…Former Rivers governor, ex-minister opens up on life after office
• Reveals why he took up another law degree in London
From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has opened up on his life since his exit from the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, disclosing that academics have pre-occupied the larger part of his time.
The former Rivers State governor, in this interview with Sunday Sun, went down memory lane to recall his upbringing, marriage, his life as a public official, opening up on philanthropy, friendship, betrayal, mentorship, life of simplicity, among others.
In this interview, Amaechi, like never before, also revealed the other side of him that most people never knew, particularly his childhood ambition of becoming a broadcaster and his very humble background that would later shaped his life.
How is life after office? Are the phones still ringing?
Once you are a politician, the phones will still ring. It may not be at the magnitude that it used to be, but the phones still ring. The phones still ring, but again, some of them are people who are asking for assistance because they know that the economy is not working. So, they can’t feed, they want you to support them and all that. Where you can, you assist; where you cannot, you tell them you cannot.
What have you been doing since you left office?
I have acquired three degrees in six years – LLB (Base University), LLM (Kings College London) and BL (Law School). I am about to finish another LLB at the University of London.
Why? Do you want to practise over there?
No, I don’t want to. But that is not the issue. The issue is, so that nobody will say oh, you got an LLB in Nigeria because you are Rotimi. So, in London where they don’t know you, let me also get another LLB so that anytime you say oh, because they know you in Nigeria, I can say okay, here they don’t know me, I still have another LLB from the University of London.
Do you think you have anything to prove?
Well, you can never tell. But that one, I have two more courses to write. I failed the courses last year, so I am writing two courses and they are Property Law and Admin Law. If I pass them, and I hope I will pass them this time because the problem with my degrees is that I run all of them concurrently. So, while I was in Law School, I was doing a Master Degree in Law and I was doing my programme in the University of London. While I was in Base University, I was doing first degree in Law and I was doing first degree in Law in the University of London. So, in Law School, I combined three – University of London first degree course, Law School and then, Master in Law. As soon as I finished Law School, some few months after I finished Law School, I was awarded, this year, my Master Degree in Law, Second Class Upper.
How do you cope? Where do you get the energy from?
The energy is that, instead of going to night club and looking for women and driving around, you sit down in your house and read your books. If you didn’t come now, I will be upstairs and still be reading my books. Honestly, this is what I consider a distraction.
You are not distracted by…?
I wish you know my house. If I lock my entrance door, you will not get access and I can sit down and read my books.
How is Rivers since you left office?
That is political. I don’t know how Rivers is. I don’t know.
As in…
As in what?
You are the Lion of Ubima…
I don’t know what you mean by that.
That is your nickname…
Who gave you that nickname? I am not aware.
It is everywhere…
I don’t know about that.
Do you still go back to…?
I go to Port Harcourt.
Do you go to Ubima?
I go to Ubima. Ubima is just 10 minutes away from the airport. Once you drop, you turn this way (describing the direction to his village, Ubima), you are going to Ubima.
May 27, you are going to be 60. Looking back, do you have any regrets?
No, no.
Or are there things you would have done differently?
Well, there are things you could have done differently, but that does not mean I have regrets. There are things that ordinarily, take for instance; I could as well have borrowed money to build… There are six million Rivers people, for instance. We could have borrowed money to build six million houses. If you build high rise and all that, in fact, it was my contact in the Ministry of Transport that made me know that actually, you can build six million houses for six million Rivers people. The question the person asked me was, how do you think we accommodate our 1.4 billion persons? Are they living on the streets? Are they in the air? We accommodate them. So, ordinary six million, you can’t accommodate them? It was an idea that just struck me when I became a minister. But if I had known that as a governor, I would possibly have borrowed money to build those six million houses for them.
How about the facility, the land?
We have the land. In Rivers State, we have land. What do you mean by that? What are six million houses? Don’t forget it is high rise. We are not building one, one house for each person. If you build one, one house for each person, it will be more expensive.
Looking back, are you saying you are grateful to God on how your life turned out?
Of course! That is what guides my life. You see, you really have to show gratitude to God for what you have achieved in life. Don’t forget, in 1987, I left university. I married in 1992/1993 and the three years going, I had finished making children. I had finished completely. And by 1999, I became Speaker at the age of 34. At the age of 42, I had become governor of Rivers State. At the age of 50, I was Minister for Transport, so there is so much to be grateful to God for.
