EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - I CAN DIE FOR MY FRIEND, PRINCE KAZEEM ELETU-ODIBO, SAYS, SUNDAY IGBOHO

I Can Die For My Friend, Prince Kazeem Eletu-Odibo Says, SUNDAY IGBOHO.

 SYNOPSIS: Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, does not need much introduction. He is not an ordinary person to many people; some say he is so powerful that you can’t even seat beside or touch him. Others say he is an oppressor. In this exclusive interview with OLAKUNLE TAIWO, he speaks on his kind of person and what he has been doing with his powers, the secret behind his closeness with Prince Kazeem Eletu-Odibo, among others. Excerpts:

Q. You recently received an award as the “Akoni Oodua”. How did you feel?

Well, I feel very happy about it. And I am happy that my very good friend, Prince Kazeem Austin Eletu-Odibo, also received an award as the Most Resourceful/Dynamic Entrepreneur. It was indeed a great occasion because we were awarded alongside powerful Nigerians from different sectors such as Chief Aliko Dangote, Mr Babatunde Fashola, King Sunny Ade, just to mention a few. Our presence was felt and we will forever be grateful to God.

Q. Sunday Igboho is a household name, how have you been using your powers to help the people, because some believe you are an oppressor?

Thank God that you are a media person. Have you ever seen me in the papers with terrible headlines? If anybody says I have cheated him before, let him come out and say that. A lot of people don’t really know me; they just go out there and talk gibberish just to paint me bad. For Heaven’s sake, security agencies cannot watch a killer or oppressor walk around freely. In fact, top police and other security officers are my friends. Why haven’t they arrested me or charged me to court? You know, those whose bad or evils deeds have been blocked by me are the ones inciting the public. But I am not bad in the face of my creator because I love to do whatever he says. There are some things I passionately dislike and, that is, if you are a betrayal, thief, oppressor and liar, then you are my enemy. You must have been hearing on radio how people who God has used me for praise the name of God through me. It is because I have been used by God to help them in one way or the other.

Sometimes ago, a woman came to me and started crying that she was duped of about N500million by one Chief Olowotutu, who happened to be the head of fraudsters then in Ibadan, before I handed the fraudster over to the EFCC for investigation, I had already helped the woman recover about N200million.

Also, there was a case of a man, Omitola Oluseyi, last year (2016), who was threatened by the ex militants.

Q. How do you mean?

This man was introduced to oil business by one of his friends, who later introduced him to a notorious oil bunker named T.K. He told me he used to buy stolen petrol (PMS) from the militant in large quantity but later the business was intercepted and no longer booming. So while looking for a greener pasture he found himself at Nigeria/Seme border trying to make ends meet.

During the interception period, T.K had become a notorious robber. So, one day, Seyi was called to arrange for a truck that could convey ammunition across Seme border but unfortunately for them Seyi refused to do the job. But a few days later T.K called Seyi and threatened to deal with him if he tells anybody about their plan.

To cut the story, the police killed TK and some of his gangsters in that operation which Seyi refused to help them to convey the ammunition.

The matter got worse when TK group members believed Seyi had given the police the information and since then they were after his life. So, when he was always running to me all the time, I told him he cannot report the case to the police due to the nature of his job, so I advised him to leave the country because he could be killed eventually. Then I introduced him to a lawyer who filed his traveling documents. In fact someone told me they are still trying to locate him.

Q. Do you know his whereabouts?

For security reasons, I wouldn't want to disclose that.

Q. How do you think the government can curb the activities of this group?

What I can say is that everything is about politics. But it will be good if something is quickly done.

Q. You didn’t mention that you are a philanthropist. A lot of people have come here (his house) today to seek for help and nobody went out without smiling?

(Laughs) It is left for people to say that. Just like Prince Kazeem Eletu-Odibo, I don’t like boasting when I help people. When you help people and you keep silence, God appreciates it more than you shouting so that people can know you have helped.

Q. You and this Prince Kazeem always; what is the secret behind your closeness?

Hmmm. There is a strong but natural tie between us and maybe we have so many similarities. Prince Kazeem Eletu-Odibo does not get angry easily, he wouldn’t envy you. If he sees a needy, he can go to any length just to make the person happy. He hates to see people suffer or have problems. There is no amount of money he can’t give out. Meanwhile, he is neither a fraudster nor an armed robber but it pleases him to spend almost all his hard-earned money to put smiles on people’s face.

