Reminiscences with Chief Raphael Adediran Ibitomi
Chief Raphael Adediran Ibitomi was General Muhammadu Buhari’s teacher at Katsina Provincial Secondary School. The 85-year-old elder statesman was also the first adviser on school statistics in the Northern Region. In 1968, he was the first civil servant in the Ministry of Education to be deployed to Kwara State. Since his retirement from government service in 1981, Chief Ibitomi, an indigene of Okorogbede, a town that shares boundary with Kabba in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, lives in Ilorin. In this interview, he spoke on his experiences as a teacher in Katsina, how he was deployed to Kwara and other interesting issues.
At 85, how would you describe your journey of life so far? I was born in 1933, but I was told that my mother died when I was three months old. It was my mother’s first child that took care of me, with the support of my father. I spent only one day in Iyagbed Primary School because I didn’t want to leave my father and he didn’t want to leave as well. I ran away from school, not knowing that my father was also coming to pick me to the village. We met halfway and I was very happy. Three days later, I was taken to Isanlu Mokutu Primary School. That was in 1940.
It may interest you to know that all the journeys we made were on foot, and that made my feet swollen. I also spent only one year at Isanlu Mokutu. After that one year, I returned home again and my father took me to Kabbah Central School, where I spent six or seven years on primary education. In those days, we had eight subjects and you must pass all of them. There was no question of finding aggregates. And passing the subjects meant that one must get more than 50 per cent in each of them. The examination covered Ondo, Kabbah, Iyagba. I had to pass all the eight subjects, which I took to Government College, Keffi, the second biggest government college in northern Nigeria at that time. The first one was Barewa College. Fortunately, I spent six years at Keffi and finished in 1954.
In 1955, I was lucky to go to the Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria. We had three branches at that time one in Ibadan, one in Enugu and another one in Zaria. Because I went to secondary school in the North, it was easier for me to go to Zaria. I spent two years on my advanced studies, after which I did a professional course to teach in a secondary school. That was the easiest way to get employment in northern Nigeria at that time. As soon as I graduated in 1957, I was employed by the Government of North Region and I became a teacher in the Provincial Secondary School, Zaria, where I taught for five years. It was there that I met the late Ibrahim Coomasie, the former Inspector-Geberal of Police from Katsina State.
In late 1960 I was posted to the Katsina Provincial Secondary School, where I taught the present President Muhammedu Buhari two subjects - Mathematics and Chemistry. I think Buhari finished in 1961, but surely, he was my student for one and half years.
In 1962, they were looking for somebody with bias in Mathematics at the Ministry of Education in Kaduna and they picked me to be the counterpart to USAID adviser on school statistics. I was transferred to the headquarters. In 1963 and 1964, I had an opportunity to go to the University of Ghana for a diploma in Statistics, a course that was very useful to me for further studies. It was a two-year course and I thank God that I did very well. I was the best throughout the period. As a result of this, many students didn’t like me, especially those from the southern part of Nigeria. They didn’t think that anything good could come from the northern part of the country. When I returned, the adviser had gone back to the USA and I became the adviser on school statistics for the whole northern Nigeria. I was the first to hold the position.
In 1968, I was deployed to Kwara State. I was the first civil servant in the Ministry of Education to be deployed to Kwara. When I came, I went straight to the then governor, the late Col Bamgboye, who became my close friend throughout his lifetime. He never at any time called me by my name, instead he referred to me as RA, even in the middle of official meetings if he wanted to ask for my opinion.
In 1971, while I was in the Ministry of Education, I was responsible for many things, including organising people to go abroad for further studies. An opportunity also came for me to go abroad for further studies and I went to the University of Michigan for a Bachelor of Science degree. The course was to last for 18 months, but I ended up doing it in 8 months with honours. I am not boasting, but giving thanks to God for the privilege and my intelligence. Before I got home in August 1972, my father had received a letter from the college to attend the convocation. Of course my father never saw a car in his life, so he didn’t move an inch from his house. In fact, nobody read the letter for him until I came back. I did my Bsc in Statistics (Education).
How were you able to do an 18-month course in eight months?
I did it in eight months because I didn’t go for break; I went to school during summer. What we were supposed to do in three months in summer, we did it in six weeks. We worked day and night.
I attended many short courses at the University of Ibadan and Enugu when I was in service.
