When Mazi speaks, you better listen. After the about 80 minutes interview session, I said 'Praise God, we have a Presidential material from South East
When Mazi speaks, you better listen. After the about 80 minutes interview session, I said ‘Praise God, we have a Presidential material from South East. If truly Nigeria is serious with political balancing and expecting South East to produce the next president, here is the material. How many people in Nigerian politics can match his profile? The question on the lips of many is who in the South-East would be acceptable to Nigerians? A good question. Today, E-life presents an eminent material. A tested technocrat. A pan Nigerian with an intimidating profile. A season industrialist. A man who has seen Nigeria from the past to the present, with no blemish to his name. A man in whom Nigerians find no guile, the only Mazi in Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. Come with me in this interview conducted by Bola Adewara.
At 70, what drives you?
One of the things keeping me is that I believe God still has so much he wants to do with me, and that’s why He is granting me renewal and enablement to keep going… until I get to where He wants me to be.
You have been around for a long time, yet your reputation has remained intact. How do you do it?
Firstly, the grace of God has been sufficient; my parents also did their parts in teaching me how to live responsibly. I embraced all these values from home, schools, Church and was able to build on them. I believe that God has a purpose for me and He has helped me to walk in a path that preserves me. Being at peace with God has also helped me, by giving in to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which has empowered me to confront problems and fears.
Can there be righteousness in politics?
There can be! It is very possible, and not as difficult as people think it to be. I used to think it was tough, and it drove me away from politics for a long time… until sometime last year. My perspectives on politics changed when God led me to the kings in the Bible, who led with righteousness and those who did not, proving that there can be righteousness in politics.
According to the Bible, righteousness can be attained only if one can conquer the ‘lust of the flesh, eyes and pride of life’. Everybody desires righteousness but some do not know how to attain it; some think it is impossible. Nigeria is where it is today because of unrighteousness…and it can only change from the top. We lack righteous leaders.
Seeing Nigeria through your eyes for 70 years, how did we get here?
We got here when people who had no idea of what governance entails took overpower. I blame the military for where we are today. Nigeria was doing well until the military intervened, which led to various coups and a war that could have easily been avoided if we had matured minds on both sides. Power was restored into the hands of incompetent individuals who only had personal goals in mind, and this was because they were the only ones brave enough to indulge in politics back then. I grew up knowing a different Nigeria than what it is now — a country that was free and growing in every aspect until we began to see a decline in leadership. Our country has been deprived of appropriate leadership.
Do you think regionalism is the solution to Nigeria’s problems?
Yes, I think it will, although leadership is really what matters. Nothing will work unless we have good people with genuine intentions, who are willing and able to take control without personal or group influence. The unitary system cannot work for us anymore, instead, a federating unit, which gives power and some form of independence to regions or states.
Is it a lost cause…can Nigeria be redeemed?
* Bola Adewara (left) with Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa at the interview
Our country is redeemable. I have gotten several pleas over the years from my family, who reside abroad, to leave Nigeria. I told them I’m too much a Nigerian to be an American. I love this country, despite the constant disappointments. There are few nations like us and I believe God is actively working on restoring Nigeria. The issue with Nigeria is that some people think they are more Nigerian than others; some think Nigeria belongs to them, and that’s the bogus thinking that has caused destabilization amongst us. My solution to our country’s problem is to create an equitable nation that works for all that everyone will be happy to be a part of. Our issues come from segregation and status quo.
Looking at the advent of democracy in Nigeria, from 1999 till date, and taking a closer look at the Obasanjo regime, what were the challenges? Did Obasanjo achieve purpose?
I still believe that Obasanjo represents the best opportunity we’ve had since 1999. He embarked on a very intensive and diplomatic tour of the world to try and revive Nigeria’s foreign image, which was a great accomplishment. Obasanjo negotiated us out of debts, which were about to swallow the country whole. He began the fight against corruption by introducing ICPC, EFCC, and other law enforcement agencies that are still around today. Obasanjo was skilled at selecting competent human resources for sensitive functions. The negative parts of Obasanjo were his dictatorial approach, perhaps due to being a soldier. He would have had a better administration if he was more consultative and democratic. Otherwise, Obasanjo did well.
