My people, make I gist you wetin dis 90-year-old brother, Dr. Samuel Morakinyo dey talk! Dis man don see plenty things wey fit fill book for life, both better and bad. E say, ‘I no go lie, God don help me plenty!’ Dis na the man wey don waka through life journey like say na road trip.
Dr. Morakinyo wey serve as commissioner under General Buhari military regime, gree for gist with daniel. E talk say, some days for e life dey bitter well-well, especially when he lose him loved ones, including him wife. But no be all days dark; e talk say e achieve plenty things for education. Na PhD na him cap and na corner wey him dey halla thanks to him people wey support am.
Him childhood? Na for Isale Eko, Lagos, wey e sabi waka pass with joy! He reminisce say, ‘In those days, you fit waka anywhere at any time. Armed robbery? No be dem kind palava wey dey happen, my brother!’
Dr. Morakinyo talk about how dem dey struggle for education back den. Na only one primary school dey for 30 to 60 kilometers! Many pikin no fit go school because e no easy to send dem far. But he hustle hard, come enter university—na chemistry and science him teach for school later. E don reach top before dem call am as commissioner!
When dem call am, he no believe! E think say na joke, but quickly e prepare himself. ‘Commissioner for Local Government, you say?’ E dey yan say governance dey easier when dem no get legislature, just pure executive matta.
Dem military government dey run dem own, and e talk say dem dey listen to the people well. ‘WAI (War Against Indiscipline) wey dem bring come? E make everybody dey fear to mess up. Indiscipline dey kill our society now!’ E commot no say na indiscipline dey cause wahala for road and everywhere! Our patience don waka get belle, we dey complain too much!
Abeg, Dr. Morakinyo wey don experience plenty, e get advice for us; ‘We need to be patient o! Give children time to grow before you push dem enter university!’ E vex say people no sabi wait again. ‘See how dem dey jump queue like say na game!’
Him time as commissioner no be like today; ‘Nobody dey misbehave, we sabi our job!’ E talk say after ten years, only 4k naira don remain for him pocket. E dey proud of am, knowing say opportunity no dey chop person money.Â
In the end, Dr. Morakinyo prophesize change—education need better, teachers need to sharp up! If we no fix am, na we go suffer am. Nigerian fit better if dem fit work together and stop this wahala of personal gain! Dis man sabi wetin e dey talk, my people!
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