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| TheYoung MKO Abiola in the late 60s |
Moshood was screaming.
He had just heard of his mother’s death from a relative who had come to Ibadan from Ogun state to inform him. It was the tenth of December 1956. Moshood
was at his first day of work in Barclays Bank. His relative did not
respond to his outburst immediately. He wanted Moshood to calm down, and when
he spoke after a few minutes, he resorted to a short Koranic verse. “We all belong to God and we shall return to
Him”
He had just heard of his mother’s death from a relative who had come to Ibadan from Ogun state to inform him. It was the tenth of December 1956. Moshood
was at his first day of work in Barclays Bank. His relative did not
respond to his outburst immediately. He wanted Moshood to calm down, and when
he spoke after a few minutes, he resorted to a short Koranic verse. “We all belong to God and we shall return to
Him”
That was all he
said. He knew that only time, and not words, could heal the kind of pain that Moshood
was feeling. After that, Moshood went to his supervisor’s
office and told him what had happened. The supervisor gave him permission to
return to Ogun state for a few days.
He left immediately. His trip to Ogun
State took less than two hours. By the time he got home, he was surprised to
learn that members of his former band were not only aware of his mother’s
death, but had taken care of all her burial expenses. He thanked them and told
them that he would remain grateful to them for the rest of his life.
said. He knew that only time, and not words, could heal the kind of pain that Moshood
was feeling. After that, Moshood went to his supervisor’s
office and told him what had happened. The supervisor gave him permission to
return to Ogun state for a few days.
He left immediately. His trip to Ogun
State took less than two hours. By the time he got home, he was surprised to
learn that members of his former band were not only aware of his mother’s
death, but had taken care of all her burial expenses. He thanked them and told
them that he would remain grateful to them for the rest of his life.
He consoled his
father. He wished that he had a job in his town, instead of Ibadan, so that he would never have to
leave him. Apart from him and his father, every other member of the family felt
her loss because Zuliat was not just a mother or wife; she was also a pillar to
the entire family, whom Moshood once described as “similar to the light that comes from the
moon for guidance” On the day of her death, he tried to explain the
magnitude of his loss to a neighbor. “My
mother taught me a lot of things but she forgot to teach me how to survive
without her”
father. He wished that he had a job in his town, instead of Ibadan, so that he would never have to
leave him. Apart from him and his father, every other member of the family felt
her loss because Zuliat was not just a mother or wife; she was also a pillar to
the entire family, whom Moshood once described as “similar to the light that comes from the
moon for guidance” On the day of her death, he tried to explain the
magnitude of his loss to a neighbor. “My
mother taught me a lot of things but she forgot to teach me how to survive
without her”
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| The GDA and the Author, Abdul-Jamiu Abiodun Abiola in rare display of the book during the interview |
But time would
prove Moshood wrong. Her teachings, and those of his father’s, had
indeed taught him how to survive without anybody. His mother was not educated
but the discipline that she instilled in him, as basic as they might have
seemed in that rural setting, had provided him with the solid foundation on
which he not only survived but made a glittering success of his life, starting
from Barclay’s
bank, where those teachings were visible in the diligence and hard work that
people grew to admire in him. He worked there for two years and would have
loved to stay longer but he won a scholarship and had to travel abroad.
prove Moshood wrong. Her teachings, and those of his father’s, had
indeed taught him how to survive without anybody. His mother was not educated
but the discipline that she instilled in him, as basic as they might have
seemed in that rural setting, had provided him with the solid foundation on
which he not only survived but made a glittering success of his life, starting
from Barclay’s
bank, where those teachings were visible in the diligence and hard work that
people grew to admire in him. He worked there for two years and would have
loved to stay longer but he won a scholarship and had to travel abroad.
“He left for the United Kingdom, where he studied
accounting, commercial law, and political economy at Glasgow University and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Scotland. This period in his life lasted five years, during which time he won
several awards for excellent academic performance”
He left for the United Kingdom, where he studied
accounting, commercial law, and political economy at Glasgow University and
the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Scotland. This period in his life lasted five years, during which time he
won several awards for excellent academic performance. He was in his twenties
by then and had married a woman named Simbiat.
accounting, commercial law, and political economy at Glasgow University and
the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Scotland. This period in his life lasted five years, during which time he
won several awards for excellent academic performance. He was in his twenties
by then and had married a woman named Simbiat.
Moshood had already
secured a job offer in Nigeria by the
time he graduated. Guinness, a multinational company, was set to hire him. It even
financed his trip back to Nigeria.
The prospects of working in a new post-independence Nigeria, where blacks could climb the corporate ladder as swiftly
as whites in big companies, excited him. But not many people shared his
optimism. One day an old friend told him, “The
colonialists have gone but don’t be deceived! They have left behind
corporations to carry out their oppression and suppression”
secured a job offer in Nigeria by the
time he graduated. Guinness, a multinational company, was set to hire him. It even
financed his trip back to Nigeria.
The prospects of working in a new post-independence Nigeria, where blacks could climb the corporate ladder as swiftly
as whites in big companies, excited him. But not many people shared his
optimism. One day an old friend told him, “The
colonialists have gone but don’t be deceived! They have left behind
corporations to carry out their oppression and suppression”
Moshood disagreed. He
felt that his friend, who was unemployed then, was envious of him because of
his job offer from Guinness. But before signing his employment contract, Moshood
had begun having his own doubts as well. Through reliable sources, he had
learned that discrimination against blacks had remained a norm in many big
multinational companies in Nigeria,
and that since discrimination had not been made an official policy in these
companies, it had almost become impossible to address.
felt that his friend, who was unemployed then, was envious of him because of
his job offer from Guinness. But before signing his employment contract, Moshood
had begun having his own doubts as well. Through reliable sources, he had
learned that discrimination against blacks had remained a norm in many big
multinational companies in Nigeria,
and that since discrimination had not been made an official policy in these
companies, it had almost become impossible to address.
