{UAH} I Practised Polygamy With £7 – Chief Ezekiel Oluwole Maku

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I Practised Polygamy With £7 – Chief Ezekiel Oluwole Maku

Gbenga Adeboye

— Apr 17, 2015 | 0 Comments

Chief Ezekiel Oluwole Maku is a retired school teacher. In this interview with Gbenga Adeboye, he spoke of how he successfuly took care of his two wives with just seven pounds. Excerpts  

Where were you born and what was it like, growing up?

I was born in 1942, in Ilawo, Abeokuta. That makes me 73 years old. I am a Christian. I started my primary school in 1948. It was a Roman Catholic School here in Abeokuta. Back then, primary education was divided into three. There was infantry 1, 2 and 3. Back then, your right hand must be long enough to touch your left ear across your head to be eligible enough to resume school. Can you remember your teachers, any particular favourite?My teachers include late Chief Adegbite, Mr Alade and Mr Aderounmu who was the Headmaster. I loved all my teachers but my favourite was Mr S. O Oladipo. He was a disciplinarian. His beating served as a corrective measure of punishment. There are two types of punishment – corrective and destructive Beating in schools nowadays is almost a crime. My position on flogging is that we should apply it. Though flogging can be harmful sometimes if taken too far, it should be applied. In those days, parents asked teachers to help punish their children.

 

What happened after your primary education?

I went to secondary school, Alabama Modern Secondary school. After secondary education, I immediately became a teacher, which was very easy. I had a brother who happened to be working at my alma mater primary school.

 

What was the process like when securing employment then?

I just applied, I was called for an interview, I passed and was given the job. I have to tell you that in my days, interview for teachers was particularly tough. It was a total package, not just about intellect alone. The panel must see in you the zeal, the passion for the job. You must show commitment and you must be dutiful. It was easy for me because I had always desired to be a teacher. Like I said, I had a brother who was a teacher. He had always been my motivation. I used to accompany him to his school sometimes and I imitated his dressing, speech pattern and all that. This background helped me at the interview a lot.

 

How much was the salary?

My monthly salary was seven pounds, three and four. No amount of salary can be enough. It is an eternal truth. According to the prevailing economic situation, the money was enough. My father had taught me that if you cannot save from a small salary, you cannot save from a fat salary. Also, food was cheap and the population wasn't this large. I opened a bank account immediately and started saving. I paid all my bills and still had some amount left to save, transport and all. Along the line, I practiced polygamy; I married two wives and was able to take care of my family.

 

What is your assessment concerning employment in Nigeria, today?

In my days, everything was based on merit rather than what is obtainable now where nepotism reigns. Today all that is gone. You have to know someone in a high place to get job. That is an aberration and it is sad. It doesn't allow for quality and that's why we have our standard of education collapsing. In those days, our students competed favourably with their counterparts anywhere around the world. That was possible because the system worked. Education is deteriorating today. Most children don't want to learn again. They are too lazy.

 

You are an educationist in your own right, what should be the role of parents in all this?

Unfortunately, parents too are not helping matters. Education starts from the home. Parents have abandoned their responsibilities. They don't have time to give their children proper home training again. Harsh economic realities contribute to the mess. Both home training and formal education are symbiotic. Unfortunately, parents don't care again. Morals that are meant to be taught at home are neglected and that is why we have juvenile delinquency everywhere. It is against our culture for instance to be shaking hands with our children. Parents don't even have time to check their children's books, unlike in those days. Apart from teaching, did you venture into any other trade? Thanks a lot, I did. And that does not detract from the fact that teaching was my passion. I eventually ended up at Concord Press as a reporter. At some point, I was teaching at Nigerian Navy Primary School with a Grade 2 certificate at Apapa, in Lagos. The school sent me to University of Lagos on scholarship where I obtained teachers diploma in education. As I was leaving the university, a friend of mine at Concord lured me into reporting and I spent a year as an Ilorin correspondent, four in Abeokuta, a year at the headquarters in Lagos, totalling six years as a reporter, from 1983 to 1989.

 

Why did you leave Concord?

My parents died and I had to come back to Abeokuta because I was next as head of the family. Again my family had always been here. So I came back home to the teaching job. I had already spent 16 years before I went into reporting. When I came back, the break affected me. My colleagues were already on level 12, and I was placed back on level 5, the grade 2 entry point. They didn't reckon with my university diploma. It affected me badly as I retired on level six. As a pensioner, what is your experience and advice to those in authority? Glory be to God. Life as a pensioner is full of challenges, especially for those who retire on a lower cadre. Those in authority should treat pensioners well because they are no more as strong as they used to be. They too are coming there. Pensioners should not be subjected to agonising torture. For instance can anybody deny Obasanjo or Buhari their pensions? No. We are all equal and should be treated as equals

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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