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, a past president of Ikeja Lioness Club, executive member of the Nigerian Federation of Business and Professional Women, as well as a Life Member of the Lagos Dining Club, among others, is a sister to the late legal icon and politician, Chief H. O. Davies. At 98, she reminisces on life in Lagos then and now. In this interview with Saturday Telegraph, she also disclosed that she loves and still listens to the music of legendry Fela Anikulapo-Kuti to relax. Excerpts:
At 98 years on earth, how has it been so far?
I can’t believe I’m 98 years old already because I can still talk, I see you, I can walk, although not like before that I could run. I thank God. And I go to the market when I want to. I eat what I want. I go where I want. And you see, my thinking my faculty is still intact. I talk to and meet people like you. So, I thank God and my families that are looking after me. I don’t know what more to say than ‘thank you God’. It’s been years since I lost my husband. But I thank God for people in my life.
What do you think is the secret for your longevity?
Maybe people coming behind you can emulate some of the things you do.
(Laughs) The secret is my God, Jehovah. First of all, you have to believe in God and obey His commandments. Think good of the country. Cut your coat according to your clothes and then you have to be friendly with people. Be happy with what God has given you. Be content, nobody has it all. The little God has given you, you should try and enjoy it and be happy with it.
You’ve been in the Lions Club. You are still a lion. Lionism is about impacting people like politics. Why didn’t you ever venture into politics?
I do politics privately but I am not into active politics. I never liked it because once you’re a politician, your life is not your own again. And whatever you do will be criticised. Like, I was reading The Tell Magazine of years ago about former president, the late Umaru Yar’Adua. I didn’t even remember that he was so much attacked as president then as good as he was. There is nothing you do that people will not criticise.
It has never even crossed my mind to join politics, maybe because I have politicians around me. I talk and discuss politics, but I was not born to be a politician. I know what is going on in Europe, in Nigeria. But I’m not a politician. I don’t have the stamina. I don’t have the flair for it. My brother, H.O. Davies, was a politician with (Obafemi) Awolowo, Shonibare, (Herbert) Macaulay and we used to follow him everywhere. They were always in our house then; even before I got married, they were always at my father’s house. But it didn’t even occur to me that I could go into politics, because as a politician, your time is not yours again. You don’t have time for your family because you don’t see enough of them, and whatever you do, your opponent will criticise you.
Are you aware of what is happening in the National Assembly?
Of course, I’m aware of the scandal. Natasha, Akpabio and so many others. The way they shout… but then, it happens everywhere. I just watched the BBC, when they are having their own political arguments. The House of Representatives, they always like criticising one another. I think that’s politics generally.
You have relationships with people like the former President (Olusegun) Obasanjo, (Gabriel) Igbinedion, Alakija, and many more…
Don’t forget that I’ve been in Lagos for 98 years now. My childhood, everything was spent in Lagos. And at that time, Lagos was very small. We were like, neatly formed; we were together. We were always together. You are the uncle and aunt to your friend’s children. We were so close. We were so loving in Lagos as we grew up together. Like Fatai Williams, we grew up together. I met Obasanjo through my husband when he was in government with the late Murtala Mohammed.
Do you still get in touch with some of these people, and if you do, what do you normally talk about?
When I see them, we are all old now. Once you know somebody, you have to really get on. All these people, when I see them, they’re happy to see me, I’m happy to see them and their children. And they’re happy that in my little corner, I didn’t bother them for anything.
So, everything is in the hands of God, and I’m very lucky. That’s why this year I said I’m going to tell you all to thank God for me. It’s been wonderful.
Can you compare your Lagos then and now?
Lagos was beautiful. People trooped into Lagos, from Onitsha, Kaduna, Warri, the East, the West, etc. Some people looked strange to us then. But then people in the West, like Osogbo, Ife, were closer. Some of them were traders.
Lagos, to us, was Isale Eko, Tokunbo, Campos Square to Ikoyi. And not just anybody could go to Ikoyi freely apart from when they were burying people because the colonial masters were there. And then, the Lagos radius extended only to Yaba. Visiting Yaba may be once a year or so. And that is if you had a relative there.
Then in Lagos, we knew somebody everywhere. We were all related somehow. My father and grandfather came from Isale Eko. When I was about eight years old, I remember my father would hold my hand to visit our cousins because we had aunties and uncles everywhere.
There was no insecurity in our time in Lagos, because I remember working barefooted for years. We went everywhere, playing freely. Ebutte Metta was limited then, then Yaba, then Oshodi, we were so lucky. We loved each other.
