Conversation with Herbert Macaulay’s great-grandnephew

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By Chris Otaigbe

Twenty-two years in Nigerian politics, Bode George, who is a retired Naval Officer and a third generation nephew of Herbert Macaulay, is a frontliner in Nigeria’s politics today.

My conversation with him took over a two-hour tour of those parts of his life that have brought him national and indeed, global reckoning as a major actor on the political stage of the largest democracy in Africa and a leading voice in the world’s largest black population.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s sixteen years as the founding ruling party that ushered Nigeria back into civil rule following close to two decades of military interregnum in Nigeria, did not leave legacies that most Nigerians would want to be proud of.

The characters and fellows who were the main dramatis personae of those years have virtually become abominable names just as the party itself, in the minds of many Nigerians. Before you shout alleluia, APC! Even the All Progressive Congress (APC) have not fared any better.

Back to the PDP. However, not everyone in PDP, indeed, APC too, is as indecent and morally filthy as the parties that appeared to have tarred all within them with the same dark paint.

Bode George is one of the rare personalities, who by his upbringing, professional training and philosophical leanings, exhibits an appreciable level of decency and nobility. With all his alleged crimes and corruption, the one that marvelled the whole nation and the international community was the crowd that led him from prison to the church for thanksgiving, having served 18 months in jail for alleged corruption. I was appalled too.

When I read the Supreme Court’s dismissal of his, hitherto 28-year sentence, for lack of evidence by the prosecuting Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), I decided to take him up on it. He confirmed he was framed up for a contract that was merely discussed at a board meeting but which was never awarded. In the absence of any contrary evidence, I was convinced that indeed, he is innocent of the charges against him. Especially, when he boasted he is ready to take on the EFCC Chairman at the time, Farid Waziri, or anyone connected, in a debate on the matter anywhere and any medium of her choice.
It takes one who is sure of himself and his facts to throw such gauntlet.

In the end, I came away with certain discoveries: Chief George speaks the language of a disciplined and well-trained Naval Officer with the heart of a noble man brimming with intense philosophical outlook on his generation and the society he has found himself.

I began the conversation with his plans for his coming 75th birthday.

“With Covid-19 spreading like a cancer, the law is still against congregation of more than just 20 people. I hope at that time, they would have found a proper vaccine, so we can get back to normal. But that notwithstanding, one should still praise the Almighty God and thank Him for giving one that opportunity in life… maybe with my kids and my immediate family members, we should congregate and thank God. That is the most important thing. Any other socialization… remember social distancing… that could come much later.” He answered.

So how did you celebrate the 74th?

“When I was 74, we had just simple prayers. Just the members in the house. Most of my children were in Nigeria. It was not a hifalutin congregation. I am never that much inclined. I remember when I was 70, I had just my children. Yeah, we had prayers, lunch, then we had fun, just within ourselves.” Said Chief George.

Obviously, he likes to mark his birthday on a low-profile note.

“You know in a country where if you are able to succeed where you have a large base of those who have nothing and God has blessed you, the most important thing you should do, is to pay back to those people. And see how many of them you can lift up to the higher level. Bringing all your friends, colleagues, people of your same status and howling in the street and dancing… you were just opportune to reach that level. You have been given that opportunity to go to school, you graduated, then you got a good job. It is not of your making.” He replied.

For one who was born, brought and whose whole cosmology revolves around growing up in Lagos, surely he must have memories about life in Lagos back in the days.
“I grew up from Lagos Island. The Lagos Island then is not the Lagos Island now. When I was growing up, the population was not as large. Everybody knew everybody else around the area. It was a proper communal living. This popular term being used, ‘Area Boy’, what it means in Yoruba language is ‘omo adugbo’, meaning ‘a child of that community’. The Elders provided automatic guidance and mentorship for any child within that area.” Began the retired Naval Commodore.
One day George and his friends went on an aimless stroll. “We were just walking around from my place at Evans to Isale Gangan, to Agarawu and we landed at Tom Jones, which was on Nnamdi Azikwe road. One of the Elders in my area saw me and wondered what on earth I was doing there. He held me by my ear all the way back home and handed me over to my father… told him that they saw me… Whatever I was doing there didn’t concern them and told me to watch it.” Recalled the PDP Chieftain.

That was the kind of existence Bode George grew up in and he remembers the robust, involving and calming serenity that came with such a memorable life.

“We were calm and at peace with ourselves. Anytime, there was a religious holiday, whether Salah or Christmas, it didn’t make a difference. We would go there; we would celebrate. For the birth of Prophet Mohammed, they used to have a special festival around the kids then and we used to have fun. We call it ‘sukuno bia’. We would have something that is made with candle inside it, dancing around with everybody. It was fun and once it was Christmas time, the Muslims would join us. It didn’t matter, whether you were Muslim or Christian. It was a matter of, this guy is your neighbour, he is your friend… till today. Those we grew up together will call me…. Yes, some of them didn’t get that high up, but they are still your friend. But now the population in Lagos.” Said George.*

With such communal living and enviable community-spirit that he grew with, it would be interesting to know at what point ethno-religious polarization of the country got the better part of the country.

