Edu, who defeated Biodun Ogunleye in the party primary. So, during the campaign, we were always together on the field. It was during that time that my uncle (Segun Machado) told President Tinubu to take care of me as a brother. But this was in 1992. As a result of the annulment and dissolution of all democratic structures, including the National Assembly, we lost contact as he went into exile. We didn’t see again until he returned to the country in November 1998 after his NADECO years abroad.
On the day of the appointment, 8 December, I went to see President Tinubu at the Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja. I got there on the dot of 11 am, the time he told Falana that I should come. The security details in his office did not want to allow me in because I had no prior appointment. I now told them that he was the one who sent Fálànà to me. At last, they allowed me in only to put me in a lonely room they called visitors’ room with a malfunctioning air conditioner. I was in that room roasting for almost two hours without anybody attending to me. Maybe they thought the AC was working. When I got tired of sitting alone and being monitored by their cameras, I went out into the passage to look for help. As I opened the door, I saw a police officer with the name badge: Tunji Disu. Unconscious of his identity or status in the Round House, I asked him if he was a staff in the place. He replied “Yes”. I was happy that finally I had someone to talk to. “Please, I am here to see the governor”. From where was his next question. “From Lagos here”. “Okay, why do you want to see the Governor “, he questioned me again. “I am sorry, I don’t know why the governor wants to see me. He told my friend, Femi Fálànà that I should see him”, I answered him. “Oh, you are from Mr. Fálànà”? “Yes”, I responded. He took me to an office with the inscription: “ADC” on the door. He told me to sit and went inside an office adjacent to his. He came back a minute later to inform me that the governor said I should give him some minutes to finish with the person with him. It was when he sat on his chair that I realised that I had been talking to the Governor’s ADC. He was such a nice guy. Five minutes later, I was ushered into the governor’s private office. His first statement to me as I entered his office was: “Nibo ni iwọ ti gbà lo Dapo (Dapo, where have you been all this while?). I replied him that Deji Tinubu and I had made several attempts to see him at Sunday Adigun Street (Mama Mogaji’s house) before the inauguration but we were blocked from seeing him. “Okay, that will not happen again”, he assured me. He took one of the note pads on his desk, scribbled something on it and gave it to me. I read it and I said thank you, Sir, with a smile. When a G
governor gives you a powerful pass that reads: “Security/ADC, allow the bearer (Dapo Thomas) to see me ANYTIME”, won’t you smile? Now to business. “Go and meet Dele Alake. I know he is your friend. We have a job for you in the Ministry of Information and Strategy. You are our new Director of Press and Public Relations”, he revealed. I was not excited. He noticed it. He asked: “What’s the problem. Why are you hesitating”. By now, the man who was with him moved away from the table when he realised that I wanted to say something confidential to the governor. He was wearing a jalamia and had a goatee beard. I leaned on the governor’s table to whisper my response: “Thank you Sir for the offer, but I don’t want any position that is short of reporting directly to you”. He shook his head and smiled. Then he said in Yoruba:”Segun ti so bẹ pe were ni e (Segun, my uncle, his own friend) has told me you are a weird fellow)”. I laughed. Then he said:…
To be continued