Yar’Adua would have probably done better than Obasanjo if not for his health, and also the kind of people he had around him. I predicted him doing better because he was more democratic and righteous. Jonathan came before his time and, despite being a better democrat than Obasanjo, he lacked experience, maturity. He was selfless to a fault. He gave room for various corrupt individuals.
For the current man in power, I wrote before he came that he was not qualified to rule in a democratic system. Especially for someone who had taken up arms to overthrow a system without going to prison or paying any form of penance for his actions. He has succeeded in dividing the country than before, throwing the country into an abject state of negativity and confusion since he rose to power.
What do you make of the Nigerian Church? Are you happy with the state of things?
Unfortunately no. The Nigerian Church is essentially misdirected. We have left the substance to pursue shadows. I was made a member of the parish council in my Church for a while…I was supposed to be on it for three years but, after my second year, I resigned because my faith began to shake. The Church is becoming more like the world. We spend energy promoting unrighteousness, without realising we are doing so. Tribalism, disunity, segregation, favouritism, amongst others, is now found in the Church. People going to extreme lengths to please others in the Church. The Church needs to reset and I believe God is helping us.
Can the war on hard drugs be revived?
It can, and I believe the current DG, Prof. Adeyeye Mojisola, is trying to revamp NAFDAC. I believe she’s been doing her best. This war is not an easy one because of the circumstances of people who benefit from it and always hinder the good fight.
Is the coronavirus not conquerable by herbal medications?
It is conquerable in a therapeutic sense, that is to cure or prevent. The problem is there are no clinical studies of the effects of these herbs, which is what I am trying to promote now. There is a group of us trying to do a clinical trial funded by ourselves, and we have invested over $40,000 yet we have not crossed the NAFDAC stage, not to talk of paying for the clinical trials for the number of months. It’s a very expensive project that no individual can easily do. Herbal medicines can work, but there is no evidence. Although there are vaccines that help to ward off the infection.
The pandemic has, in a way, woken up our government, as they are actively funding institutes of health and other organisations that have been set up in the past to fund private research and findings.
PROFILE
- Mazi Samuel Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa was born on the 16th of August, 1950
* Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa
- Thrice honoured by the Nation – Member of the Order of the Niger ( MON), in 2001, and Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), in 2011 and National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award in 2018.
- Read Pharmacy at the University of Ife (Now OAU) graduating in 1976. Did Postgraduate training in Business and Organization Management at the Columbia University, Y USA and Lagos Business School, Lagos.
- He is a recipient of an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration from Gregory University, Uturu.
- Joined Pfizer Products Plc, in 1978 as a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep and Rose to become the Chairman/CEO in 1993
- Led the Management Buy-over of Pfizer Inc. shares in Pfizer Products Plc in 1997
- Transformed the resultant company – Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc into a Medium-Sized Nigerian R & D Based Pharmaceutical Company
- President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN)
- President, Association of Corporate Governance Professionals of Nigeria
- Chairman of the Organized Private Sector (OPS)
- Past Chairman, National Economic Summit Group (NESG),
- Past President, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA)
- Past Chairman, Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ikeja
- Past National President of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce (NACC)
- Founded Sam Ohuabunwa Foundation for Economic Empowerment (SOFEE) in 2009,
- Managing Consultant of Starteam Consult
- Chairman African Centre for Business Development, Strategy & Innovation (ACBDSI)
- Chairman of Abia State Public-Private and Investment Promotions Governing Council
- Chairman of the Business and Investment Committee of Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF)
- Member of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC)
- Member of the Presidential Committee on Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P).
- Knight of Saint Christopher (KSC) of the Anglican Communion
- National Coordinator – Strategic Operations of the Full Gospel Men’s Fellowship International ( FGBMFI), Nigeria
- Chairman Emeritus, Board of Trustees, Gregory University, Uturu
- Married to Lady Stella Omude Ohuabunwa, blessed with Children and grand Children
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