Lagos State: My Life of Service with Integrity

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my wife Funmi Johnson, who has stood by me through thick and thin and always shown her love for me. Next year, 2011 we would have been married for fifty years.

FOREWORD

To be asked to write the foreword to his autobiography, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson has done me a great favour and honour which I very much value and appreciate. As his former ‘Supreme Commander’ though very briefly, and his ‘Commander-in-Chief’ for nine years, as well as his Ọga, as he likes to refer to me, I feel proud to write his ‘Confidential Report’. I am writing this with a sense of joy and satisfaction about a man that I have known from a very long time in our professional career (Army) and come to love and appreciate greatly, in and out of service.

Bolaji and I were neighbours at Oroke Drive in Ikoyi, where we developed a good relationship. What he has said of Funmi, his dear wife, in this book as a lovely and hardworking lady is very true. I became close to Bolaji’s children and remember how that one day, Seyi had worn my cap, which was braided on the front, and we had mused that he may become a good soldier like his dad and his uncle (me), someday. This however did not happen as he chose his own vocation as a Quantity Surveyor and has been making more money than his dad and I! We became good family friends, and then real family, as we interacted freely.

I am grateful for the opportunity and privilege to have had a peep at the manuscript, which I read with great interest. It was good to read about the Johnson family – Grandpa, Grandma, Pappy J and Mama Johnson, as well as Bolaji’s siblings, their pranks and mischief, but how that discipline was in place and yet had great fun during family bonding times. Theirs is a story of a God-ordained and blessed family, despite the challenges posed by unexpected deaths in the family. The Johnsons have made their contribution to the development of Lagos State in particular and Nigeria in general. They also made their contribution to the world at large as Papa Johnson was recruited and served during the Second World War.

Bolaji, who although a childhood illness threatened his early survival, did eventually live and grow, wax in body and spirit, to be able to join the army and to also fit into size ‘13-small’ boots. His courage and success in the military and later in governance and business have been remarkable and brought him the admiration that we have for him. He was one of the finest officers that have worked with me and I am proud of the achievements that we together recorded for Lagos State. Although there have been some remarkable contributions by some of his successors, including the incumbent Governor Fashola, whom I also greatly applaud, Bolaji certainly has done more for Lagos State than any of these successor Governors to date.

Brigadier-General Johnson’s upbringing has definitely contributed to the way he has demonstrated his life of service with integrity. His humane approach to life’s issues and as a soldier, his compassionate heart towards the betterment of others, his care and concern about other people’s lives, make him stand out as a good human being, ‘an officer and a gentleman’. In governance and business, the good relationship he was able to build with people and businesses, particularly with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, resulted in no small measure, to the remarkable development that was achieved in the infrastructure of Lagos State.

I have enjoyed reading the book, ‘Lagos State – My Life of Service with Integrity’ (the autobiography of Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson) that contained the iconic principles which draw out the lessons that can be learnt from Bolaji’s life. This book is worth reading by all different groups in the society, soldiers, professionals, the youths and all other members of the armed forces, and wider society in general.

I commend Kola Olutimehin and MakeWay Publishing Limited for ensuring that this pleasant and worthwhile book is out by his 74th birthday as he embarks on trying to restore the image and the function of role models in our society.

I unreservedly commend this book to all Nigerians of all walks of life at home and in the Diaspora; as well as citizens of the international community. There is a lot we can learn from the exemplary life of Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson. I wish you all good and happy reading.

GENERAL DR YAKUBU GOWON GCFR

Lagos, Nigeria

January 17, 2010

PREFACE

I had considered having my memoirs published for a number of years, but had met with a series of disappointments in engaging the right consultant. A few years ago, Professor Siyan Oyeweso had been engaged to produce a biography on me. Not long afterwards, Late Josef Magnate came along, and I decided they should work together. Unfortunately, this did not yield a desired result, hence no work was published.

Five years later in 2009, after I had almost lost all interest as a result of the series of disappointments that I had had, I got a phone call from a young man, the son of a dear friend who requested a meeting with me. At our meeting, he told me that he wanted to help write and publish my autobiography. I told him that I had been committed to some people for a while and that I would enquire what stage they were at.

The young man left a document for me to read, and in the subsequent weeks, he followed up with various phone calls. Fortunately, I was able to reach the representatives of Josef Magnate, who sadly had passed away, and collected details of the information that I had previously provided to him. Having considered the professional competence of my friend, Chief S. O. Oguntimehin, I reasoned that his son was likely to have inherited such competence. I took time to read the document that the young man, Kola Olutimehin, had left for me and I was impressed about the service he desired to render.

Of course he made another follow up call, and we had another meeting where I now agreed that we should proceed with the service that he had intended. During the course of our discussions, I enjoyed re-living my childhood, my military training, my career, as well as being refreshed of how much we indeed contributed to the development of Lagos State from inception.

This really gave me joy, and I am pleased to say that about six months since this work was commenced, you now have in your hands my autobiography ‘Lagos State – My Life of Service with Integrity (The Making of an ICON)’.

