I HAD A TURBULENT PAST BECAUSE; I come from a broken home

Popularly referred to as Doctor Raymond among students on campus, Dr. Oluwatoyin Raymond Ogunade is a senior lecturer in the department of Religions, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin. In this interview with Campus Life reporter, Odeyemi Olawale, 300 level History and Olaleye Nurudeen, 400 level Law, Unilorin, he share his thought on sundry issues confronting Nigeria as a nation as well as Ogun state students in tertiary institutions at home and diasporas, but with a possible way to tackling the obvious and palpable challenges of the nation as a whole.

*Can we meet you Sir?
Thank you very much. It is always a pleasure when I see focused and responsible youth(s) who take it upon themselves to be part of solving the problem within their immediate community and of course the nation at large. My name is Oluwatoyin Raymond Ogunade; popularly known among students and within the academic community as Doctor Raymond and I begin to wonder how that name sticks with me all along. I am in the department of Religions, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin. My area of research interest is sociology of religion (i.e. African Religion); the interface between science and religion.

*Tell us briefly your educational background

I am from Ijebu-ode in Ogun state, Nigeria. I attended Olaolu Nursery and Primary school and then St. Augustine Primary school. After my primary education, I went to Ijebu-ode grammar school where I graduated. I had a turbulent past because I come from a broken home; a major menace in our society today (i.e. Marital crises) and when that happens the children gets the blast of it and so I got my own share of it and it wasn't pleasant at all. Between the time I left secondary school I had to live with a lot of people, serving as errand boy, worked in restaurants and up to a point where I have to wait to eat the leftovers customers who patronize the place left behind, and that is what I would eat. I did a lot of jobs such as what is referred today as ‘house boy’.

In all of this, I realized that I wasn't caught-out to serve; particularly at that level, not to be a second fiddle. My dad was a strict disciplinarian to the fault. Even if he had problems with my mum, he shouldn't have allowed it to affect us. His rules that; your mum shouldn't come to see you in school and all of that did not go down well with me in particular and I defied all of that which of course informed my living home and so my dad withdrew his support as a father and I was at the mercy of uncles and aunts who also treated me like an house-boy. I realized that education is key and so I didn't forget that. I would still find time to prepare for exams even though I would write and fail. At a point I felt I just must go to school (university) and so I left everybody. I wanted out of family circle and except for few individuals who I wouldn't want to mention their names here today who God used to support me. I wrote GSC and then gained admission to LASU (Lagos State University). We were the pioneering set of LASU in 1984. Ours was the first set in LASU and looking back now it gives a feeling of nostalgia. The set was what can be likened to as 'bunch of weather beating individuals' because they have had all sorts of experience all over the place. Some were either dropouts here or there or they have writing WAEC and JAMB exams several times and so they have been baked and cooked and were ready to study. Our set that year, the class of (1984-1988) were unbeatable, coming tops in all competitions and the same set for the first time went to law school and made first-class. So my journey to study religion at LASU maybe was by accident or by faith, or by design as I particularly wanted to study Performing Arts or English because I love literature.

You see, in life God has a plan for all of us. He knows the end from the beginning and that is why He is God. Right from when I was being shaped in my mother’s womb He knew I would be in this department and will be known and I thank God for that. After my graduation from LASU and I was on my way to Abuja for my NYSC, I passed through Ilorin for the first time and then I loved the city. The quietness and serenity of it compared to the hustling and bustling of Lagos life was awesome. When we passed through the sawmill garage I knew we passed through sawmill; I could smell wood. Fortunately we couldn't continue the journey that day, and then I had to stay the night in Ilorin, and then I put-up with my friend who was serving in Ilorin. My love for the city grew stronger and I just wished it wasn't just an expression or a nightmare but a reality. I said to myself, I would like to come to this city and settle down. I served in Abuja for a year and then made attempts for jobs and it wasn't forthcoming, I then said to myself, 'why not go do your masters’; then I remembered Ilorin. I saved money and came back to register for my masters and as God would have it, I finished in eleven month, which then prompted people like Professor Oloyede (then Mr. Oloyede), and Professor Dopamu of blessed memory to take interest in me.

*What was your relationship like with Late Professor Ade Dopamu?

