You cannot be more Nigerian than someone from the South – West who found love across the Niger, served in Benin Kingdom and remains attached to Lagos, where nothing escapes scrutiny. Akin Victor Ogunsanya represents courage, determination and fair play.
Chatting with him is a journey into almost everything. From politics to nationalism, you will delve into football and remain there talking about the 1983 Flying Eagles, Stationery Stores the World Cup and more. His best was at the University of Ibadan, representing Sultan Bello Hall.
In him I found a decent man. “I deal with people based on their personal character,” he said. “Tribalism, ethnicity, corruption and most vices are symptoms of an ill educated society. It is good to leave your environment and understand other people’s way of life. It is part of education.”
Now this is a real Eko Boy who knows the backstreets of inner city Mushin as much as the Middle Class neighbourhood of Surulere. And between Costain and Ebute Metta, he ran errands as a City Boy. That background made progression to high brow Ikoyi smoother.
“Born in Ebute Metta, I moved to Surulere, just after the Civil War. I lived in Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s house on Park Lane before owning a house at Apapa GRA, then crossed over to Ikoyi, my present abode.
“I am married to an Igbo lady and have friends in every corner of Nigeria. I have not been to only two states, Adamawa and Taraba. I have sat with and been welcomed by Emirs in their palace. The present Sultan of Sokoto is a friend of mine,” Ogunsanya opened up.
His wife is from the Asinobi Royal Family, Obazu Mbieri in Imo State. That reminded me of another prominent Obazu family, the Abaechetas. Chief Isaac Abaecheta was one of the early Port Harcourt Big Boys. His daughter, Chinenyenwa, a Paediatrician, was married to Chief T(heopilus) O. S. Benson, a First Republic minister.
Ogunsanya’s in – laws grew up in Port Harcourt where Chief Michael Asinobi led the Igbo State Union. He met his wife in Benin during National Service but would later find out that she
also spent her early years in Ebute Metta, his area of birth.
“ We have been married for 33 years although we met forty years ago in Benin City when I went for an official meeting. And I learnt that her family moved to Kano Street Ebute Metta, after the Civil War. So I probably used to pass through her house on my way to St. Paul’s Primary School, Ebute Metta. That was my route.”
St. Paul’s is the school of great footballers like Ade Coker, Godwin Odiye, Nat Ogedegbe, Stephen Keshi, Paul Okoku and Deinde Akinlotan. Ogunsanya did not join them to tap leather although he made some moves as a student of the University of Ibadan.
In his words, “ Deinde and I started Primary school the same day. He was quite friendly and mischievous, as well. He loved to dribble especially putting the ball with his left foot in between his opponents legs. Okoku did not start with us in Primary One. He probably came in after the Civil War.
“Talented footballers but I haven’t seen them since 1973 when we left St.Paul’s. We started from Denton, Ebute Metta and ended up at Costain. Deinde and I shared a desk in Primary School.”
Ogunsanya, like his Obazu Mbieri in – laws, lived in the Garden City but today he does not see any beauty in Nigeria. The man is pained that instead of growing like giants, the country has been dwarfed by corruption and leadership/ followership deficit.
“Like I always say, give Nigeria five trillion dollars, it’s going to be useless. It is either everyone gets their own cut out of the money or it’s wasted. Setting up and maintaining good institutions requires a good system of education that is home grown, with global outlook.”
This Ogunsanya is not begging for bread and has enough to live well all his life. However, the country makes the Lagosian sad. “I’m planning to move somewhere in the next few years – full retirement, so I don’t have to read or hear about Nigeria most times. I will still come back to Nigeria, probably two months in a year – not America and not Britain,” he pointed out.
Ogunsanya credits God with whatever he has achieved, especially in all thirty three years of self employment. A real time investor, if you want him to smile in Yoruba just mention Stationery Stores Football Club.
“I used to go and watch some of their matches in the 1970s at the UAC Stadium, Surulere. Sometimes, I joined the players at their Guest House on Ogunlana Drive/ Itire Road on match day courtesy Haruna Ilerika, who was a friend to my uncle’s.
“I even took my son to watch Stores at Onikan Stadium during the years when Babatunde Fashola was governor. Up Super Stores International.”
On the World Cup, Ogunsanya said : “Eagles missing in action is a wake – up call. With 15 Nigerians playing for other countries, it tells us there are talents in every country and corner of the world. You’re most responsible for your situation.”