“When politics started growing, people started talking, even up till now… when people started getting involved and politics became the norm, I hear people talk about ‘this man is a Christian, is a Muslim… this organization, that organization, CAN and all those things… my immediate elder sister married a Muslim. Two years older than I am, she is a Muslim today and an Alhaja. She is from a Christian home. I even sponsored her and her husband to Hajj at some point. She is still my sister. Am I going to disown her because she married a Muslim? Of course, no.” The former NPA Chairman enlightened.
One of his younger brothers, who is a Reverend, married a Muslim. Today, she is a Pastor. So, here in the South, he explained, it really didn’t matter. Even in some families, they have those involved in the traditional religion. “We all relate. As long as you don’t bring whatever it is you worship to my house to do your thing, it is okay with me. So, anytime, we congregate, for prayers, if you are Muslim or Christian, you just say your prayers and we go on.” He said.

How this ethno-religious phenomenon became a national problem baffles him, to no end. However, while most Nigerians would empathize with him, they believe politicians, his constituency, brought about the ethno-religious division of the country.

“I can’t say it doesn’t happen. People say politics is a very dirty game and that it is an animal kingdom in itself, where civility is thrown to the dogs. But you know, the beauty of it is the diversity of personalities from diverse ethno-religious backgrounds. In a political party, you will find a Bishop, Imam, good people; you will also find rapists, criminals and all kinds of characters, because you need the numbers. You can do your preaching; they know and acknowledge you for that and hold you to that standard. People can attest to the fact that anytime there is a meeting, I always try to plead with them that there is a higher being that we all reverence. You are here to play your part. Someday, which is the awesome power of the Almighty… nobody knows when he is going. When you get to that bus stop, you will disembark.” He responded.

Conceding the fact that such traits and attitudes are beyond anyone’s control, he believes the best way to go around it is to take make positive impact on the people you meet.

“You don’t determine it. So, why don’t you do something that would give positive memories, so those coming behind you, who have undergone your mentorship, can continue with that legacy? Within this short span, I have been in politics, I have discovered that that those guys who don’t wish you well, they may succeed for a while, but in the long-run, they get the punishment for their evil ways and deeds. I have seen it. I have lived it. God didn’t say you will not have tribulations or trials. But if you still believe in him and you do whatever you are doing within the dictates of His Holy book, He will always be with you. Life is full of imponderables. Life’s journey is full of tribulations, trials, if you retain your trust in Him, He will see you through that tunnel, triumph and always be on top. It is meant to be a learning process for those coming from behind. Whatever you sow, you will reap.” He philosophizes

In the last 20 years plus, the name Bode George is more known as a politician than one who had lived the larger part of his formative and adult life as a Naval Officer. His political career, which has spanned over two decades seem to have consumed the mind of the over 74 years Lagosian.
In response, Chief George, went down memory lane on how he joined Nigerian politics after leaving the military.
He joined Nigerian politics since 1998 when the ban on political activities was lifted. He was abroad and Olusegun Obasanjo visited with his wife, the late Stella Obasanjo.

“Stella and I grew up together and we were classmates. That’s how I knew Baba. He phoned me and said they were in London to see me. Baba had just been released from prison. I visited them in their hotel in London and we went for dinner. Baba asked me what I am doing here, “You were in the villa.” And I told him, “Baba, that is another story for another day. I thank God that I am alive.” We started discussing and he then said some people came to him and asked him to be President.
When he left, some of my friends came to me, we started discussing, and I threw it up for debate and discussion. I said to them, “the nation was going through a wobbly state. As a Sailor, we say you are entering a stormy weather and once you get into that bad sea state, you need a tested captain. An experienced captain to take you safely to the harbour. That was my conclusion at that time. So, the next time, Baba came, I told him, Maybe it’s God’s doing. You have been to the top of the mountain and been to the bottom of the valley. Perhaps, now you are required and I think those asking you to be President, I believe there is a lot of sense in it.” He recalled.

Great grandnephew of Nigeria’s, indeed, Africa’s foremost Politician and Pioneer voice in the call for Africa’s independence from colonial rule, he speaks of his relationship with Herbert Macaulay and his entry into the first civilian administration on resumption of civil rule in Nigeria.