Professor Dopamu was really a God sent to me; a father I never had. He has so much faith in me. He is a man of God who grew from grass to grace. He taught me that hard work and diligence pays. He loved life and lived well to the best of his knowledge. His families miss him because when he was alive he is always looking out for everyone, particularly those of us he considered his children of the pen. He would not spare me when he needed to rebuke me. I recalled a day in the mini-campus, Prof talked to me and I was crying. He told me, look Raymond, your PHD is not going to solve the problem of Nigeria, because I was so passionate about doing it right and so I was dragging and he said, look young man; I have done this before and have told you and am given you a deadline. He was so hard on me and then looking back now I wish he is still around. He was extremely passionate and believed so much in me. We were so close that God showed me in 2008 while I was at Nsuka for the NUGA game that Prof was dying. I was in a frenzied madness and then woke up with calls and messages to my phone, but I ignored and prayed nothing should happen to Prof and just then the news of his death broke in. No one could console me.

When I first met him he felt, "look young man; yes LASU laid your foundation but we will build on it, we won't let you go. You are not the kind of brain one should let go." He said, 'you will have to apply when vacancy opened here in the university', and then I applied accordingly and then I got the job. Ever since then, Ilorin is been home indeed as God designed I would be here.

*What are your specific role and duties in the academics?

My students are my primary constituency. I recall Professor Wole Soyinka once told us that the people he respects the most are the younger generation, and we ask him why and he said; having seen those that are older than him, he learned from their mistakes, improved on it and then become greater than them, while the younger generations are upcoming. The smart ones among them would watch him, identify where he fell, improve on his mistakes and then become greater than he is. 'So never you underrate the younger generation' he would say; and since then I held that very tight till this day. I learn so much from my students and pick from their brain and research. My students are like my indicator lamp and am not given up on them judging by my background, and plus the fact that I know my father missed it, and I know parents should give adequate attention to their children seriously. The reason we have bad eggs in the society such as cultism is because there was neglect from home. There is no child that would receive love, care and attention at home would find attraction in cultism because in every individual there is this yearning for self belonging which is innate and when you don't get it when you ought to, people would give you fake ones outside and you will embrace it and by the time you realized this is not it, it would have been too late because you got too deep into it. I serve as level adviser and the way we do it in the department of religions is that we take a group of students from the point of entry and see them through to the time they live school. So, for years I have the privilege of mentoring a lot of students who calls me daddy, uncle and the likes. It wasn't difficult for me as I have three of my children studying here and so my students are like my children too. I am also the general secretary of the department. I am equally involved in sport and I couch chess in the university and do research.

*Tell us your academic achievement(s)
By the grace of God, am here and have been privileged to enjoy God's mercy and I have won the Commonwealth Fellowship that gave birth to social works department. Professor Dopamu and I have done a lot of project together in science and religion and have created two undergraduate courses and three masters program for the department. I facilitated the sand footing of Mass-communication department. I brought the college from the U.N in the UK. I brought my head of school when I was in Swans ill University for the Commonwealth to help solidify the school of nursing here before they got accredited. I also had been privileged to go on full bright. When Commonwealth was awarded, we were just eight fellowships in the world.

With all sense of humility and I look back and I say; God why me? I was the only one they picked from Africa. That was when Professor Is'haq Oloyede; smart guy he is, really very smart, called that I would be part of the founding members of the Centre for International Education and so we built our centre from the crash. I was instrumental to bringing in about 85 percent of the International students from our West-African neighbors and the embassies and ever since have been in contact with them till date.

*What organizations do you belong?
In ijebu-ode where I come from I am a member of Egbe Ifelodun and the social elite brothers which of course informed my going home frequently. Here in Ilorin, I belong to an organization; a prison visitation group which is my area of interest. Thank God for Professor Oloyede in my life, he tagged me a godfather because of my interest in the youth, particularly delinquent youth because I know my background, and if not for God; I wouldn't have been where I am today.

What is the level of performance and rate of education among Ogun state Indigenes?