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| The Book that cleansed MKOAbiola’s Political blemishes |
Moshood became
discouraged. One day during a conversation with a friend, he said, “If this form of prejudice was an official
thing, we could have confronted it, but it is difficult to do anything now
because if we bring up the issue, the management of these companies will claim
that it does not exist and will demand that we prove our allegations. I’m not
interested in working in such an environment”.
discouraged. One day during a conversation with a friend, he said, “If this form of prejudice was an official
thing, we could have confronted it, but it is difficult to do anything now
because if we bring up the issue, the management of these companies will claim
that it does not exist and will demand that we prove our allegations. I’m not
interested in working in such an environment”.
His friend, who
had always dreamed of being employed in a multinational company, was not
convinced. As far as he was concerned, Moshood was just being unwise. “You have not started working at Guinness and yet you’re already
complaining. Since when did an accountant bother about matters that should be
left to union leaders and activists?”
had always dreamed of being employed in a multinational company, was not
convinced. As far as he was concerned, Moshood was just being unwise. “You have not started working at Guinness and yet you’re already
complaining. Since when did an accountant bother about matters that should be
left to union leaders and activists?”
They both argued
further and when Moshood’s friend realized that he was not ready to back down,
he advised him to give the company a try, at least to clarify whether what he
was hearing were facts or rumors. Moshood agreed reluctantly but just
as he was about to start working there, he changed his mind again. The level of
the discrimination was much higher than he had thought. He had been informed
that Nigerians even battled for basic things like car loans and that their
salaries were significantly lower than those of their white expatriate
counterparts.
further and when Moshood’s friend realized that he was not ready to back down,
he advised him to give the company a try, at least to clarify whether what he
was hearing were facts or rumors. Moshood agreed reluctantly but just
as he was about to start working there, he changed his mind again. The level of
the discrimination was much higher than he had thought. He had been informed
that Nigerians even battled for basic things like car loans and that their
salaries were significantly lower than those of their white expatriate
counterparts.
Once again his
friend advised him to verify things after working there but this time Moshood
disagreed. “I don’t need to verify
anything. I already have. I met a white man who, despite being a UAC staff, has
an input in the affairs of Guinness
employees because UAC is in charge of the Guinness employment policy in
Nigeria” He paused briefly. “Do you
know what he told me? He said that westerners deserve to be given more perks
and a better overall package in Guinness
because they founded the company. He also said that anybody who was not pleased
about that was free to leave the company.”
friend advised him to verify things after working there but this time Moshood
disagreed. “I don’t need to verify
anything. I already have. I met a white man who, despite being a UAC staff, has
an input in the affairs of Guinness
employees because UAC is in charge of the Guinness employment policy in
Nigeria” He paused briefly. “Do you
know what he told me? He said that westerners deserve to be given more perks
and a better overall package in Guinness
because they founded the company. He also said that anybody who was not pleased
about that was free to leave the company.”
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| MKO Abiola and Dad, Chief Salaudeen Adenekan |
His friend
finally gave up. “People like you go to
school abroad and come back with too much pride and an excessively revolutionary
attitude. What if western corporations are prejudiced? Can’t things improve in
the future? Was Rome built in a day? Anyway, by the time poverty hits you on
the head, you will wise up”
finally gave up. “People like you go to
school abroad and come back with too much pride and an excessively revolutionary
attitude. What if western corporations are prejudiced? Can’t things improve in
the future? Was Rome built in a day? Anyway, by the time poverty hits you on
the head, you will wise up”
Moshood abandoned the
job offer and things became tough as his friend had predicted, but he had no
regrets. He searched for another job and found one at the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital.
Although his salary was only a quarter of what Guinness had offered him,
he was happy with his new job. But after a year he moved on to better
employment when he was appointed as a divisional controller in the agricultural
division of Pfizer.
job offer and things became tough as his friend had predicted, but he had no
regrets. He searched for another job and found one at the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital.
Although his salary was only a quarter of what Guinness had offered him,
he was happy with his new job. But after a year he moved on to better
employment when he was appointed as a divisional controller in the agricultural
division of Pfizer.
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| The Author Jamiu Abiola with brother, Mumuni Abiola |
Working in Pfizer
was a pleasant experience. The only thing he complained about was not
being able to buy shares in the company. According to him, Pfizer at that time had a
policy that barred employees from owning shares. Moshood, who had become
very ambitious by then, began harboring the feeling that his efforts for the company
would never be compensated as long as that policy remained in place. He finally
resigned in February 1969. By then he had saved a big part of his salary and
had made up his mind to set up his own accounting firm.
was a pleasant experience. The only thing he complained about was not
being able to buy shares in the company. According to him, Pfizer at that time had a
policy that barred employees from owning shares. Moshood, who had become
very ambitious by then, began harboring the feeling that his efforts for the company
would never be compensated as long as that policy remained in place. He finally
resigned in February 1969. By then he had saved a big part of his salary and
had made up his mind to set up his own accounting firm.
(Excerpts from
the book, The President Who Never Ruled by Jamiu Abiola; get copies
in any book shop across the world or write Jamiu Abiola through jamiulinguist@yahoo.com. Read The Newspaper Ad that gave MKO his Breakthrough in our next post on this blog)
the book, The President Who Never Ruled by Jamiu Abiola; get copies
in any book shop across the world or write Jamiu Abiola through jamiulinguist@yahoo.com. Read The Newspaper Ad that gave MKO his Breakthrough in our next post on this blog)