When you were growing up, what was it that you had in mind to do?
Nothing.
No, no, no. You can’t say that…
I am not joking. My ambition was to be a broadcaster. I thought I had a wonderful voice to be a broadcaster.
Is that why you like journalists? Or is that why you like singing because I have seen you severally?
No, those things, I was trying to promote… In fact, I owe that man. I was trying to promote that band because it is a Catholic band. Instead of people to look at the band, they were looking at me. That was why we stopped because I am not a musician. We were just trying to promote the band so that people can hire them. It is a Church band, it is a Catholic band, so I was trying to promote them. Don’t forget they also go to bishops and others to do those musical instruments.
Why didn’t you pursue that ambition that you had?
To be a broadcaster?
Yes…
I was even interviewed. I was to be employed at the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation.
What happened?
At the same time, I got hired by the Governor of Rivers State as Special Assistant to the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada George. I went into the political…
Do you still have that ambition?
To be a broadcaster?
No. Maybe to own a broadcasting station…
I don’t know yet. When I have the money.
Let me take you back to law. Why law?
Don’t forget, I have a total of six qualifications. B.A. Literature, M.A. Literature.
Are you going to practise?
No, I am not going to practise. So, I have LLB Law, and then, LLM, just to satisfy my father’s desire. My father wanted me to be a lawyer.
You have left office and on entering into this place, the compound is still filled up. Who are all these people?
They are visitors.
But it is not so in other politicians’ houses…
Have you tried it? You have not tried whether they are the same…
We have gone to several… I can assure you this is busy…
Maybe because they like to see my face.
There must be something you do that draws people closer to you…
I do absolutely nothing.
But people say you are down to earth…
I am down to earth. If you relate with me, you will know I am down to earth. I don’t have to lie to you. If I can’t afford what you are asking for, I can’t afford it.
Where did you get this from? Is it from your parents or was it just your experience?
Listen, you can be that governor one day. You see, once God has blessed you, don’t forget that there are others on the line that are waiting for His blessing. So, the woman you meet today that you are looking down on, or the man you are looking down on, tomorrow may be the head of state. But when you say why am I simple, I am not simple because I planned to be simple. It is just my nature to be simple. I don’t get carried away that oh, so bloody what? Governor? And so bloody what?
Was it your background that shaped you?
I honestly can’t answer that question because I don’t know why I am… I just don’t like… I hate protocols, I hate security, I hate I want to visit you and people are following me about. Why? I don’t like them, but I don’t have a choice. Why don’t I have a choice is that I don’t want to be shot at. But protocol, I have a choice. Don’t tell me where to sit, don’t follow me to go and visit anybody. I can go to the person’s house by myself. So, I don’t do protocol. In fact, when I became governor, that worried the security so much because I can be driving on the road and I see my friend, ahh! I will park. Just stopped, ahh, come old boy, long time, enter, enter, enter and we move. That worried them a lot. They didn’t know how to manage that. But over time, they had to. In fact, the first thing, they tried to stop me from driving myself. I said that is impossible. They said no governor drives himself. I said well, that is their business. They said it is against protocol, I said the governor will tell you what protocol is, it is not you that will tell me what protocol is.
How was growing up like and where did you grow up?
I grew up in Port Harcourt. Poverty was everywhere, we couldn’t feed, you can hardly eat three times a day, and you can hardly change your cloths. In fact, when I tell people that I wore a shirt and a trouser for nearly four years, most people don’t believe it, but my classmates will tell you. We are going for a reunion in Umuahia and I usually yab my classmates when we meet at reunions. I would say you see, one of you could have been Mrs Amaechi now, maybe if you had agreed by the time we were in school. But because we were very poor, we didn’t have money to feed, we didn’t have cloths to wear, you people didn’t give us attention. You people didn’t think we have bright future. But one thing you don’t know about men is that they fight to be relevant. So, for me, I am as simple as life can give.
So, what motivates you in life?
Nothing. Just prayers, my wife, my book and my children.
Growing up, who had the most influence on you?