Kola Olutimehin has joined me as co-author of this book, as he has extracted principles that he felt people could learn from, as it relates to my life. These are written as the Iconic Principles at the end of each chapter.

I hope that this book is not only about telling my story, but a tool to be used to further develop our state and our nation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am very grateful to a number of people who have in one way or the other contributed to my life’s story. The list of these people is inexhaustible and I have expressed my gratitude personally on a number of occasions. However, I wish to place on record my gratitude that I was indeed born into the Johnson household, and thank my parents for the upbringing they gave to us, which although at the time was painful, yielded benefits later in life.

I am indebted to my dear wife, Funmi, who not only has helped me to become who I am, but her expertise as a teacher really helped with the reviewing of the various drafts of the manuscript. Thank you Funmi, for all that you have been.

I say a big thank you to General Dr Yakubu Gowon, ‘Ọga mi lai lai’, who kindly read through this manuscript meticulously, offered his advice, and produced a splendid foreword. Thank you also for creating Lagos State and helping us to have a footing and identity in the country.

The incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN has greatly honoured me by writing the Afterword to this autobiography. Also, I am indeed grateful because without him the public presentation of this book may not have been possible. Thank you also for your continued service to Lagos State, which has kept the state as a pace-setter. I wish you every success in your continuing endeavours.

Thank you to all those that helped Lagos State become reality and those that assisted with the achievement that we recorded. These included the first four civil servants, known as ‘the four musketeers’, who sadly, have all passed away: Mr A.E. Howson-Wright, Mr F.C.O. Coker, Honourable Justice I. Agoro, and Chief J.O. Adeyemi-Bero. The others include. the Obas, Chiefs, Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Local Government representatives, other civil servants, as well as private firms and corporations.

To my German family, Julius Berger, whose immense contribution to the infrastructural development of Lagos State and made it the admiration of the international community, I say a big thank you.

I am thankful to Professor Siyan Oyeweso and Josef Magnate, for the research work that they had carried out, which remained in my possession and I was able to call on.

Kola Olutimehin and I met on various occasions both in Lagos and London, and I am happy with his conduct, and more so, grateful to him that this autobiography has indeed become reality.

Finally, I thank my God, who has guided and protected me all through the ups and downs of life. He really is the reason for my being.

1

THE JOHNSONS’ STORY

I snapped out of the short dream that I was having as I lay in bed one morning after my usual daily walk with my wife. These walks usually start at ten minutes past six o’clock in the morning and we would walk for one hour. I would then return to bed for half an hour, before I got ready for the day’s activities. I had been dreaming about the inspiration I derived as a young boy, when I had looked with admiration at a photograph of my dad dressed in a military uniform.

‘I will look like this someday when I wear a uniform like this man’, I mused as I looked at the photograph of my dad that was hung on the wall of our living room. He was dressed in military uniform which was very well starched and pressed. He had a brown belt (I later discovered that it was actually referred to as sam-brown belt), which went around his stomach line and over his jacket, and a lanyard around his shoulder. He was tall, athletic, broad-shouldered, handsome and strong; I would have thought that he caught the admiration of many.

The Johnson clan

Dad, whom my siblings and I later addressed as Pappy J, was Joshua Motola Johnson who had been born to the new Johnson family on July 18 1903. My grandfather had changed his surname from the Osholero family name to Johnson after the English Priest, Reverend Johnson, who encouraged his dedication towards Christian virtues. This happened during the last decade of the nineteenth century. Reverend Johnson was the Minister at the Methodist Church Igbore. Igbore is an area within Abeokuta, which is in present day Ogun State in South-West Nigeria.

Grandpa Johnson was born to the Osholero family of the Egba Igbore ethnic group of Abeokuta.

Abeokuta, a Yoruba word, which literally means under the rock, has its origins dated back to the early nineteenth century. The rock referred to is called the Olumo Rock, which is said to be about one hundred and thirty-seven metres above sea level; and of an undeterminable age. Yoruba is one of the three major tribes in Nigeria, the other two, being the Hausa/Fulani tribe and the Igbo tribe.

Abeokuta owes its origins to the operations of slave hunters from Dahomey and Ibadan. Dahomey is present day Republic of Benin, whilst Ibadan is in the South-West region of Nigeria. The slave hunters had bullied their way into the villages which were scattered over the open country. Their activities forced the inhabitants of these villages to take refuge among the rocks that surrounded the city. As a result there were tribal wars with Dahomey. Fortunately for the Egbas, because of the protection afforded by the Olumo Rock, this provided them an advantage that helped them to win these wars.

In 1893, being about the time of the end of the Yoruba Civil Wars, the Egba United Government, a political entity, was recognised by the British. In 1914, the British, as the colonial masters, made the city of Abeokuta a part of the colony of Nigeria. This was the same year in which the North and South of Nigeria were amalgamated under Lord Frederick John Lugard, the Administrative Governor appointed by the British Government.

