OLISA METUH
He thinks he’s romantic, even though he doesn’t give flowers to his wife. Having a girlfriend who had earned a notoriety (in his eyes) for saying “Yes, I am coming” when she was actually leaving for good, he was pleasantly surprised when his bride showed up, though late for their wedding. 19 years after marriage, the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh is still excitedly in love with his wife. In this interview with Azuka Ogujiuba and Adedayo Showemimo, Metuh discusses how he met his wife
He thinks he’s romantic, even though he doesn’t give flowers to his wife. Having a girlfriend who had earned a notoriety (in his eyes) for saying “Yes, I am coming” when she was actually leaving for good, he was pleasantly surprised when his bride showed up, though late for their wedding. 19 years after marriage, the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh is still excitedly in love with his wife. In this interview with Azuka Ogujiuba and Adedayo Showemimo, Metuh discusses how he met his wife
What was your childhood like?
I am the third child of my parents; my father was a lawyer and my mum was a headmistress. In our family we live a contented life. I grew up as a staunch catholic, learning that you worship God for creating you and for the fact that you love him, not because of what you are going to get from him, and today I am happy with the fact that God has blessed me with good health and there is hope that tomorrow would be better than today.
I am the third child of my parents; my father was a lawyer and my mum was a headmistress. In our family we live a contented life. I grew up as a staunch catholic, learning that you worship God for creating you and for the fact that you love him, not because of what you are going to get from him, and today I am happy with the fact that God has blessed me with good health and there is hope that tomorrow would be better than today.
Did your dad influence your being a lawyer?
My father did not only influence me to be a lawyer, he forced me to become a lawyer. I actually wanted to be an engineer but my father insisted that I should read Law. I didn’t have any interest in Law but he forced me. My dad was very strict; I remember an instance when my friend who had just returned from the States came to visit me and while we were playing table tennis, my father came around and asked him what he wanted to study in school, and when he said he wanted to study Business Administration, my father walked him out of the house, because he felt there was no subject like that. I lost my mum when I was very young. My father was the dad and the mum in the house. It somehow affected his law practice because he gave all his attention to raising his six children. He would wash and iron our clothes and take us to school.
My father did not only influence me to be a lawyer, he forced me to become a lawyer. I actually wanted to be an engineer but my father insisted that I should read Law. I didn’t have any interest in Law but he forced me. My dad was very strict; I remember an instance when my friend who had just returned from the States came to visit me and while we were playing table tennis, my father came around and asked him what he wanted to study in school, and when he said he wanted to study Business Administration, my father walked him out of the house, because he felt there was no subject like that. I lost my mum when I was very young. My father was the dad and the mum in the house. It somehow affected his law practice because he gave all his attention to raising his six children. He would wash and iron our clothes and take us to school.
I remember in my secondary school, I was playing football and suddenly a car stopped and when I looked up, it was my father. He took me to the hostel and my bed was very rough, and when he told me to open my box, my clothes too were very rough. Right there and then my father flogged me in front of the whole school and I felt very embarrassed and humiliated. Since then I think I became the best dressed student in my school. I learnt the hard way. My father lived 33 years after the death of my mum and he never remarried. He lived for his children. My father taught us true values and morals. Unlike these days when I meet young graduates who come up to me and say they want to go into politics because they want to make money. I am always quick to advise them against it, because politics is not very good; politics is not a good thing. It destroys the career of people. A lot of people have played politics in this country and the later stages of their lives are nothing to write home about. I always encourage young people to look more at building careers than playing politics.
How did you meet your wife?
First, I saw my wife when I was a youth corps member in Port Harcourt. I was a very adventurous young man. So I met this young lady whom I really liked and wanted to take her out. She was in her first year at the University of Port Harcourt. I went to her school and invited her to dinner. She was actually going to come but when I told her that I wasn’t bringing her back that night, she said she was coming and she never did. I saw her couple of times afterwards, but nothing came out. She would tell me that she was coming and I wouldn’t see or hear from her and after that I never saw her again. In 1995, I suffered a terrible betrayal in my law firm. So I went into an office and I met a secretary and I saw the boss, so the next day when I came back to see the boss again, the secretary told me that her sister told her to say hi to me, apparently she went home the previous day and told her sister that a man with a funny name came by the office today and while she was gisting with her sister, she mentioned my name “Olisa Metu” as the man with a funny name and it clicked in her sister’s head somehow. And from there we met again, and today we are married.
