I changed my name to James to be able to go to school
- Chief Waheed Hassan Owodunni,
Agiri II
The Baale of
Bariga celebrated his 20 years on the throne in November 2015 in a combined
celebration as he clocked 70 years old. He spoke with CM about his
achievements, challenges for Bariga and the outlook for Bariga. Chief Waheed Hassan Owodunni, Agiri II was
born in September 9, 1945 in Bariga.
How has it being for the past twenty years?
The journey
so far is not a joke. The achievement is enormous in the political terrain, in
infrastructural, we have ongoing constructions of roads. In terms of health, we
have Primary Health Centre and we also have a mediation centre, where people
from Gbagada, Shomolu and environs come for dispute resolution. For
development, lots of things have developed in Bariga, we have petrol stations,
hospitals both private and public. Things have change from what it’s used to
before. In the past, we have lots of
problems here but now it has reduced drastically due to intervention of
politics and establishment of small industries by individuals. We have lots of
things that have change since my ascension.
The welfare of the people have increase, everybody goes to their various
place of work. No tribal clashes. We have regular interaction with
non-indigenes, we all live happily together. Religiously, we have no problem;
everybody observed their doctrines without interfering with the other. Bariga
is peaceful.
Is there any geographical difference between Bariga
LCDA and the Bariga town that you are the Baale?
In Bariga,
we have other towns which are under the Bariga LCDA. This is Orile Bariga, the
main town. In Bariga LCDA, we have Abule Okuta town, Seriki town, Pedro,
Obanikoro, Ilaje and others. In Bariga town, we have seven quarters that are
Bariga extensions. The boundary of Bariga town is at Omolade Alafia, we share
boundary with Bajulaiye at the canal, then with Abule Okuta at Akinola near the
canal, with Shomolu, we share boundary at Pako. Bariga Town is a large town
with quarters such as Aiyetoro, Ifelodun, Owode, Temidire, Ibuowo and mafoku.
How was Bariga established?
Bariga is a
name of the founder, who migrated from Ile-Ife. During the olden days, people
move from one town to the other according to Ifa instruction. Ifa will give instruction and direction,
sometime Ifa will say go and settle where there is big tree or near a river. As
he was coming from Ile-Ife, he settled in Abeokuta. He consulted the Ifa and
Ifa told him he has not gotten to the place. He told him that he should keep
going until he was close to a river, which happened to be the river at Ilaje.
He settled here, he goes to Ilaje River to trade with the people from Epe, Badagry,
Ikorodu and other areas, because that is the only market available. Remember,
the surroundings were thick forest. He established a camp named Ebute-Igbe
(living quarter by the riverside), where he carry on his farming, hunting and
trading. He has only daughter called Ifafunke and as soon as she got married
the name Bariga cease to exist that is why there is no family bearing the
surname Bariga.
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What are the challenges you faced as a Baale?
The
challenge is that our children are unemployed. The government is not doing much
in term of employment for our youth. We are marginalized by the past
administration of Bariga LCDA. Even, when we are in Shomolu, we are
marginalized. Only few things come to Bariga. Bariga LCDA marginalized us; the
indigenes were not given anything at all. Go to the council, you will not find
any indigenes in their employment. That should not be because it is our name
that they use in creating the LCDA. The only benefit we are getting is the
on-going road construction and the school they are building. We are not given
our right place in the council. We have sons and daughter that are graduates
with Bsc, HND and others but we are now fighting to make sure to make sure we
are given our place of pride. Our sons and daughters must be employed in the
council.
What steps have you taken to ensure employment for the
indigenes of Bariga by the LCDA?
During the
last dispensation, we wrote a letter to the council informing them of our
marginalization. They promised to look into it. When we have chairman, we will
be able to follow it up again to see that our sons and daughters are employed
into the services.
Are you seeking political solution by putting forward
a candidate for the LG election?
For the
council chairmanship, we hope to present somebody. We have our son who is eager
to contest for the councillorship of Bariga.
On security, Bariga featured regularly in the media
for gang killing, rape, cult activities and armed robbery, what step have you
taken stem this?