Can you remember some of your friends and mates during those periods?
This is a very bitter question for me because almost all my mates have died, including the proprietress of Olumawo Secondary School here. In secondary school, I remember four: Dr Oniyangi, Samuel Olumeyan, who retired from the Ministry of Works, Joseph Obaro, who worked in the Ministry of Cooperatives and one farmer in my village, John Jegede, who is still alive. Those are the only four I can remember while others are now late.
What was your experience while growing up?
I didn’t think there was any problem in the world. I thought everything was just perfect. If I wanted to eat, I got food, if I wanted to drink, I had drinks. I had people to play with and I didn’t have to borrow money to do anything. Life was very pleasant. I started experiencing hard life when I started work. In fact, when I started work, I usually put all my salaries in my pocket and spent from there, but now it doesn’t even get to the pocket before it finishes.
You said that in those days you must pass all the eight subjects in primary school to get admission to secondary school, now it has changed. When and how did Nigeria get it wrong on education?
We started having problem in our education system when we started giving concession; I mean when we started lowering pass marks, when we started allowing teachers to have private classes. Most of the teachers will work hard in the afternoon but work harder when they get back to their private classes. Teachers have also fallen below expectations. I won’t mention names, but all of you know that some teachers only go to school on Monday and won’t go again until Friday to sign the register. They must have gone on their private businesses, and nobody queries them because those who supervise them do the same thing, or probably worse.
How can this be corrected?
We cannot talk about changing our education system without talking politics. All solutions are in the hands of our leaders. The followers learn from what our leaders do. When our leaders begin to do what is right, the
followers will definitely follow the same trend and do the right thing.
As a teacher in Zaria and Katsina, what was your experience, especially in terms of security?
What affects our security now is politics. In those days there was politics, but it was not as serious and bitter as it is today. There was fair security everywhere. I remember leaving Kaduna around 2pm for Ilorin and nothing stopped me on the road. I got to Jebba about 2am and there was no harassment. But nobody can do that now. I think that today, politics is directing the level of our security.
Can you remember some of your students in Zaria and Katsina?
The late former IGP Ibrahim Coomasie, Oseni Shittu, an optician on Taiwo Road, here in Ilorin, who died two months ago, were some of them. There is another one in Yola, called Musa, as well as one in Abuja, called Ogunbanjo.
You mentioned earlier that you taught President Buhari in secondary school; what kind of student was he?
It’s over 50 years now, and nobody knew that we were going to meet under this circumstance. So I did not take any particular note of him, except that I knew he was a student. I wouldn’t say that he was a clever or dull student. The students I would remember were those ones who were into sports because I was in charge of games. If a student was not involved in sports I may not know him very well. I didn’t take notice of President Buhari as a sportsman.
Who were your schoolmates in Ghana and what was the experience like?
I didn’t know that Nigeria was very close to Ghana like that. If I knew, I would have been coming home every day. Since it was an international course I wouldn’t remember anybody who was not from Nigeria. Even among those from Nigeria, I was the only one from the North. There were people from the East and West, but they did not like me, so I would not want to remember them.
You were discriminated against by other Nigerian students because you came from the North and brilliant. Such discrimination still exists today; how do we correct that?
It started in 1963 when we had a census that gave the North a population that was far more than that of the South and people from the South believed that it was not true. My schoolmates in Ghana then thought that I would have been part of the negotiators to inflate the population. That was why I was not liked by other Nigerian students in Ghana. The second reason was because my standard was far above theirs.
How do we address the issue of discrimination in Nigeria?
The discrimination we have now is political. It is not as a result of one coming from the North, South or East. It is only the politicians that are singing the song of discrimination, not ordinary Nigerians. In those days, it was in the mouth of everybody, but it has changed and left with only the politicians. The politicians are doing it for their selfish interest. If they talk about restructuring, they talk about it in a way that will benefit them.
You were the best student during your time, what did it mean to you?
I think I merited it because of what I went there for. My standard was higher than other students. I felt very happy because it gave me an edge over them. Anytime there was any problem in our course, they always called me to explain to them. I am usually very happy that God gave me that privilege. And when I came back to Nigeria, it gave me an accelerated promotion.
As the first indigenous adviser on school statistics, what policy did you introduce that was beneficial to the Northern Region?