First, I saw my wife when I was a youth corps member in Port Harcourt. I was a very adventurous young man. So I met this young lady whom I really liked and wanted to take her out. She was in her first year at the University of Port Harcourt. I went to her school and invited her to dinner. She was actually going to come but when I told her that I wasn’t bringing her back that night, she said she was coming and she never did. I saw her couple of times afterwards, but nothing came out. She would tell me that she was coming and I wouldn’t see or hear from her and after that I never saw her again. In 1995, I suffered a terrible betrayal in my law firm. So I went into an office and I met a secretary and I saw the boss, so the next day when I came back to see the boss again, the secretary told me that her sister told her to say hi to me, apparently she went home the previous day and told her sister that a man with a funny name came by the office today and while she was gisting with her sister, she mentioned my name “Olisa Metu” as the man with a funny name and it clicked in her sister’s head somehow. And from there we met again, and today we are married.
How has married life been for you?
It’s been the best. It’s been very rewarding. My wife has been my conscience; I don’t know what my life would have been without my wife. She’s been the moderating influence over my life. She’s brought me a lot closer to God. She has a BSc and Masters degree in Economics and she manages the real estate arm of my company.
It’s been the best. It’s been very rewarding. My wife has been my conscience; I don’t know what my life would have been without my wife. She’s been the moderating influence over my life. She’s brought me a lot closer to God. She has a BSc and Masters degree in Economics and she manages the real estate arm of my company.
What’s your happiest moment?
My happiest moment was the day I got married: January 1995, to be precise. That day, my wife arrived the wedding venue very late. When she appeared I was just happy but my friends were angry. They felt I should be angry with her. I was like “How can I be angry with someone that turned up for the wedding eventually? What if she didn’t turn up?” I was very happy on my wedding day.
My happiest moment was the day I got married: January 1995, to be precise. That day, my wife arrived the wedding venue very late. When she appeared I was just happy but my friends were angry. They felt I should be angry with her. I was like “How can I be angry with someone that turned up for the wedding eventually? What if she didn’t turn up?” I was very happy on my wedding day.
Do you consider yourself a romantic man?
Well by the Nigerian standard, I’ll say yes. But if it’s the oyinbo standard with flowers and all, then it’s a no. But I am very loving and very caring to my wife and children.
Well by the Nigerian standard, I’ll say yes. But if it’s the oyinbo standard with flowers and all, then it’s a no. But I am very loving and very caring to my wife and children.
Who do you look up to in life?
It has to be my wife. She moderates my life. I admire her consistency and faith; I admire her honesty. For 19 years, I’ve known her to wake up at 4am in the morning to pray. I feel it takes a lot of character to do that. My wife looks out for others including me. Honestly, l can’t even ask for more. We are not only lovers but best friends. She is a contented and prayerful woman. What more can a man ask for?
It has to be my wife. She moderates my life. I admire her consistency and faith; I admire her honesty. For 19 years, I’ve known her to wake up at 4am in the morning to pray. I feel it takes a lot of character to do that. My wife looks out for others including me. Honestly, l can’t even ask for more. We are not only lovers but best friends. She is a contented and prayerful woman. What more can a man ask for?
How does it feel to be the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP?
I was actually reluctant about being the National Publicity Secretary of the party. I wanted to be the National Organising Secretary and we tried as much as possible to zone that position to South-East, but it didn’t work out. I am not a journalist. I have no experience in this job; but I have knowledge on the workings of the party. I have knowledge about the constitution of our party so that gave me the courage to go on. Like I said, I initially wanted to be the national organising secretary especially knowing that South-East didn’t quite enjoy the office of the National Chairman; they only enjoyed it for two and half years instead of four years. We thought it was important that we were compensated with the post of the national organising secretary but the leadership of the party felt it was better to apply the normal zoning, and it went to North-West. So, there was only one option and our leaders in the zone insisted that I should run for National Publicity Secretary and that’s how I ended up with the post.
I was actually reluctant about being the National Publicity Secretary of the party. I wanted to be the National Organising Secretary and we tried as much as possible to zone that position to South-East, but it didn’t work out. I am not a journalist. I have no experience in this job; but I have knowledge on the workings of the party. I have knowledge about the constitution of our party so that gave me the courage to go on. Like I said, I initially wanted to be the national organising secretary especially knowing that South-East didn’t quite enjoy the office of the National Chairman; they only enjoyed it for two and half years instead of four years. We thought it was important that we were compensated with the post of the national organising secretary but the leadership of the party felt it was better to apply the normal zoning, and it went to North-West. So, there was only one option and our leaders in the zone insisted that I should run for National Publicity Secretary and that’s how I ended up with the post.