Your dad or your mum?
My dad. Kai! I love my dad. I love my dad to bits.
Can you draw a picture for us of your growing up and your dad’s influence?
Kai! My dad. You need to know how much I used to love my dad. First is whom I call serial monogamist. That means you can never meet my father with two wives at the same time. But he was married and divorced, married and divorced, he was changing wives the way they change cloths. But that is one thing that frightened me. I told my wife, I said, before I met you, I have been praying to God to give me a wife that I will never divorce. I don’t want to be like my dad when it comes to marriage. But other things, he is very principled, he is an honest man, and he is a straightforward Nigerian. That I want to copy. But the one of marriage, no, no, no.
So, you are scared of divorce?
Hold on, my wife knows that there is nothing on the table. Luckily for us, we are Catholics. So, there is nothing like divorce in the Catholic Church.
In those moments, maybe when your marriage was threatened…
My marriage has never been threatened.
Or maybe you had one girlfriend…
My marriage has never been threatened. That is not an issue.
You have never had a girlfriend since you got married?
Why should I have?
You are a handsome man…
You are even more handsome, you should have a girlfriend.
You have been a Speaker, governor, minister; you have money, and women will naturally flock around you. And you are tall. Are you saying you have never been tempted?
There is difference between temptation and having a girlfriend.
Have you ever been tempted?
How? What do you mean by that? Define temptation.
You are a good looking man, handsome…
Don’t forget I have held public office for too long and people look up to you as their role model. You really have to be that role model that they expect of you.
There was a time it was reported that you said you don’t like money. Is it true you don’t like money?
I don’t like money.
How? Why? How can you say you don’t like money? How can a politician say that?
It is like Paulinus knows me. What do I spend money on?
Tell us. You are a politician. How can you say you don’t like money?
You that is accusing me that I like money…
That was what you said…
Are you not surprised that I have been in Nigerian politics from when I was 22 till now? I am 60. So, you are talking about 38 years of being in politics. What scandals have you heard of me? Have you heard oh, Amaechi stealing money? Amaechi is this? Simple! As you entered here, did you see posh cars? My wife doesn’t even have a car. I have to provide my back up car. That is what she drives.
What accounted for that?
That is the way we live our life. It is not as if we can’t afford a car, but that is the way we live our life.
What do you treasure most in your life?
My wife.
Apart from your wife?
My children.
After your children?
God.
After God?
Nothing more.
So, you don’t like material things?
No, no, no. You used to know me nah. Material things don’t govern my… When I say I don’t like money, that is what informed the fact that material things don’t matter to me.
Do you do business?
I am not a businessman. I have never been a businessman.
So, what will be occupying your time now apart from studies?
Paulinus, I will speak Igbo so that you can understand. I have told you before that I have engaged myself with academic work and that in six years, I have had nearly four degrees.
Do you want to go into lecturing or you want to practise law?
No, I won’t practise law. Forget practising law. Lecturing may be a possibility because I am also applying to do a PhD. I am having a debate with myself, should I write a book? I am about to write one, or should I do a PhD? That is a big debate. A lot of people are convincing me to put my thoughts in writing, that Nigerians want to read about me. Well, we are looking at it.
Apart from your dad, who is that person that has really touched your life, that when you look back, you could say he is a mentor in the course of your career?
Dr (Peter) Odili was one. In my growing up, he had a huge role to play. You see, that is why no matter what they do to me, I won’t talk about Dr Odili and I will never insult him. Never! Never! He had a huge influence in my life. He contributed quite a lot. He even helped me bury my dad when my father died. I had no money to bury my father. So, I find it difficult. Sometimes, you are tempted to put some records straight; sometimes, you are tempted to confront him, but always have at the back of your mind that he was an instrument that God used to push you up.
So, in that case, how do you see loyalty?
I don’t know. I don’t know how you see loyalty. You are going into politics.
What makes you happy because you are a jolly good fellow? You are always smiling. What makes you angry?
Everything makes me angry, everything makes me happy. One funny thing about my character is that if I get angry with you, give me 30 minutes and I will forget why. I am not joking. I will forget why I got angry with you.
How do you pick your friends?
I don’t pick friends. We just meet and become friends.
