Featured, Interview
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Onyekachi Ubani, former chairman of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, speaks to Anayo Ezugwu, staff writer, Realnews, about the controversial Financial Regulating Council Act, his political ambition and and why he set up a foundation. Excerpts:
Realnews: What is the Onyekachi Ubani Foundation all about?
Ubani: This is not my first time of explaining to my friends especially the journalists what Onyekachi Ubani Foundation is all about. We didn’t start today. We started on an informal note and that was over six to seven years ago. What I was doing is to use a radio platform to get supports. I started with Star FM that was usually anchored by two ladies. So I came up with the idea of instead of criticising the government, we ourselves could also start to help ourselves and begin to look after one another and show love and courage where it’s absolutely necessary.
So an opportunity presented itself when there was flooding in Lagos, in 2012 especially those in Ikorodu and other people who were affected were relocated to somewhere in Ikorodu by the then Lagos State Governor. People were completely helpless, so what we did was to raise money on air and then bought food items and drugs and then went to pay them a visit. That was the initial first act of love shown and those people were very appreciative. After that, I said look, what more can I do to help Nigerians.
Then I started using my birthday and anytime my birthday is approaching I will generate some money through air and I will distribute. I will just give it out free because whatever I get I will add my little resources and give out. And then give proper account of what comes in and what goes out. People were very happy contributing no matter how little. It was an annual ritual until one time like that a young man came with a baby girl, baby Sumayah that had a hole in her heart. She was not experiencing growth, so what we did was to have her diagnosed and discovered that it was a hole.
We called on Nigerians. That was one of the highlight of the foundation, people were very receptive and when I presented that matter on air about what the girl is undergoing and solicited for their support, people were dropping money. In all, I think we raised over N2 million. Then we gave the girl over N1 million and the remaining was distributed to people also who had needs. So the girl went for operation in India and it was very successful. She came back alive and we were so grateful to God.
We didn’t know that MTN Nigeria had been following up the programme. I think MTN in conjunction with Praiz, a Nigerian musician decided to launch a programme where they raised money for the girl. Eventually, when the project was completed they called us to come and receive the money on behalf of the girl. They gave the girl N10 million and they bought her a property here in Lagos. She is a landlady and almost every year her parents do bring her here. They were here last year for me to see her level of development.
Again, during the Dana Air Plane crash many people that were on ground were affected so we raised N1.5 million on air too and those of them that had accommodation issues, we settled them. The money was freely distributed to some of the victims. Some are still my friends today.
As I said earlier, it was an annual ritual. We did computer training. One young man who is an ICT expert collaborated with us to train over 40 persons on computer and they are so happy. We have done so many other humanitarian works and it’s uncountable. We also did the one of the woman Josephine Ugwu, who found $12 million at the airport. We promoted her and we sold her out to the world and encourage the government to do something to remember her.
The Lagos State government honoured her and Enugu State government honoured her as well. Enugu State gave her a job which she turned down and they named a street after her in Enugu. She was later given job by FAAN. So she prefer federal government job.
Realnews: How do you rate the response from the member of the public?
Ubani: What we did towards the end of last year was to formerly launch the organisation and the response when I was on radio was very fantastic. People were contributing no matter how little but at a time I stopped that method of raising money using radio and said let us do it in a more formal setting. Then we launch the organisation last year and now you can ask me about the response. A lot of people made pledges but they are yet to redeem it. But I have this hope that I have to pay attention to it because if you see how many calls I receive every day on people with various needs. Those who are physically challenged, those with issues of school fees and other basic things of life.
But my idea in the long run is to make it big where we will have training centres for the youths, who will be involved in all manner of things including music and development of their talents. And for women and men who are retired or those who are self employed to learn more things in order to improve their lives. So it’s something we are working on and now that we have formerly launched it we now begin to look for partners and founders.
There are a lot of people who have money but they are looking for credible avenue to use it to help others and if they discover that you are honest and truthful and they can trust you, of course, they can partner with you to actualise your dreams of helping people. So what we are doing now is at least let’s start something no matter how little to give out to certain persons because the once I have done before I have discovered that people used it to put foods on their tables.
Realnews: In Nigeria, non governmental organisations, NGOs, are accused of money laundering. How transparent is this your project?
Ubani: God can never allow me to do that. I won’t even allow any politician to use me. It’s not possible. We try as much as possible to be transparent and we can never soil our names. You see your reputation is key. I have come a long way. I have built a name for myself and I will never allow any person to soil my name. It is not possible. I’m a child of God and a deacon in Assemblies of God Church. I’m very careful in whatever I do because I know I will account to God because I’m a spiritual being.
Realnews: It’s being said in some quarters that you are using this project to prepare yourself for political position.
Ubani: Going into politics is a big game and is not something you just wake up and join. I love my legal practice, and if politics comes tomorrow where I will be in a position to help Nigerians I won’t say I will not enter into politics. But that is not the underlying factor behind being good. If you are good naturally you are good. If you have sympathy and love for people, it is natural in you. When you are pretending it you know it will not work out because before you know it, it dies in you.
But when you touch peoples’ life you will know. Even in this my practice, do you know the number of cases I’m handling that are free. They don’t have any money but I’m able to help them. So If I have been doing this all these years, why the issue of I’m doing it to build a political career.
I think it is in the heart. I came from a very poor background and I know what it took me to go through the entire school process. So I don’t like seeing people suffer what I suffered. It is that genuine love that is actually pushing me not because of political ambition. Politics is by the side. If its politics I would have jump into it and start contesting. So as I said earlier I enjoy my practice.
Realnews: NGOs are equally involved in this issue of FRCN code controversy forcing religious leaders over 70 to retire. Can you educate us on this code?
Ubani: The code stated that the NGOs must comply with accounts especially when you have now moved into commercial issues like churches who are into schooling, hospital among others. So they must try and prepare their accounts in such a manner to show transparency. But if it’s purely for charity that issue of preparing account and submitting will not be there. But it’s good we are regulated because regulation ensures transparency. It means that whatever you are doing you will be careful.
But where I have problem with this issue of the code is the issue of tenure, where they are asking leaders to stay for 20 years. It is not their business. But where I want them to focus is on the accounting system. If you are going into other business let us see your account. But asking them to step aside after 20 years is not a business of government.
Realnews: Is it possible to separate religion from government in this country?
Ubani: We are very religious here. Almost everyone that assumes any position of leadership come from one religion or the other. Is either you are a Christian or Muslim. You hardly see those who don’t have what they worship. It is very possible but it is very important you understand that a man is a spiritual being. If you are going into politics, you are going into national office; there is no way you can put God aside. You have to carry the God in you to show people that this is what the God you are serving has asked you to be. The only problem is hypocrisy that is all over in Africa especially in Nigeria.
There is no genuine children of God that have occupied political position in this country. When I say genuine I mean those who have shown that they are godly in their actions because a godly man will care for people. A godly man will not be interested in acquisitions of wealth. But a situation where our leaders who claim to be either Christian or Muslim keep on acquiring wealth in a country where millions sleep on an empty stomach and the person goes to church or mosque to pray for God.
This issue is that since Nigeria is a secular state we must know how we handle religious issues. What I mean is that you don’t go about that people must believe your religion because whatever you believe is private but what people want to see is the God in you in action not even in words.
— Jan 23, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT
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