In the whole
world, we have crimes everywhere and Bariga is not an exception. We have it all
over the states. Everybody have to manage his/her own area. In Bariga now, we
have the cults, area boys, we have this, and we have that. It doesn’t start in
a day, it is gradual. Most of these things happen during the political campaign
and electioneering. It is difficult for the politicians, who armed the boys to
retrieve all the weapons they have given them during the election. These are
what the boys are using to terrorize the community. We have called the ones we
know to order. We caution them and
encourage them to maintain discipline. As at October, we had a meeting
involving the police, anyone or group caught fermenting trouble will be handed
over to the police. The police in Bariga under the DPO, Mr. Hammed are
responding to any distress call. If you call that there is a problem here, the
robbers are here or the cults are here, they respond immediately. For about a month plus vigilante groups have
been on watch in all the streets, everybody is now a security. All these boys
perpetuating these crimes are not living in Bariga, they are outsider as soon
as they finish their nefarious activities they go. Some of boys in living in
Bariga show them the road, we have the insiders. And, it’s not peculiar to
Bariga. We are trying to curb it but unemployment is another. The government
has to do something by reducing the unemployment rate. Government needs to
create jobs and resuscitate industries are in comatose. Ensure regular power
supply, so that all these boys will have something to do.
It’s being 20 years, what should people of Orile
Bariga expecting?
What I am
praying for God to do, in the next four to five years is that I what Bariga to
have many industries, where people will prosper. By the time they finished this
road- Pedro-Ladilak road, it’s going to be an opener that will bring in Banks,
commercial ventures and industries into Bariga.
If the road is good, that means you can drive to Ebutte-Metta without
going through the expressway. I hope that before two to three years Bariga will
have rapid growth.
Give us an insight into your background?
I was born
in 1945 in this Bariga. I am 70 years old as at September 9, this year. At that
time, to start primary school your right hand has to go over your head to touch
your left ear. If you can do that, no matter your age you will not be admitted
to start schooling. Then, we don’t have schools in Bariga but we have the
missionaries in other places. Most parents don’t want their children to go to
school, but my father decided that I should go to school. I have to change my
name from Waheed to James to be able to attend missionary school. I attended
Salvation Army school, Odunlami Street on Lagos Island. Before I finished my
primary 1, we had Right Primary school, Oke-Metta Primary school and later
Pedro Primary school in 1949. I came back to Right Primary Schools, and then we
are paying, I think per quarter we paid about one pounds, one Guinea. You
either have primary one to two, another school have primary three and four so
we move from one school to the other. I finished at Ladi-Lak primary school; we
were in Shomolu then before we now built the one at the present location. The
real name was Lady of the Lake primary school, it was later that the name was
shorten to Ladi-Lak. I am one of the second set of the school; we built the
school at its present location. We had to carry block from Bajulaiye down to
that place, we were in Shomolu then. The first Ladi-Lak school was in Queen
Street, Yaba, the other was in Apapa and the third is the one in Shomolu now
moved to Bariga. When I passed out of Ladi-Lak primary school, I went to Lagos
Clerical Training College, Surulere. I finished in 1964, I decided to work
briefly with Mushin District Council. I was receiving 18 pounds, 5 shillings as
a clerical officer but I decided to be a tradesman because my father is wielder
and a plumber. I don’t want to be an
accountant; I went to Yaba Trade Centre, where I studied plumbing and pipe
fitting. I spent three years there, I further to Yaba College of Technology for
a year advance course. Then, I started work with Vegetable oil Nigeria Ltd at
Ojota. I worked there for 11 and half years, and then I moved to Industrial
Gases at 7up before they now opened a new factory at Oshodi. I was a foreman
and an installer. Then, I decided to form my own company- Owodunni Hassan
Plumbing Works and Habilab Engineering Works. I did that for sometimes and
decide to further my education that professional training in 1984 or there
about. I went to London and Germany.
How do you merged running a business with the task of
“Baaleship”?
I have my
workers, when we go to site I point out how they should go about it. I take
time to visit site though not every time. The government is not doing what it’s
ought to do.
What is government suppose to do that they are not
doing?
What
government suppose to do as a Baale, they suppose to give you a salary, which
am not given. Though, I have my part three as a Baale but they don’t give us
that rating. I am suppose to have been elevated to part two since 2002, when I
have my part three. Up till now, nothing has been done. We are now imploring the government to make
sure that all the remuneration due to Baaleship should be given and promotion
also. So, that we can maintain our self, the car I am using I brought it and
maintain it with my money. I attend
meetings and tell government this is what we want, but nothing has been
done. We will keep pressurizing them, so
they will do what they are suppose to do for the Baales.
You are 70 years old, when are you retiring from
active business?
There is a
proverb, which says if you are a tradesman the knowledge remains. Anytime they
call you, the knowledge is still there. A soldier is still a soldier whether
120 or 90 years old. The same thing
applies to a tradesman.
Ola Pat