I am trying to learn on the job and more important, I always say the truth the way it is. So, it’s not a difficult job for me because by virtue of the fact that my party is the biggest party, it’s easier for me to say things and people write about it, because we are the majority in power. And that’s why I have so much respect for the National Publicity Secretary of the opposition party. He’s done quite well in his role because when you have a party that has absolutely no agenda and nothing to offer, and yet you keep on churning press statements and keep on being in the news, it takes a lot of hard work to achieve. He has nothing to project from his party yet he keeps on being in the news. So, he’s done quite well. On my side however, I have a lot of things that my party has to offer. This is the party that projects the national interest and national unity of this country, so it’s a lot easier for me to do my job.
What’s your take on the issue of the kidnapped girls and what the President is doing about it?
There are a lot of issues involved in the security challenges we are having. It’s more than a challenge: it’s something more deep-rooted. We’ve had situations where people make comments and they don’t realise the weight of their comments which have now resulted in some people sponsoring and instigating insurgency and violence across the land and they can’t withdraw it. You can’t blame the president for it. You can’t say the president has not been able to handle what has happened. Has it occurred to you that a lot of people are of the opinion that without this crisis and insurgency, APC was almost gone? Before the kidnap and Nyanya bombings, APC had nothing else to say. They were engulfed in internal crisis and they had no way to get out of it. So this crisis has given them an opportunity to criticise the government. Maybe it’s a coincidence. But without it, they had nothing to offer and it’s quite worrisome that something like this keeps happening whenever the government is set to get to the next level. Immediately Nigeria was established as a leading economy in West Africa, and as we are about to host the World Economic Forum, these issues arise and I think it’s a lot more than coincidence. I think it all started as political. My party totally believes, as a matter of fact, we had said it as a statement and we stand by it, that the utterances of certain individuals instigated and fueled the violence across the nation.
There are a lot of issues involved in the security challenges we are having. It’s more than a challenge: it’s something more deep-rooted. We’ve had situations where people make comments and they don’t realise the weight of their comments which have now resulted in some people sponsoring and instigating insurgency and violence across the land and they can’t withdraw it. You can’t blame the president for it. You can’t say the president has not been able to handle what has happened. Has it occurred to you that a lot of people are of the opinion that without this crisis and insurgency, APC was almost gone? Before the kidnap and Nyanya bombings, APC had nothing else to say. They were engulfed in internal crisis and they had no way to get out of it. So this crisis has given them an opportunity to criticise the government. Maybe it’s a coincidence. But without it, they had nothing to offer and it’s quite worrisome that something like this keeps happening whenever the government is set to get to the next level. Immediately Nigeria was established as a leading economy in West Africa, and as we are about to host the World Economic Forum, these issues arise and I think it’s a lot more than coincidence. I think it all started as political. My party totally believes, as a matter of fact, we had said it as a statement and we stand by it, that the utterances of certain individuals instigated and fueled the violence across the nation.
Would you honestly say the president has done well given the circumstances he has found himself?
I think the president has done very well. He would have done a lot better if not for these security issues; that’s why we always insist that maybe these security challenges are being instigated to detract him from governance. Without these security issues, a lot of money would have been allocated to provision of infrastructure and Nigerians would have seen better governance. That would have brought about bigger support for the president. None the less, with all the security distractions, he’s been able to achieve all he’s done. I think he’s done well.
I think the president has done very well. He would have done a lot better if not for these security issues; that’s why we always insist that maybe these security challenges are being instigated to detract him from governance. Without these security issues, a lot of money would have been allocated to provision of infrastructure and Nigerians would have seen better governance. That would have brought about bigger support for the president. None the less, with all the security distractions, he’s been able to achieve all he’s done. I think he’s done well.
You were recently quoted to have said APC was responsible for Boko Haram uprising?
