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Chief Simeon Oguntimehin

The Lisa of Ondo Kingdom, Chief Simeon Oguntimehin, has just clocked 80 years. He is former president, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a former member of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. He shares some of his experiences in this interview with GBENRO ADEOYE and TUNDE AJAJA

How was growing up?

My mother and grandmother used to sell gari to send us to school because they were resolute. I continued like that till I finished primary school in 1949 and I took the entrance exam into Ondo Boys High School, which was very competitive. It was the only major secondary school in the entire Ondo Province, including Ekiti. We were about 850 that sat for the exam and there was space for only 50 to be admitted. For me to be one of those admitted was virtually mission impossible. But beyond getting admission, there were only four scholarships available and I won one, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to pay my school fees, because there was no money. At that time, the tuition fee was about £6 which was a lot of money. So I had to contest again for the scholarship, and in those days, they used to call it Ondo Native Administration, which comprised Ondo township, Ile-Oluji and Oke-Igbo and the four slots had to be shared among them, with two slots for Ondo. Even though I had passed the exam, getting the scholarship was crucial and there was only four available with two for Ondo where I come from. By God’s grace. I got it, and I didn’t know I was a Native Administration scholar until the following year. Somebody promised to assist me, unfortunately, he didn’t, but it was based on that promise of assistance that the principal allowed me to start school in 1950. When the promise didn’t come through, I don’t know how the principal helped me and put me there. So that year we had five scholarships, instead of four.

Why did you choose to be an accountant?

I chose to be an accountant based on the advice of a cousin of mine in 1952. He also wanted to go to Ondo Boys High School but he couldn’t because of financial constraints and he didn’t have scholarship, so he went to Lagos. When he got to Lagos, he was doing book keeping, accounting and so on and got to the Royal Society of Arts. So by the time I was earning £150, he was already on £240 with his Standard Six. So, he said, if I did well, accountancy was a profession of the future. There were very few people in the field at that time. Only people like Akintola Williams, Osundero, Cardoso and Coker, who became the Chief Treasurer. They were easily identified and of course countable.

Why did you choose to go abroad?

When I started work, I was told that my department, which was the Federal Surveys Office, did not qualify me to do accountancy that I wanted. So I resigned from the surveys department and went to the Accountant General’s department. At that time, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh was the minister of finance. When I got there, I applied to England and I was accepted because I was in the AG’s department doing accounting related work. In those days, it was difficult to get a British passport, they called us British Protected Persons. Also, at that time, the western government made a rule that anybody willing to go to England would pay £350 as a deposit before getting a passport to go. That amount was more than my two years gross salary because I was on £156 per annum. Even if I didn’t spend anything out of the money, there was no way I could raise the money as deposit, because it still wouldn’t be up to the amount. But I trusted in God. I got the passport and I went to England without making any deposit because I didn’t have it.

How did you manage to go since you didn’t have£350?

I applied and I had sponsors and every other thing needed. The letter I was to go with said they would try me for six months, and if they discovered that I was not fit to do accountancy, they would repatriate me. That was the tough condition under which I left. When I got to England, within the first six months, I had done very well in their own reckoning. They even said I should do Royal of Arts, Book Keeping and Accounts. I did everything, even though it had nothing to do with my qualification. When the result was released, they said I had first class honours. At that level, if I came back to Nigeria, I was to earn £240 as against my former £156 within six months. After 18 months, I did the intermediate and as God would want it, I passed. At that time, with that intermediate, if I returned to Nigeria, I was already a senior civil servant to earn £720. So I did the finals and completed everything within four years. So, they waived my articleship since I did marvellously well. They organised a press conference on me in Oxford saying my performance was rare and that probably I used black juju to get things done. I said no, that I worked hard and God answered my prayer. When you put all these things together, it affirms the fact that I am a man of destiny.

You worked for a single firm for 33 years till you retired what informed this decision?