Between 1962 and 1968, northern Nigeria produced the best data that could be used for planning. They came to us from everywhere to see how we did it. And I took it to Kwara State.
After sometime I was transferred from the Ministry of Education to that of economic development. I wouldn’t know what happened to those data after then. I believe they still have the Bureau for Statistics, and we have people who collect statistics for education. If used, it is good for planning. At that time, if you asked for the number of children between the ages of 3 and 5 in all our schools, we would tell you easily. But I don’t know if that is still happening.
As the first civil servant in Kwara State, what do you think is wrong with the civil service system in Nigeria?
In those days, it was “yours obediently,’’ but now, going by the way I see them in the streets, I think it is now, “yours untruly.’’ This is because everybody now does what they like. I don’t think it is peculiar to Kwara State; it is all over the country.
How do we correct the rot in the civil service?
I have said we should go back to our leaders and ask them to change. If they change today we will all follow them.
What is your take on the demand for a new minimum wage by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)?
I understand that the NLC is asking for N30,000 as minimum wage per month and the government said they could only afford N24,000. Remember that the same government is unable to pay N18,000. If I were a member of government, in order to avoid commotion I would suggest N40,000. We are all going to be in the sea; those who can swim will swim across, and for those who cannot swim, God save them; and the NLC will not be able to blame anybody again. I don’t think it is wise to insist on N30,000 when we cannot pay N18,000. And if government refuses to accept our proposal, we want to go on strike. If the government is deceitful they will agree and still not pay. At the end, we will create problems in future. We should beg Labour to let us try the N24,000 and see what happens. We should also beg government to insist that the N24,000 will not go down.
Apart from being a statistician and civil servant, what other aspect of your life is not well known to people?
I was the chairman of Sports Council in Kwara State for about three years. Then it was sports for indigenes, but nowadays, in order to get trophies you will go and borrow people to compete, which is not good. I think we should rely on what we can do because that is where cheating starts from. When we talk of malpractice, it is not only in examinations. It started in sports, when state A would go and borrow players to play with state B. I think if we want to enjoy sports, we should concentrate on what we have.
We cannot talk about changing our education system without talking politics. All solutions are in the hands of our leaders. The followers learn from what our leaders do. When our leaders begin to do what is right, the followers will definitely follow the same trend and do the right thing.
Did you attend seminars and conferences?
I attended very many of them, especially when I was in the North. I represented the North in National Manpower Board, which I carried to Kwara State. I represented the North in the West African Examination Council, which I also carried to Kwara State. I led the presidential delegation on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) resettlement. I
represented the Federal Government on a delegation to Israel on Christian pilgrimage. I was a resident electoral commissioner in Adamawa State, where I met Atiku.
I will vote for Atiku despite the fact that I campaigned for Buhari in 2015. I will not vote for Buhari in 2019 because of the cabal around him. As his oldest teacher, I have been applying to see him for four years, but members of the cabal won’t allow him to see me. Despite the fact that I was interviewed by a national newspaper for one and half hours on Buhari’s education, despite the fact that I wrote to about 22 governors that Buhari was my student, despite the fact that I held talks with people, telling them about Buhari, members of the cabal would not let me to see him. That is why I will not vote for him. But I know he would want to see me.
As a former electoral commissioner, what do you think is the problem with our electoral system?
Money is the cause of our electoral problems. Look at the issue of defection. All of them are moving from one party to another just to improve their pockets. Politicians go to a party where they will make name, not to serve the people. During Sardauna’s time, people served selflessly, but today, we want to do little work and get plenty money. That is our problem in Nigeria. In Kogi State, for example, we don’t want Dino Melaye, who is from my village, to go back because he has not represented us well. He wants to represent us again because he knows where to go and whose hand to grease.
Atiku is a gentleman. He will do whatever he says he will do. I believe in him and trust him. They say he is corrupt, but there is no politician in Nigeria that is not corrupt.
What’s your advice to INEC on the conduct of the 2019 general elections?
I think the responsibilities of the INEC should not include creation of awareness on the elections. The Federal Government should empower an organisation like the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to enlighten people about permanent voter’s cards etc. The INEC should not be given the responsibility to organise elections and create awareness at the same time as that will create problems. Another thing is that Nigerians complain a lot. There are two particular state governors that talk against the Federal Government, almost on a daily basis. There’s nothing you do that can satisfy them. One of them said the INEC had concluded plans to rig elections in his state when register is not out yet. I think the INEC should be focused on its responsibilities and shun distraction from any quarter. They should do it right no matter whose ox is gored. When I was chairman of resident electoral commissioners, we didn’t hear of any election rigging. Love of money has spoilt operations now. I advise people to shun corruption.