So, you don’t look out for, maybe character, honesty?
No, you will exhibit your character nah. A lot of people lack character in Nigeria. So, in the course of friendship, once you exhibit that character, the friendship will end.
When people betray you, how do you react?
I don’t care. Why don’t you ask yourself this question, why am I still surviving? I have trained my wife. Before, she couldn’t manage betrayal. I said, the problem you have is that you trust… People say I trust people. I trust people, I trust everybody I meet, but while you are trusting people, always have at the back of your mind that that man will betray you the next day. It is a better opportunity.
Do you prepare for betrayal? Is that what you are saying?
God has prepared me for it. So, it never bothers me. Never! If it bothers me, I would have died by now. There are people you have set up, people you have helped, people you have done one thing or the other and they are doing some other things, you ignore them.
Do you have a foundation or do you intend to?
A good question! Some of my friends had set up a foundation. I am sure that foundation must have died down by now.
Why?
Because I am doing those things myself. I give you an example: I jog here every day; I do 24, 26 kilometres a day for four or five days a week. It used to be seven days a week, but my staff have started complaining, so we do four or five days a week, about four hours plus. But every time I passed there, I see children come and wave at me and all that. So, one day, I stopped. How are you? They said fine. Are you people in school? Why didn’t you go to school today? We are not in school. Why are you not in school? No money to pay our fees. So, I enrolled them in school, five of them and I called their father, don’t get your wife pregnant again ooo. He has two new children. I said, you see these two, I will not train them. But these five, I will train them. Some are in primary school; two have gone into secondary school. I said these five; I will train them through primary school, secondary school and university.
From the same family?
From the same father and mother. I thought the man would be sensible when I warned him not to have any other child, but he has produced two more. And I told him, these ones, my conscience won’t worry me. If I know my conscience will worry me, I will stop jogging from that area and go to another place. You have five children, I don’t have five children, I have three. They are here. I can afford to train them. I have finished training them, they are graduates. But you, you can’t train them. He is not even living in a good house. I am not joking. They are living in a cubicle kind of arrangement. So, I stopped and said to them okay, I will train you people, five of you. I am training them. And you went ahead and had two other kids. What is that? That is seven. So, you go and train those two. I will not train them. If my conscience will worry me, I will stop jogging in that area and change route to another area. What is important is that these five are being trained. Two have completed their primary school; they are now in secondary school. The other ones will join them. When they get to the university, we will get admission for them to go into the university. When the five of them graduate… So, you see, I am doing it without having to set up a foundation. And I have so many people like that. There is somebody I met in my wife’s… My wife has a place she was constructing, building a house. And I asked him, what are you doing? He greeted me in Ikwerre. I said ah, you are here, where are you from? He said Ikwerre. What are you doing here? He said he is a labourer. I said ehen, he said yes. You have a certificate? Have you finished your secondary school? He said yes, but he couldn’t continue because there is no money. I said go, I will train you. So, I am the foundation itself.
Do you have a social life? How do you relax?
How do you read book and relax? This is a notice. They just sent me a notice now about my examination in May. So, how do you relax when you are being hunted to go and prepare for examination?
No clubbing?
Me, club?
But it is said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…
All play and no work makes Jack a smart man. You see it (showing the notice to the interviewer), my assessment is coming up at the exam centre, not even here. I have to go to the British Council for the exams.
As you clock 60 next month, are there things you have been doing that you want to drop?
Like what? I don’t smoke, so I don’t have to drop smoking. I have never smoked in my life, I have never taken alcohol in my life; the only things I have dropped and I didn’t have to wait for my 60th birthday to drop them is that I have stopped taking sugar. So, no more carbonated drinks, no more even all these things you call natural juice, no sugar. I have dropped carbohydrates, so I no longer eat eba. If not, I used to eat eba three times a day. I have dropped that. What else do I want to drop that I have not dropped? I have actually dropped everything.
You talked about smoking, drinking, but you didn’t mention womanising. And you know these three…
You have tried hard to push me into that woman thing and I have answered you and you are still pushing.
I am not pushing. You know people say these three; man must indulge in one…
So, what you are implying is that most Christians won’t go to heaven because any of them that you do will take you to… That is what you are implying.