You know, the problem we have in this country is the fact that we have semi-literacy level in terms of what people read and understand. They just see the headline, and they draw conclusions. We never said that APC was involved in the Nyanya bombings. Before we issued that statement, the entire working committee sat together and decided on the statement before we put it out. Every member of the PDP National Working Committee was involved; it was a unanimous statement. What we said was that utterances the APC officials made depicted violence and, that we are sure that some people have been able to donate to the course of terrorism because of the statements coming from APC; that they should be mindful of what they say. If not for their extreme statements and speeches of hate, this terrorism would not have gotten to this level, and we stand by that statement.
You know, the problem we have in this country is the fact that we have semi-literacy level in terms of what people read and understand. They just see the headline, and they draw conclusions. We never said that APC was involved in the Nyanya bombings. Before we issued that statement, the entire working committee sat together and decided on the statement before we put it out. Every member of the PDP National Working Committee was involved; it was a unanimous statement. What we said was that utterances the APC officials made depicted violence and, that we are sure that some people have been able to donate to the course of terrorism because of the statements coming from APC; that they should be mindful of what they say. If not for their extreme statements and speeches of hate, this terrorism would not have gotten to this level, and we stand by that statement.
When people started shouting so much, we reiterated what we said and cited examples of such statements. Two weeks later, all of them suddenly became statesmen. We’ve not witnessed those leaders in the APC and the party itself making such statements anymore. Before then, they could not be bothered, as far as they were concerned, the progress of Nigeria was the progress of Jonathan, and a lot of people insulted me for the statement, and yes, I can take in all the insults, if making such a statement would bring about lesser violence in the country –then, it was worth it. I totally support the statement and the position of my party that the statement was apt and appropriate as at the time it was made and I still think that if we didn’t make that statement, by now, the kind of speeches and utterances we would have heard from these leaders could have worsened the situation in the country. So I think it was a good speech.
Did you have any formal training to play the role you are playing in PDP now?
No, I didn’t. I have a good product. All I do is talk about it; the PDP is the largest party. It’s the only party that thinks about national interest and unity of this country. Nobody owns this party. That’s why I marvel at the competence of the spokesperson of the opposition; he doesn’t have a good product. He has a very bad product and yet he keeps on trying: whether he lies or not is not important. What is important is that he keeps on issuing statements; I marvel at his level of hard work because he has a horrible product –a product that believes in ethnicity, religious divide and greed. They have no focus, agenda or ideology and yet he keeps on marketing it. He might be lying to sell his product, but at least, he is selling the product.
No, I didn’t. I have a good product. All I do is talk about it; the PDP is the largest party. It’s the only party that thinks about national interest and unity of this country. Nobody owns this party. That’s why I marvel at the competence of the spokesperson of the opposition; he doesn’t have a good product. He has a very bad product and yet he keeps on trying: whether he lies or not is not important. What is important is that he keeps on issuing statements; I marvel at his level of hard work because he has a horrible product –a product that believes in ethnicity, religious divide and greed. They have no focus, agenda or ideology and yet he keeps on marketing it. He might be lying to sell his product, but at least, he is selling the product.
What kind of business fascinates you?
Properties and real estate; I have a construction company. I have a law firm as well. At some point before I became the National Vice Chairman of South-East, I was very involved in the Dubai market. By the time I got up the ladder, I knew that I couldn’t be selling a different economy, so I had to withdraw from it.
Properties and real estate; I have a construction company. I have a law firm as well. At some point before I became the National Vice Chairman of South-East, I was very involved in the Dubai market. By the time I got up the ladder, I knew that I couldn’t be selling a different economy, so I had to withdraw from it.
If you look back at what you’ve done so far in politics, would you say you are fulfilled?
As the national vice chairman of south-east, I was able to move the zone from two states to four states. I enjoyed the relationship I had with people, the governors, members of the national assembly, and the fact that I was able to have a strong influence in the 2011 elections gave me a lot of pleasure and fulfilment. Right now as the national publicity secretary, the fact that I can speak the truth makes me happy even though for some reasons, people feel that when you are in PDP, it means you are corrupt and whatever you say about PDP might not be the truth. There is a bias against us maybe because people understand that the PDP is big, so they don’t have any sympathy for us. People have sympathy for the weaker parties and it’s not fair. In anything that we do, we are judged differently from the opposition.