Baptist and Anglican Christian missionaries had begun visits to the area during the nineteenth century. Grandpa Johnson accepted Christianity during the last decade of the nineteenth century. His change of surname as a result of his conversion was limited to his immediate family, who also became Christian converts. It was not adopted by the wider Osholero family, who although had also been converted to Christianity, felt the name Johnson was alien to their culture.

Grandpa Johnson was apparently a tall, handsome and very hard working gentleman. His physical stature was said to intimidate others. However, this was quickly mellowed by his easy laugh, combined with his robust and healthy appearance. He was a kind and well natured man, who was favourably disposed towards others.

He learnt the carpentry trade from his youth and was well known for his expertise and honesty. At a young age, he moved to Ibadan, still in South-West Nigeria. He worked for the Colonial Railway Corporation and helped to build a number of the railway infrastructure. This was his way of making positive contributions to the modern development of this South-Western Nigerian city.

Grandpa Johnson developed a savings culture and taught the same to Pappy J. Pappy J recalled him saying many times that a penny saved is a penny earned (the words of Benjamin Franklin). He genuinely lived and practised Christian virtues. Together with his family, they belonged to the Methodist Christian denomination.

Pappy J recalled that the family used to go to church together willingly and regularly. He said Grandpa Johnson attended services enthusiastically and would be totally engulfed in the atmosphere of piety. He often prayed with full devotion. The entire family however maintained an open and accommodating culture towards others irrespective of their creed.

Grandma Johnson’s family descended from Abeokuta. She was known to be beautiful and hard working.

Grandpa Johnson died when Pappy J was only eleven years old. As a result, Grandma Johnson was confronted with the customary practice in their culture. She was ordered to move into the home of one of the other Osholero family members as his inherited wife. She could not bear the thought of this happening and her fury would not subside.

One day, having expressed her disapproval of such an arrangement, she fled with the children, fearing they might be harmed by the family members. She took them to Lagos to a family member that we referred to simply as uncle Sule, a tailor by profession.

Pappy J once told me of occasions when at night, he would hold up the candle while uncle Sule sewed. If he dared fall asleep with this candle, he was soon brought back to consciousness by a good knock on his head from uncle Sule’s knuckles. It was this same uncle that assisted Pappy J in gaining admission into Methodist Boys High School (MBHS).

Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to begin to trade in the sub-Saharan African region which now constitutes Nigeria. They called the port, Lagos, after the Portuguese town of Lagos in Algarve. This name eventually stuck with increase in European trade in the region. Prior to this however, the name of the city was originally Eko, a name which is still used today amongst the locals and others within its environs.

Lagos later became the administrative capital of the amalgamated North and South of Nigeria in 1914. It remained the capital of Nigeria until it was officially replaced by Abuja on December 12 1991.

Pappy J was an active sportsman from his school days. A keen footballer, he played in the centre-forward position in the inter-school soccer matches where he represented his school.

I recall a story he once told me about a match that his school played against Kings College, Lagos and how he dribbled past a certain opponent a few times during the match. This opponent was the eminent Sir Adetokunbo Ademola of international repute who received a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) honour from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1957. In 1958 he became the first Nigerian Chief Justice of the Federation of Nigeria.

On conclusion of his studies, Pappy J gained employment at the Survey Department in Lagos as a Lithographer. He grew up as an ambitious lad, who imbibed several lessons from his own parents, some of which were passed down to us. He was a hard working young man. A fine good-looking man, he was a dapper, a dandy who always turned out very well groomed. His dress sense was articulate as he would normally order his clothes out of European catalogues.

Pappy J had told me how he met mum as Miss Emma Gbemisola Coker. He said, She was walking along Glover Street in the early hours of the day. She had bow legs and wore a beautiful chocolate-coloured dress. That moment, I wheeled my bicycle back toward her and studied her intently. She was so pretty, this breath-taking dame. I felt my toes curl right down into the soles of my shoes at the mere sight of her face. I proposed to her on the spot.

I cannot imagine what came over Pappy J that he made such instant proposal, and in that manner! Pappy J continued, Gbemi did not give any clues to suggest whether it would be a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. There was something about her that made me feel she was my wife. Each time that I later thought about her, I always felt nervous at the imagination of hearing a ‘no’ from her. I had hoped that would never be the case.

As the days rolled into weeks, he enquired and found out more about this Miss Coker. He discovered that she was a nurse and had never been interested in boys. He had told me that, "Although my friends thought she might not be interested in me, I was determined not to allow this to discourage me. I had fallen in love with Gbemi at first sight. I kept faith with those feelings.

One late evening, I told uncle Sule about Gbemi and that I wanted to marry her. Uncle Sule looked at me and said, ‘Who do you think you are, to marry Dudley Coker’s daughter?’ The levels of discouragement seemed to be endless; now another one from uncle Sule. Thank God she eventually became mine.

Mum was born to Mr Dudley Coker on May 10 1912. My maternal Grandpa was a successful businessman with an affluent background. He had a tender heart towards women and was a very kind man.

So it was that one day Grandpa Dudley sat with his friends playing a game of draughts,