The owner of the firm, Dr. Ososanya, was the one who recruited me from London. In fact, at that time, when I passed the final section one, he wanted me to come back because he needed a young man to assist him. But I told him I couldn’t come, he even sent me £50 for my upkeep. When I got home, there was pressure and people wanted me to go to many other places to work. As a chief accountant, I would have been earning £2,496. But I had to stay with the man who recruited me from London, and he said if I did well two years after working with him, he would admit me as a partner. He fulfilled the promise. So I had no cause whatsoever to leave. That was why I didn’t go and I was there for 33 years in spite of all the temptations. It’s rare too. I was a partner for almost 17 years and when he retired, I became the senior partner. When I was leaving, l left about 14 partners in the firm. It was the largest practising firm in Western Nigeria, competing seriously with those in Lagos.

You were the first chairman of the Ondo State Public Accounts Committee when the state was newly created. Why did you choose to work for free?

I decided to work for free because it was my profession and I was ready to contribute. In fact, I wasn’t staying in their hotel in Akure. After our meetings, I would go back to my town in Ondo. I didn’t take any money from them, not even for transport.

Was it that the job position had no payment attached or you chose not to collect it?

I chose not to collect it. All the other members were being paid but I didn’t want it. I was the treasurer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria for 10 years and I was coming from Ibadan to Lagos. Sometimes, I would still be there till 11pm, but I never collected any money from ICAN for all my services. I just felt if my profession gave me the honour to assist anyone in any way, I was ready. So I never collected a kobo. The records are there in ICAN. In Ondo too, when I was submitting my report to Chief Ajasin, because I was appointed by a soldier, he felt bad and said he wished I could continue. I have never in my life given or accepted bribe from anybody. Even as an ICAN executive, I didn’t know any contractor. Even when I needed British passport many years back and people said I had to ‘settle’ some people, I refused, and I still got what I wanted.

All those things paid off eventually. By the time they were thinking of who was to go to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, I was recommended. At that time, there were about 30,000 accountants in Nigeria and the position was just for a chartered accountant among the members, so no one would have recommended me if not that they knew that I don’t compromise my integrity. I was recommended to the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo. He sent me for screening and I told the legislators that I had a lot to do and that I was ready if it was a part time job, I didn’t know it would be a full time job. I got the letter from President Umaru Yar’ Adua’s government, because it was during the transition period. Obasanjo facilitated it but it was Yar’ Adua’s government that sent me the letter. It was then that I knew that I had to be in Abuja for four years. After that, the incumbent President insisted that I had to continue but I said no, that I wanted to go back home.

Many people would have loved to continue with another term. Why did you decline?

I didn’t want to do another four years. To do another four years meant I would be 82 years old by the time I would leave. Not only that, I was yet to see government’s real commitment to fighting corruption.

When you were there, were you satisfied with the way the ICPC was doing its job because a lot of people felt it was not doing enough compared to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission?

That is where they could be wrong because some people don’t know the difference between ICPC and EFCC. ICPC was the first to be established by Obasanjo when he got there and the bill was the first to go to parliament under Obasanjo. When it became law, there were rules and regulations on what it should do and it was principally channelled towards public officers, like contract scam, etc. So, we were principally to eliminate or reduce corruption. It’s unlike EFCC. It was when the then Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, said most of the money given to the governors usually found their ways to England that the EFCC was set up four years later to monitor money laundering, fraud, not corruption. In our own case, we cannot prosecute unless a case is reported to us or there is a complaint. Somebody has to report. Our law doesn’t allow us to go after people until they are reported, unlike EFCC that can arrest people based on allegations. Our own case ends as soon as we get to court. So, whatever decision the judge makes has nothing to do with us again. Sometimes we appeal. And if it is one of them (government officials), if it touches them, they would say you want to embarrass the government.

You said you were not satisfied with the way government was fighting corruption. What made you say that?

We didn’t have sufficient money to investigate cases. And even when we conclude the investigation, which could take a lot of time, when we get to court, where our law prescribes seven years, the judge might say six months. Then, they came with this plea bargaining. It is just terrible. Someone would steal a goat, they would send the person to jail, then someone we have proved to have committed a fraudulent act, they would say plea bargaining and the person would go free on flimsy excuse. It’s not right.

Is it a problem with the judiciary or who do we blame?