You were raised by your sister and father; how do you think the government can take care of children who don’t have anybody to help them?
Government is wasting money where they should not. These are the people they should be taking care of. I have said it several times. I wrote a memo to Buhari, but I know the cabals didn’t allow it to get to him. Those are the people I said he should assist, not those you give money to buy palm oil and pepper because of politics. I know these people will be many, but government should look for them and use their discretion to deal with them. That is what they do in the United Kingdom. As a destitute in the UK if you sleep in a place there will be a bottle of milk for you to pick in the morning.
Don’t you think the Conditional Cash Transfer programme of the Buhari administration is the same thing as what you are advocating?
Why didn’t they do it in 2015? Why did they have to wait until election is near?
But they started a long time ago...
Well, I just noticed that in the last three months. If they started a long time ago we would have been congratulating them by now. No matter what they do now, people will read meaning into it.
What’s the content of the memo you sent to President Buhari?
One of them was on the issue of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign team. I know the government must be trying very hard, but the team doesn’t believe it is doing enough. In my memo, I suggested to him to take one or two of them to be part of the committee in charge of rescuing the girls so that they would be able to report back to their people what government is doing. I was a statistician and our major assignment was to collate data and analyse them. But if you look at government’s appointment to ad hoc committees, you would discover that most members are people who are resident in Abuja or people who are known to members of the ministry. What do you think the result of such committee would be? Before they start work they already know what they are going to say because they know the people they are appointing. So I suggested that in the states, there are brains who only retired but not tired. I stated that they should look for some of them and ask them to be members of those committees; but nothing happened.
If given the opportunity to meet President Buhari now, what would you tell him?
I will blame him for keeping the cabal around him for too long because I know Buhari himself must be a very good man. He is not somebody who wants to amass wealth. The other thing I will tell him is to take care of the elderly people. Lastly, I will tell him to allow me assist in getting people who will assist him in repositioning education in Nigeria, which is at its lowest ebb now.
As a statistician, what do you think the country should do to avoid the kind of recession we witnessed recently?
All these are in the hands of our politicians. We have too much money in the hands of politicians. The money in their hands is far more than the money we have as a country, and this is affecting our economy seriously. Until they bring out everything they have and we begin to share it among the people as they need it, the economy will continue to go bad. There was a time when we exchanged N1 for $1. It is now over N300. I remember when I was going to London in 1967, a friend just wrote on a piece of paper, “Please pay bearer this.’’ He signed on it and gave it to me. I went there, gave the bank the paper and I was given the money. Even if they give you a cheque today it won’t work.
Can you talk about your immediate family?
I have two wives, and I was lucky that none of them came from my village. One is from Ilesha and the other one is from Ijagbo. I married two of them as a result of youthful exuberance. I didn’t know that life was going to be as difficult as this; if I knew, I would have married only one wife. Fortunately, both are very good.
God has been very faithful to us. He has always provided what we need to be sufficient. My children are not doing very well, but they are not doing badly. I wish they could do better. Two of them are abroad, six in Nigeria, while the other one is always on the move to different parts of the world.
What is your advice as we approach the 2019 elections?
I wish everybody could do what I am trying to do. That is to run away from Nigeria because I believe it is going to be bloody. Look at how ordinary primary elections turned out to be. A whole state has no representative because of politics. No candidate for any of the legislative houses. It is going to be very serious.
What would you like to be remembered for?
I would like to be remembered for the opportunity I had to be in charge of admission as a statistician for a whole state. I had the privilege of admitting students into institutions. Today, anywhere I go to, they recognise me for that and respect me.
Most of your mates are no longer alive; what has kept you going at 85?
I give glory to God because it is not what I do, eat or say that has kept me up till now; I thank God for the grace. However, I will add that the good family I have and my friends have contributed to keeping me going. I have very good friends. When it is time for me to go and play golf and they don’t see me, they will ask people to come and pick me at home. Even if I can’t play golf that day, they will ask me to walk round with them. I am the oldest golfer in Ilorin Golf Club.