Ogun state indigenes both young and old are doing extremely well all over the world. The name 'Ogun' even makes you feel good. Ogun indigenes have distinguished themselves all over the world. Although, there is a need for improvement; the key to success is excellent performance. The immediate past Vice Chancellor of our university, Professor Ishaq Olarenwaju Oloyede is an Ogun man. Professor Wole Soyinka, Rev. Ransom Kuti (late), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo among others are people from Ogun. Here in the university, Dr. Bale in Geology and Mr. Segun Dopamu who is your staff adviser and the rate of his promotion shows that he is diligent. Professor Quadri is another diligent man; he is also an Ogun man. Dr. Dosunmu is there and many others like that. Do you know that the brain behind air conditioning system in space in the U.S is a Nigerian; and he is an Ogun for that matter? You can check the annals of noble prizes of the world’s bright minds you will see it there.

It is not as if we do not have other ethnic groups that are equally bright, we have; Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, but Ogun indigenes stands-out. They are just too meticulous with resources; it is Ogun to be prudent with resources. When you see a student who is hard-working, he must be from Ogun. We're always at the top and that is why we're classified as educationally advanced state, almost dominating in the list of merit everywhere in the world. Look in the annals of history, wherever decision and serious issues are taking, you will see an Ogun man there. I think we're blessed to be from this place, it is not a joke.

*What is your view about National Association of Ogun State Students at University of Ilorin?

You guys are not doing enough and you need to do more. There was a gap of about 5 years between me and NAOSS and your coming now shows that you are doing something therefore let the campus feel your presence the more. However, there are other academic related competitions on campus which you can participate in by organizing welfare packages for your members. Reach out to other students to join you and network yourself for the promotion of the gateway state.

What can you identify as major challenges facing Nigeria as a Nation and do you think the in-coming administration of General Muhammad Buhari can solve most of these challenges?

Well I hope and hope you know the meaning of the question you just asked me. You see the challenges we are facing as a nation is because at individual level we all ignore our role; we all keep quiet where we are suppose to talk. I for instance, don't keep quiet in the face of injustice; even to the extreme. That is the reason Prof. Oloyede has so much respect for me. He is also the kind of general I would follow even if he is blind-folded; he is blunt to a fault. The challenges we're facing as a nation are not spirits but man-made.

As youth, what are you doing to address these challenges on ground? That should be your major concern. We are told and I don't know how true it is because I have not verified it, that ex-Presidents gets over twenty million naira every month with their allowances and all of that but only Buhari refused saying, "just give me two million naira monthly and am ok with that" and he is still living in his old house till date. I think Nigeria need a leader that is firm and sincere who would start the transparency from himself and let it flow out. Some people say, when Buhari come into power, head will roll; and I am saying let it roll if that will make us get our sanity back and give us back our integrity in the comity of nations. We hope and pray that the voice of God which was personified during the election would continue to shed better light to the Nigerian nation. We pray God helps Buhari to perform excellently well in taking the nation to a greater height.

*Will you then say that the mission of Senator Ibikunle Amosun led administration to re-build Ogun State is in the right direction?

No I don't think so, I think he's selfish, I think he's greedy, and I think he is ungrateful to God. I don't know what he is doing but he's not the only man that can solve Ogun problem. He is vindictive, and holds personal grudges with people who he could have actually settled with long time ago and be selfless in moving the state forward. Is he saying, for the years he has spent in office he couldn't build someone that can follow his steps, that he has to be the one again? I think this is more of Africans; we always want to hold on to power. I have examples but I wouldn't want to mention names here. There are government parastatals whose salary has not been paid. The problem is that our people don't have the fear of God anymore; they don't think they would become accountable to their creator. It is high time our people begin to rule with the consciousness of God and that it's a mandate entrusted to them by the people. Well, maybe we should be optimistic things would change for the better. Perhaps God is saying; let us see whether he will make a change, and if he doesn't, that may be catastrophic.

*Your advice to the youth?
Like I have said earlier, my much concern lies in the youth who I see as my indicators. I want you to churn violence and all sorts of fake attractions around. Be at your best all the time and never seize to be your brother’s keeper. Coordinate yourself in a manner typical of a good son and daughter of your nation. Let the beauty of your home flow to the outside world and never stay far away from God. Remember, hard work and diligence pays and so you must live by it. Here in the university we train you to become better citizens and good ambassador of the nation. Thank you