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By Gilbert Ekezie
In a very real sense, since resigning from the Nigeria Police Force, after serving for seven to eight years, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nat Okoli and Associates, a property and real estate consulting firm, Chief Nathaniel Okoli, has been playing the role of the avatar in the Police Community Relations Committee in Lagos State.
And he has recorded numerous successful interventions, which have positively impacted individuals and corporate organisations.
Recently, he was given an award by the late Dr Fredrick Fasheun faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), for his contributions towards a crime-free environment, growth of the socio-cultural group and his immense support to humanity.
In this interview, Okoli who hails from Ideato South in Imo State, explained why he was picked for the award, his efforts towards ensuring that peace reigns in his community and other issues.
When you received the OPC award, you said in your acceptance speech that “where one is living is where he fences.” What exactly did you mean?
I learnt that Igbo proverb from my father. When I came to Lagos from the Southeast, I did not have either my father or mother here; it was some of the Yoruba men I associated with that accommodated me. I studied the environment and came to understand that if you know your way and how to live with people, you will never have problem with anybody. I believe that for an average man you meet on the road, there are two things about him: the good and the bad aspect of his life. Leave the bad aspect and focus on the good side, so that both of you can relate better, but if you dwell more on the bad side, you will go nowhere. I believe I have spent more of my time in Yoruba land; that’s why I identified with them and chose to take part in whatever they are doing, particularly in Ago, Okota area of Lagos State because they accepted me as their brother and I feel that way too about them. Most of the robbery cases in this community, the Divisional Police Station in this area seems overwhelmed. When it comes to crime fighting, it is members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), some of our Igbo stakeholders and the Community Development Association (CDA) who are fearless to confront it and settle it because security is inborn. If you are a born security personnel wherever you are you will fight to ensure the security of your environment. That is exactly what brought me together with the OPC people. I trust them, they cannot betray me and I cannot betray them. For instance, when there was an armed robbery incident at Awka Etiti Street, involving over 30 robbers, I was communicating with the police team assigned to us, led Sunday Aghedo. At the same time; I was also communicating with men of the OPC that were coming through the other side of Akeem Joachim street, while the OPC people were also coming through Monday Akpan street. All these things were happening at Ago. That night it was so terrible, I had to let the police know that the group coming from Akeem Joachim were members of the OPC, so they should not shoot at them. I had to tell the OPC people that the people moving towards Monday Akpan were police officers, so that they would not shoot them too. I was the one coordinating both the police and the OPC to make sure residents in that area had peace. As God would have it, we did our best. While doing these things, I did not know that people were taking record of all my activities. Again, during the #EndSARS saga, I went to Century Hotel and called all the OPC operatives. I told them that if the rampaging boys burn down any police division, either at Okota or Ago division, the presence of OPC in the area would be defeated. For five days, I was at that major road monitoring what was happening and later both the DPO of Ago and that of Okota came to thank me. One of the DPOs did a thanksgiving for rescuing his division and I did not know that people were taking note of this. I was surprised that they invited me, to give me an award. When I heard the ‘Oluaye of Oodua’ within this environment, I said small boy like me. When I was living at Amukoko, Ajegunle side of Lagos, the Baale of that place gave me a title as the ‘Afu ajuo oye of Ojora land. That time, I was deeply into Christianity and I never paid any attention to such title. To be honest, I sincerely appreciate the honour for the fact that I was picked out of many. The Igbo-speaking community gave me a title as ‘Oputa Obie Gburugburu’ (he who settles issues everywhere) sometime ago, but I did not have time to go and collect the award because I travelled to Abuja for business.
Have you been into security job before?
Yes, I served the Nigerian Police for seven to eight years. There was one man called B.A Bashorun, who was the police secretary. When I went for driving job in his office, we were 30 in number; he took us for driving test and I came first. Before then I had driven the head of State Security Service, when it was known as Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO). From SSS, it became DSS (Department of State Services). I also worked with one the former heads, Usman Daura, as his senior driver.
You pay attention to what is happening in your community. What motivates you?
There are two things about life: it’s either you are an introvert or extrovert. If you are introvert, you will confine yourself within your environment and if you are an extrovert, you will always want to share other people’s problem with them. I am such a person that cannot see my fellow human being suffering. That desire to support people made me to become a member of the Police Community Relations Committee. When I left the police, the desire to help the police do their work was in me and that was how I joined PCRC and I really did well. I built the edifice at Area B Command. If you go there you will see my picture. I handled the funds for construction of the building and I made sure no policeman embezzled money in the project because what they know, I know it too. I told all the police engineers assigned to me that I wanted result , not stories. So, I finished it and that was where Area B Command moved to because it was domiciled in one small building before. I was a member of the PCRC at Amukoko before I was posted to Ajeromi Division. Then Ajeromi appointed me to represent them at the Area Command due to my commitment. I have been a member of the Human Rights Defender and Advocate Centre for seven years, and was given an award as a patron. The International Human Right Peace Commission also sent me a letter with an ambassadorial award. I have headed many different organizations in this our estate business. I was the taskforce chairman for our zone and then task force chairman for Lagos State.