“But first, Baba,” I told him, “Discuss with your immediate family and once you are ready, I will come back to Nigeria.” It wasn’t planned. Although, I come from a political family. My great grand uncle was Herbert Macaulay. The old man (Herbert Macaulay) had a nickname called ‘Ejo n’gboro’. Though he died in 1946 when I was just a year old; I never grew to meet him, but I met all he left behind; politically and every other part of him that have advanced that political side to me today. The house was politically charged and that’s how I came into it. But then, I went into the military and you don’t talk politics in the military. Do you?” He Laughed.

After his years in the military, he was settling down to continue with his professional calling, which is Engineering and Telecommunications and then Obasanjo came with Stella to brief him of the decision to take up the job.

“And I told him, I am ready to come home. He then told me, “You? Aloku soja! (Transliterated: You? Left-over soldier!). What would you know about politics? He asked me. But I was also involved with Student Union politics when I was in University of Lagos (UNILAG) and then I came back. For about six months, I was going around with Baba, watching everybody; Now, doing what I used to do in the military. I was a Logistician. Doing all the planning, moving from here to there for the campaign. I remember… when we won, he asked me, he said, “Bode, what do you want?” Then I said, looking around, “Sir, I think I could be your Chief of Staff!” He said, “No ooooh! I have somebody who would be my Chief of Staff.” I looked around those people and asked, “Who, Sir?” When he mentioned the name, Gen. Abdullahi, I said, “Yes, Sir!” he narrated.

In the Nigerian military, he said Gen. Abdullahi was a most experienced Officer and a seasoned Administrator. “He then, again, said, ‘So, what do you want?’ I said, ‘Sir, I will like to go to the Party.’ He said, ‘You want what?’ I said, ‘I will go to the political party and be one of the managers, Sir.’ Moreover, he said, ‘You?’ (I laughed). He laughed it off. That was how I found my way into the party. Not asking to be some Minister, this, or that.” He said.

In a materialistic country as Nigeria, why would he reject an offer to be a Federal Minister or some other appointee of government in any of the MDAs?
“I didn’t need any of that. Those were not my immediate desires. I was made a military governor of Ondo State for three years, at the age of 42. So, I have had non-regimental appointments. Managed the state, did the best I could and learnt the ropes of dealing with a civilian administration. In the military, you have all the doctrines, the Dos and Don’ts well defined. But having to go to civil life, you will expect to meet people with behaviours ranging from zero to infinity; which means you’ve got to be at peace with everybody to succeed. So, you must listen. They are not at your level. Some are higher than you, while some are far lower to you. You are there and everybody is looking up to you find a solution to problems.” He said.

For the retired Naval Commodore, it was an experience but what he found out, was that politicians without a second job, always get stranded when out of the game of politics.

“If you don’t have a professional calling, in other words, if you don’t have a second address and you are in politics, you have got to be careful. Because if you have a second address, meaning, you have another job, that brings you your income, you play the game and you are expected to go there and manage the resources of your state for the betterment of the people. That is why you are there. So, when you see many of the old politicians, those who are there selflessly trying to improve the lots of the people, you will see it well-defined and different from those who went there to build empires. And at the end of the day, you look back into history, what happened to those properties, acquisitions and self-conceitedness… where, what do they become?” he asked.

Speaking to the vanity of the many looters who have raped the country of her money and resources, the PDP Stalwart wonders what they do with all the wealth they amass.

“What do they do with all the money? And that baffles me because someday you will exit. Just look back and see their children, what do they do with the money? They just disappear into oblivion. But with solid, gold-plated policies… the day you are buried, those policies will live after you. That is a real leader who can mentor younger people. You can’t be right all the time; you must live with that. When they discuss with you, you listen and all that. But once we have all unitedly agreed on a policy, if there is a change, everybody must also know why there is that change because it is not a private company.” Explained George.

He does not hide his disdain for the nothingness that attends the vanity being worshipped by those he regards as empty but mischief minds in politics who succeeds, albeit, temporarily. For him, the power and money that come with such ephemeral success are transient.

“We are running that major problem in this country today. You find some, who by doing all kinds of things and became whatever… they believe it is going to be perpetual. They start gathering their followers because those followers believe they can have something from this fellow. The day that stops, they are gone. That is not a leader.” He concluded.

Just in case you are still wondering who Herbert Macaulay is and why Bode George’s blood ties to him, is a big deal, here is a brief of who Macaulay is and what he is to Nigeria and the nation she eventually became:

Born on this day in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1864, Herbert Macaulay helped to lay the foundation of modern Nigeria and contributed majorly to the shaping of popular perceptions of a modern nation and its obligation to the public.

Macaulay belonged to a distinguished missionary family with roots in the abolition movement and Sierra Leone colony. He was one of the seven children of an Anglican Priest, Thomas Babington, and his wife, Abigail Crowther Macaulay, who were both children of liberated Africans in the mid-19th century. He was the maternal grandson of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African bishop of the Niger Territory and the first registered student of West Africa’s oldest University, Fourah Bay College.

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