‘Nigeria’s Main Source of Revenue, Crude Oil, Its Biggest Problem’
A first encounter with Engr. Edet James Amana will hardly reveal that he is 80 years old. The indefatigable Nigerian combines the wisdom of his age with intellectual prowess of his academic pursuit to excel in all facets of life. As he turns 80 on December 11, Amana speaks with Funke Olaode about his life, career, state of the nation and his new book. Excerpts:
You’ ll be 80 on December 11. How has life treated you so far? Life has been very good to me. Not that I have not had challenges but challenge in life can often been stepping stones to greater achievement. In my case, the challenges which I have had in my life have been a stepping stone for me to reach the next level of my existence. I remember the main challenge was in 1966 when I had an encounter with soldiers during the Nigerian civil war. They (the soldiers) shot me and I lost of blood. In fact, they wanted to blow me up with (a) grenade but somehow providence intervened and stopped them from blowing me up.
Considering the scenario you have painted did you ever think you wouldliveupto80?
To be frank with you, I don’t think I ever sat down and thought about how old I would want to be. But one of the things that have helped me to live a healthy lifestyle was the injury that I sustained when I was shot by the soldiers. The injuries required me to do a lot of exercise which became a routine for me. Also, I had to mind what I eat because during my hospitalization I took a lot of antibiotic which had a negative effect on my body. So I understand if I have to live a long life I have to refrain from something that would subject me to taking medications for a long time. Being conscious of my diet, exercise and of course, the grace of God has helped me this far.
What were the factors that shaped your life while you were growing up?
It was my family background, particularly my parents. My father was a teacher and a preacher; and my mother was a very homely person. The Christian family background in which I grew up had characterized my life. My father being a teacher inculcated knowledge as an integral part of our living which has remained my primary strong point.
As a child what were your dreams?
My dream was always to excel in whatever I undertake to do. Later or quite early in my life even from primary school level of my education I always strived to excel and to add value to people’s lives. I remember in my early days at school, I was very friendly with teachers because they could use my talent to add value to the environment. I was very good at drawing and painting and the teachers engaged me to draw things on the board or on the wall which they used as teaching aids. When I look back, those little things were the early indicators of the way my life would run. So, adding value became part of my life.
You have plans to launch a book on December 12. What is it all about?
It is a book called, ‘Sojourn of Providence, Sir Edet Amana at 80’. It will be launched on Wednesday, December 12 in Lagos. The book is about me. It is a biography ( a compendium) written by people around me: my family members, members of my church – Methodist church – where I have spent most of my time in worship, friends from social circle, business life, etc. All the proceeds (realised from the launch) will go into funding Edet Amana Foundation, founded to cater for the less privileged in the society. Over the years, we have been doing a lot of philanthropy; giving scholarships to funding educational facilities, empowerment of widows, health. For the past seven years we have organized an annual medical outreach. So we are bringing all the philanthropic activities together under the foundation.
You were born a year before World War I I broke out in 1939. What was it like living in the shadow ofthatwar?
It wasn’t a pleasant experience for those who grew up after that war. Though the war was far away in foreign lands but because Nigeria was a colony of Britain, the country was officially at war. So the organs of production were all focused on the war effort. There was a lot of scarcity in this country. As a little child growing up in the late 1930s and early 1940s, I found out that my father couldn’t get tyre for his bicycle. There was a lot of hardship as many institutions were closed down; the schools were shut down and many ablebodied men were sent to the war front in Burma. But I was fortunate because my father could have been one of those that were sent out. After the schools were closed down, he began trading in palm oil products. That again affected my background because it affected my thinking and action.
During your early years Nigeria entered a golden era but it didn’ t last long. How and where did the nation getitwrong?
Initially, the country was doing well but after the independence in 1960 things went wrong. I believe the turning point in the country was the civil war because before the war Nigeria was a true federation of states and the states had autonomy to operate in many areas of their requirements. But during the war the country became a unitary in terms of governance as power is concentrated at the centre. That is an ambiguity which