What’s your advice to your Igbo brothers on how to live peacefully with other tribes?
I will use an adage to answer this question. ‘Okra can never grow bigger than the person who planted it’. Something must have moved you to leave your town to come here, that thing should be your focus. Anything that can distract that focus ought to be avoided. If you are marrying a woman, find out what she wants though you cannot please women. You left your town to come to this place, are you here for trouble? The answer is no. You are here to earn your living and saying I am sorry does not cause problem. When you start clashing with the owners of the land, are you safe? If you enter all the villages in Yoruba land you will see Igbo and those of them who understand the Yoruba are living in peace with them. There are two different things in life: Yoruba have their pattern of living and Igbo have theirs. Upto 75 per cent of Yoruba don’t ask the cause of the quarrel before they take sides. On the other hand, 90 per cent of Igbo will ask what you did that caused the problem before they will take side. So, if you come to such an environment, you don’t need to start blaming anybody. First, settle the problem, you can now find out the person that caused the problem and caution him. I will cite an example for you. There was a boy among the OPC operatives called Demola, who was seriously injured by an Igbo boy during the election. I was not part of the election, but immediately it happened, one Lukman called me that Demola was dying. I came out and started making contacts. When the other boys wanted to hit the streets and start destroying things, I called Lukman and asked him to call his boys to order so that the matter can be settled peacefully. Around 7:30 – 8:00p.m military came and I alerted Lukman and I warned him that he should call all his boys, especially the key players and tell them to stay indoors and not make trouble. He called back to tell me that they want to leave town, but there was no money. So I asked him to send one of his boys. I gave the boy N100,000 and that was how they all left town and that trouble was averted. When their leaders left town, the other boys did not have anyone to give them instruction and they became handicapped.
What’s your relationship with Ohanaeze and Igbo-speaking community? Do you think Igbo apex organisation has been able to protect the interest of the Igbo?
Well, it depends on individual and environment. While you are here you cannot be there, you can only hear what happened. Why I find it difficult to associate with some group is because of their quest for power. I don’t contest for election or struggle for anything with anybody. Most of the areas I found myself, I got the positions in absentia, I am not always around. When they made me chairman of this plaza, I was not there. When I came, they said they have done the election and I have been made the chairman of this plaza. I told them I did not apply neither did I show my intention to contest. So, because they want to be this and that is the reason they find it difficult to do the needful. I was here when the OPC people brought their letter that they have heard what I have been doing in the past. During the time of one AIG in Zone 2, Lagos, the Commissioner of Police came to Oba’s palace and they called the OPC people. The person they called said: “The only person that will talk what they will hear is Oga Nathaniel.” So, the Oba called me and related what the OPC boys said. So, I told them that as long as that incident was concerned, they should be assured that there would be peace because before the key players will do anything, they would consult me. I won’t allow anybody to block the road. That’s why I respect former President Goodluck Jonathan, when he said that his remaining in office was not worth the blood of anybody. The Ohanaeze people invited me to take a post, but I said I could not be a member of the socio-cultural group because of position. Primarily, I don’t like anything politics and I don’t play politics. My life is straight forward.
So, you don’t want to go into politics?
Not now, but sometime in the future.
How have you been able to manage the bad impression people have about estate agents?
This is one of the reasons I became one of the key players in ATTAN. When I was chairman, Lagos State Task Force, I was moving towards stamping out quacks. I was chairman before I had an accident. My motive and why the group was formed was to stamp out those quacks. As I’m talking to you, I have been invited for a meeting at ATTAN national; it’s the same task force they want me to head because I have my past record. I volunteered one of my vehicles used in visiting zones. We have lazier Nigerians than hard working ones. For instance, we have laid off about three staff because they came here to collect money from clients and cause trouble. Some of these things have to do with background and upbringing. I was brought up in a Jehovah’s Witness family and taking what does not belong to you is a taboo. Anything illegal, we are not part of it. The struggle to stamp out those quacks is in the making, we have about seven to eight petitions, and we are working to see how we can deal with them. I told the OPC this issue of beating people about should stop. They know that 24 hours justice is my second watch. Anything that you will do to affect another person negatively don’t come to me. I do more of self-sacrifice than dictatorship.