Well, the government would say the judiciary is independent and that you can’t do anything about it, so if the court decides to set anybody free, what can anyone do? Even when you appeal, it goes on and on. An example is the one whom your judge said had no case to answer but was jailed in England. He confessed and he was jailed.

As a renowned taxation practitioner, what is your assessment of the taxation system in Nigeria, more so that people complain about multiple taxation from time to time?

The complaint is there, especially when they start harassing people. There are multiple taxations but the Federal Government has been trying to fuse everything together because the tax law is there. You are supposed to pay tax where you are resident. For example, in Abuja and Nasarawa State, there are people working in Abuja who live in Nasarawa. While Nasarawa would want to collect tax from its residents, P.A.Y.E. must have been deducted where the person works in Abuja. Apart from that, Value Added Tax is there, which is very effective because it is deducted from the source, just like P.A.Y.E. At times, you find nuisance value. In England and some other civilised countries, local governments live on the rates they collect on houses, but here, local governments live on whatever they collect from Abuja, so they are not serious. Where they could have got money, they don’t take it seriously, inasmuch as money is coming from Abuja. There is no reason why they should not access rates locally on properties, but instead of that they rely only on Abuja to bring money. It’s not right.

Your title, Lisa Fiwagboye, what does it mean?

The position of Lisa is next in rank to Osemawe of Ondo (King), it’s the highest chieftaincy title in the kingdom. He’s like the prime minister, the one that the common man can see every day. According to the letter that they gave me, I got the title because of my character and contribution to the community and the nation as a whole, which means ‘iwa’ (character), not because of money or anything. I was given this honour among the six people that contested.

You clocked 80 a few days ago, but you don’t look that old. What is the secret?

Some people met me at a meeting recently and said I gave them the impression that I had delegated my son to represent me. I told them I was the one present both in the picture they saw and my real self. We thank God for good health. I restrict myself to the one wife that I have had over 52 years ago. In fact, we can say 62 years because we were boyfriend and girlfriend for 10 years even when I was still in school. I don’t mess around, I don’t go about looking for women. I don’t even have time for it. You won’t believe it if I tell you that I don’t sleep until 1am everyday because there are always things to do. Although, I don’t wake up early unless I have something to do, I don’t attend church at 7:00am. I have to sleep very well and maybe listen to the radio. I don’t drink, womanise, I eat little or nothing.

Couples find it difficult to stay together these days, what is your secret?

Compatibility is the first thing in marriage. If you are not compatible with your partner, there is no way you can go to that length. But if there is compatibility and there is understanding and love, and you could see that all the children between you are all doing very well, you have no cause to complain. You just feel that this is a chosen woman for you, so you don’t have cause to fight. Some people also say my wife looks like she’s 40 but she’s 77. I stopped her after our fourth child. There were almost six years gap between my fourth and fifth child. But if she had wanted to have nine children, she could have. So, why would I look at other women or have children outside? What would be my justification, apart from the fact that I have no time for such things?

Why did your courtship take 10 years?

Because I wasn’t around. I knew her in 1952 because we were living in the same street. I left Ondo for Lagos in 1954 to complete my education. I was there for about three years before I went to England. I was in England for four years, so, it was the second year that I came back that I married her. I came back in September 1961 and I married her in August 1962. And all along, there was no news that she messed up herself or any such thing. She was already working in a bank when I came back. And immediately I arrived Ondo, I went to Ado-Ekiti to see her.

Can you recall how you met her, what transpired and what the attraction was?

We were living in the same area and we were both in school. I was in Class Three, but as every woman would do, when you ask to marry them, they will say you don’t know what you are saying. But I felt she was the person I would marry and eventually it happened. When my cousin was coming back from England, the first assignment I gave him was to go to Ondo and find out about her to know if she was still with us, and I was told that everything was okay, even though we were communicating, which strengthened my faith.

What major differences have you noticed while growing up in Nigeria and now in terms of societal values?

Money has become a master to many people, there is no longer integrity, because people have thrown that into the wind, which is our major problem. Look at politics today, they would tell you that to be a local councillor; you need fortune, let alone higher offices. It’s because they don’t have conscience. Basically, the issues are poverty and illiteracy. So, everything is now about money. It wasn’t like this in those days. Once we get our priorities right and we realise that money is not everything, we will be fine. The most paid job in Nigeria now is politics, then Pentecostal churches. Everybody wants to start a church and most of these things are caused by poverty and illiteracy. I have never received any money outside my legitimate income and I thank God that I’m not worse for it.