There was this love, no matter where you were from, once we got to know each other, we took care of each other, bonded and became family.
Lagos was fantastic then. We had everything. There was water, there was electricity, and we loved each other. We went everywhere to visit family and friends. But now, it’s a different kettle of fish, because of the population explosion. Lagos is like London now, because it’s full of people. I still love it, but I just don’t like the way beggars and all are littering the streets.
In terms of security, Lagos was more secure. You could go anywhere anytime of the day. There was freedom of movement with no harassment, no disturbance. Lagos was beautiful. And we children, back then, were not spoiled.
We did our chores daily; even before we went to school and on Saturdays. And then we respected the elders. Lagos was beautiful. We celebrated Christmas, Ileya and all festivals together because we were interwoven. Nobody discriminated against another. If you were a Christian, you had Muslims relatives, whether your uncle or aunt. So that was our own Lagos, but we all got on so well.
The picture of Fela Anikulapo Kuti is conspicuously displayed on your shelf. What’s your relationship with Fela?
Fela is my favorite musician. I still listen to his music, and I enjoy it. Everything Fela sang about is happening now. Honestly, he was a visionary and I like him. I like his mother.
Looking back now, what are your proudest achievements?
My greatest achievement is that I grew up in Lagos and was able to develop myself in this city. I schooled in Lagos, but I got married in England, came back to Lagos and worked here and enjoyed the opportunities provided by Lagos. God gave me the grace to travel outside the country and even within Nigeria. I see the way people are. But Lagos is the best for me. You know, I love Lagos, and I think back to so many beautiful stories or history. When you say history, what happened then? Because really, we were lucky. You know, if you go to school here, unless you don’t want to study, you can study anything. Lagos is still the best out of the 36 states.
What are the biggest lessons life has taught you?
Life has taught me to be humble and for us to love one another. Now, I don’t say I’m perfect, but I just try. We all have problems, but you don’t take your problems out on others. Enjoy life. Travel if you can. If we cannot travel abroad, just go out, change the environment. Enjoy your neighbours. You know, there’s no life more than this. And then you must have to have a hobby, either gardening. You may not be perfect. And then make yourself comfortable by eating well, by sleeping on time, by going to parties if you can or just dancing to music anyways. Thank God we still have this old music and fashion.
At 98, do you still go to parties?
Yes, I attend family functions, I go to my societies’ events, IWS and all. They make sure I’m not alone. They are all my children now, but then we are so close, so interwoven, that whenever they have something to do, I attend. Though now I can’t travel out of Lagos again.
Years back, you said in 10 to 15 years, Nigeria might have a female president. But right now, we have only three women at the Senate. Are you not concerned?
We are trying and we’ll get there someday. But then, it all depends on all of us, especially our men. If they want it to happen, it will happen. I think we’re still trying. Because, we have these past great women. Most of them are from the South, then you have some from the North.
It’s a difficult thing, because, as we are now, some parts of the country are still struggling to send the girl-child to school. But here, you know, a girl-child can aspire to any position. They can get whatever they want. But there are some areas where it is still believed that a girl-child shouldn’t be educated.
Nigeria’s politics is dominated by men. With just three women in the Senate out of 106. Now one of them is crying out that she’s being sexually harassed. Would you, as a mother, advise a girl-child to go into politics in Nigeria?
That should not be a discouragement for women. I think our women are doing well in politics. We have so many women that come out bravely to talk, even in the North. But then don’t forget, Nigerian society limits women. But the women are fighting back. And it will happen one day. I think women have done well; I can’t see it more than this. The South has that freedom, we have the facilities, women have the opportunities to get to wherever. But the North is coming up now. They are having more female professors. But then, women still have to keep on fighting. They’re doing well. We will get there.
Of course, it will come. You just have to keep on pushing, it will come. But I think women are trying. Look at the banks, you see our women being Directors, Chairmen, you know, we are trying. We will get there.
On insecurity in Nigeria, the South West government decided to introduce Amotekun. I want you to assess the security outfit.
To me, state police is the only way out. This is my personal opinion. Each state should establish and develop its own police. Get the people, the natives of the state, to man the state police.
And then Amotekun, I can’t see it working, because all the states do not have the same security problem. Some people want it so they can train them and arm them. It’s a good thing. If it will work, I will advise states to go that route.
But I think if they could have state police, train them well, it would be wonderful. They have it in America. You have the police, you have the federal one, you have the state police, and they have their rules and regulations…CONTINUE READING>>
