‘Why I want to quit reporting for Germans’

Why has your mother stayed away from Nigeria? The problem was that my mother could not cope with the conditions Lagos. We were living at Palmgroove, area of Lagos together with many other middle class Nigerians. There was no light, no water; and for someone from Europe who is a bit fragile to cope with […]

Why has your mother stayed away from Nigeria?

The problem was that my mother could not cope with the conditions Lagos. We were living at Palmgroove, area of Lagos together with many other middle class Nigerians. There was no light, no water; and for someone from Europe who is a bit fragile to cope with such a setting was just not easy. So, my mother found it difficult to adapt. I remember she collapsed many times because of the heat and thereafter, a German doctor advised that she had better go back to Germany.

Do you hope to have your parents together again one day?

I may bring them together during my next wedding.

So you are planning to have a second wife?

Yes! My wife is a black American who also does not like to stay in Nigeria. She has gone back to America with our only daughter, Tomori. Definitely, I have to marry another wife, a Nigerian who is used to the system here. I really want to learn Yoruba and that is why I want a Yoruba woman or a lady who knows how to speak Yoruba and one that can simply manage the Nigerian situation.

So you so much like Nigeria?

Waoh! The fact is that I wouldn’t be here if I don’t like the country. I see a lot of opportunities here and that is why I have started a communication company here in Nigeria. The company is called LionSun Consulting (West Africa) which is into public relations, corporate communication and business development. I see Nigeria as one of the big growing markets in Africa, especially in West Africa. This I got to know from my reporting of the region. I have been to Ghana, Liberia, SerrieLeon, Gambia. I am hoping to remain here in Nigeria even though there are lots of unnecessary challenges. I still have a house in Cotonou and I tell people that I have a 24-hour light supply over there. So we don’t need to compare Nigeria with America and Germany. Let’s compare it with smaller countries where things are far better than what we have here. So such unnecessary challenges are the things making it difficult for us to make progress in Nigeria. For instance, because of our backwardness in health and education sectors, I am still happy to have my connections in Germany. I think our government really have to become more serious.

In spite of all the problems facing Nigeria, would you still say you are proud to be a Nigerian?

Of course! What I tell people is that I spent 27 years in Germany, now let me spend same or even more in Nigeria. When the match between Nigeria and Germany was going on last week, people were curious to know the team I was supporting, but I was actually supporting Nigeria because I felt the team needed more support.