As the national vice chairman of south-east, I was able to move the zone from two states to four states. I enjoyed the relationship I had with people, the governors, members of the national assembly, and the fact that I was able to have a strong influence in the 2011 elections gave me a lot of pleasure and fulfilment. Right now as the national publicity secretary, the fact that I can speak the truth makes me happy even though for some reasons, people feel that when you are in PDP, it means you are corrupt and whatever you say about PDP might not be the truth. There is a bias against us maybe because people understand that the PDP is big, so they don’t have any sympathy for us. People have sympathy for the weaker parties and it’s not fair. In anything that we do, we are judged differently from the opposition.
People are a bit harsh on us. I always look at it from the other way round: I think they expect the best from us –they think having been in government for 16 years, we should be able to change the entire society. However, the PDP has moved this country forward; we have moved it far better than where we met it. The party has changed people’s lives. Nigeria was not like this in 1999. We’ve touched every single sector of this country. Go to Europe, they also have decaying infrastructure. Here, we have brand new roads and provision of infrastructure is still ongoing despite the financial recession.
What’s the next level for you in your political career?
For me, the truth is this, when I try to reconcile the joy from the fact that I think I am adding values and making positive contributions to the development and progress of my country, to the internal pains I get –our politics is too personal; the insults, blackmail and lies against your person and your family –I wonder if it’s really worth it. I think for now, I’m coming to the end of my sojourn in politics. I think I’ll give more time for others to go and play it. I want to give more time to business, because no matter how well you’ve done in politics, if you do not have a career, you can never do well. Someday, the music would stop; most people you see in politics these days do not have anything to fall back on, and that’s why two years after leaving politics they can’t take care of their family. You must think about tomorrow. I am a young man; I have a growing family and career. I am a professional and I have ongoing concerns and I need to pay attention to them because I have made my own contributions and I have to think about my family as well and my own progress. The truth is: politics is not about making money. People actually think that in politics you make money. But they are wrong, except if you are in office and you want to steal money. Whatever you steal, at the end of the day, you’ll still pay for it. You can’t joke with the wealth of the nation.
For me, the truth is this, when I try to reconcile the joy from the fact that I think I am adding values and making positive contributions to the development and progress of my country, to the internal pains I get –our politics is too personal; the insults, blackmail and lies against your person and your family –I wonder if it’s really worth it. I think for now, I’m coming to the end of my sojourn in politics. I think I’ll give more time for others to go and play it. I want to give more time to business, because no matter how well you’ve done in politics, if you do not have a career, you can never do well. Someday, the music would stop; most people you see in politics these days do not have anything to fall back on, and that’s why two years after leaving politics they can’t take care of their family. You must think about tomorrow. I am a young man; I have a growing family and career. I am a professional and I have ongoing concerns and I need to pay attention to them because I have made my own contributions and I have to think about my family as well and my own progress. The truth is: politics is not about making money. People actually think that in politics you make money. But they are wrong, except if you are in office and you want to steal money. Whatever you steal, at the end of the day, you’ll still pay for it. You can’t joke with the wealth of the nation.
My people have always called on me. They’ve called on me several times but I am strong-willed and I have a wife who has strong opinions on these issues too.
Have you always wanted to be a politician?
Not at all! As a matter of fact while I was young, I hated politics. I didn’t like politicians. In 1998 I got back from the States with my friend and the following week, Abacha died. My friend then told me that he wanted to run for the post of the President of the country and he needed me to direct his campaign. I laughed because I didn’t know anything about politics but he convinced me. After a while, Ekwueme also came out to run and my friend Senator Mike Ajiegbo decided to run for the senate and I directed his campaign and he won as a senator. That was how I got involved in politics. Then in 1999, I ran for the post of ex-officio member of the National Executive Committee of the PDP and for 15 years I’ve served the party as member of the national executive committee at different levels. I’ve been acting national auditor of the party. I’ve been national vice chairman; I am the longest serving party official of the PDP at the national level.
Not at all! As a matter of fact while I was young, I hated politics. I didn’t like politicians. In 1998 I got back from the States with my friend and the following week, Abacha died. My friend then told me that he wanted to run for the post of the President of the country and he needed me to direct his campaign. I laughed because I didn’t know anything about politics but he convinced me. After a while, Ekwueme also came out to run and my friend Senator Mike Ajiegbo decided to run for the senate and I directed his campaign and he won as a senator. That was how I got involved in politics. Then in 1999, I ran for the post of ex-officio member of the National Executive Committee of the PDP and for 15 years I’ve served the party as member of the national executive committee at different levels. I’ve been acting national auditor of the party. I’ve been national vice chairman; I am the longest serving party official of the PDP at the national level.
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