Now let me tell you the secret behind why I love him so much, he hates cheating. So, I thought that so I could still find someone who detests cheating people to the core and loves to help no matter the situation like me. More so, he is very hard working, just like me. To show you the extent to which I so much love and respect him, I have told God I don’t want to know his graveyard. He is someone that there is nothing I can’t do because of him. If he is not happy with someone, I am also not happy with the person. I can fight the person with my last breath. But most of the time he doesn’t like to show me that he is not in good terms with anybody because he knows that person may be in trouble. 

Q. Is there a covenant between you both?

No. Like I said, when you see someone who is like you but powerless, you can go extra-mile to protect him. Sometimes I used to suspect whether my father had twins and didn’t tell me. You know, he is young, agile, intelligent and philanthropic by nature. You can’t measure how much he spends on helping the needy on a daily basis from the money he seriously laboured for. You know, he understands how the needy feel because he has once suffered before God answered his prayers. And those are the kind of people I love to be associated with.

If we have plenty of Prince Kazeem in this world, oh my God, this world would be a better place. One day he called me and said he wanted me to go to the U.S and bring home his mother. Given my status, nobody can send me such an errand but believe me, I ran quickly to the U.S. One of my wives called me to come and sign a document abroad, I ignored it and even cancelled my own schedule to let you know how much I love him. In fact, Senator Ladoja whom I have so much respect for cannot send me such an errand and expect me to go. I would just tell him I am busy. Because of him alone, I have decided not to visit some big shots in the country because he doesn’t like their person. I love him more than my mother. In fact, I have prayed to God to add 20 years from my age to his own I will be very happy.

Q. Why is it the love that much?

I don’t know the cause. If I were to be a woman, I could marry him; if he offends me I wouldn’t get angry. There is nothing he can do that can get me angry. Very soon, we are going to America together to receive another award. Please note, God has blessed us both with more resources to help the people. So I am not with him because of his own wealth. I am also very rich. I just pray to God to bless him with age so that we can do a lot together. And do you know what? It is vice versa. If he learns that I have headache, he may be crying and before you know it, he would have called all the doctors in the world. He loves me so much and I don’t know why too than what I have said earlier. In fact, our wives ask us why we love each other this much. If his mother wants him to do anything, she calls me and likewise my mother too calls him to talk to me in some situations. My wives and mother know that when he says “Baba, egboju” (Daddy please ignore that) my mind automatically settles.  

Q. Let’s talk about your family life. You are always travelling to Canada or Germany on a monthly basis. What are you looking for sir? Or is it for business?

Yes. I import cars from those countries, but most times I travel to see my families. You know it is only the father who the kids have his fear at heart. So, I am always around to put them through and train them in our own way because our culture is the best. Let me give you an instance; one day I was out with my kids in a popular city in Germany and my white friend came around. When he got closer, my kids prostrated and greeted him. He was surprised and asked me to call them back. I called them back and they prostrated the second time to greet him. He was dazed and said “Please can you train my children this way?” We laughed over it later but the fact is that our culture remains the best but we seem to have lost it gradually.

Q. So, what remains your saddest and happiest day?

The day Senator Ladoja was impeached as Oyo State governor was my saddest day and when he was restored was my happiest day.

What do you do when you are always alone?

I love playing game.

Q. What about chatting or pinging?

I don’t have time for that. I don’t like long chat. I like when people hit the nail on the head.

Q. Lastly, do you still have those powers to disappear and do those miraculous things?

God has not said it is finished for me. I believe this life is a movie and once it ends, that is the final. You know now there is no war now unlike then when we were fighting the enemies. My brother you the Ife/Modakeke war was not a child’s play. I can remember during the war when I was surrounded by enemies and I disappeared amidst them. But here I am today and still very much relevant many years after the war. I still say that man can only be powerful and relevant if God approves of it. My father was more powerful and nobody heard about him until his death in our hometown. But God just decided to ordain me and make me who I am today.

Let me say this, Baba Adedibu (may his soul rest in peace) used to say that if a powerful or influential man maintains that for 10 years and did not fall, then find out the cause. He must be very humble, respectful and takes life or things easy. At least, people have been listening to Sunday Igboho for more than 10years now. Know this that if Auxiliary knew he would end his life in jail, he would have taken things easy. And many powerful people like that who have abused God’s powers given to them instead of using it to glorify him.

Q. So, who inherits your powers?

Of course I would love any of my children to inherit them. My father empowered me, so I have to empower my children too. In fact one of my children used to says “Daddy I don’t forget all those things you teach me. I will recite it when next you come here”. 

Credits : Arems Adedotun & Taiwo Olakunle