For how many years would you wish to live? 90? 100? 120?

It’s God that decides that. Even the Bible says 70 years so all I’m enjoying now is bonus. So it depends on what bonus God decides to give me. Some will say that after all, it was 120 years before it was cut down to 70 years. But since it has been established at 70 years, anything above that is bonus. That is the way I look at it. What is most important whether you are 70, 80 or 90 is to live comfortably and in good health. There is no use in saying you are going to 120 and from age 90, you are bedridden. What is the use of counting years when you’re not active or seen anywhere? It’s no use. So if it’s 90 or whatever, what is important is to live in good health and happiness. What is the use of life if those that you expect to succeed you are preceding you?

Looking back now that you’re celebrating 80 years of age, is there anything you would have loved to do differently?

I don’t believe there is anything that I could have done differently. There is no way that I could have engaged in bribery, there is no way I could have had two wives. What for? I mean nothing justifies it and as I said earlier on, if I do it, God will even punish me.

You are known to be a philanthropist, why did you choose this path?

The first thing that prompted me, I told you earlier on that when I took entrance to Ondo Boys High School, we were over 850 and there was chance for only 50 to go in and for only four to win scholarship. How did I manage to get in? So having got the opportunity, I decided to have a scholarship. I named the scholarship after my father. If that man who died at the age of about 36 had the vision then that he would put this boy (me) in school, so when I was 70, I decided to establish that scholarship. We’re doing the 11th series by next week. I just felt the way the Almighty God has channelled my life and given me the opportunity to get here, I should be able to do something better than what my father did and I didn’t stop with scholarship. Whatever little I have, I give and there is a saying that there are three major things in life that can make you comfortable. One is if you don’t have a court case; two, you are not a debtor; and the third one is good health. That is, if you don’t have to be living in the hospital. In my 80 years, I’ve never been hospitalised. Then you should be thankful to God. I ‘m not saying I don’t borrow money, I borrow from banks to prosecute my projects but I pay back, so technically I’m not a debtor.

There is a general opinion that accountants are usually stingy, how can that be reconciled with your philanthropic gestures?

When they say stingy, an accountant will not spend his money without a good reason because he knows how difficult it was before he got it. So he would not just spend the money recklessly without knowing the purpose for which it is being spent. It is not like he’s stingy.

How was growing up?

Growing up was not easy and it was very challenging. I was eight years and eight months old when I lost my father and I was in Standard One for barely six months then. That was in 1944. In those days, you had to go to infant school and if you were brilliant, you could complete that within three years before going to primary school. So I only managed to complete the infant school and moved to primary school. My father got sick and passed on. We were two from my mother, and she said since my father had already put us in the (education) system, she would do whatever was needed to continue to make sure that we were not withdrawn from school. My mother and grandmother used to sell gari to send us to school because they were resolute. I continued like that till I finished primary school in 1949 and I took the entrance exam into Ondo Boys High School, which was very competitive. It was the only major secondary school in the entire Ondo Province, including Ekiti. We were about 850 that sat for the exam and there was space for only 50 to be admitted. For me to be one of those admitted was virtually mission impossible. But beyond getting admission, there were only four scholarships available and I won one, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to pay my school fees, because there was no money. At that time, the tuition fee was about £6 which was a lot of money. So I had to contest again for the scholarship, and in those days, they used to call it Ondo Native Administration, which comprised Ondo township, Ile-Oluji and Oke-Igbo and the four slots had to be shared among them, with two slots for Ondo. Even though I had passed the exam, getting the scholarship was crucial and there was only four available with two for Ondo where I come from. By God’s grace. I got it, and I didn’t know I was a Native Administration scholar until the following year. Somebody promised to assist me, unfortunately, he didn’t, but it was based on that promise of assistance that the principal allowed me to start school in 1950. When the promise didn’t come through, I don’t know how the principal helped me and put me there. So that year we had five scholarships, instead of four.