This statement "we all know," got so many innocent people killed during the military era, because in the absence of proper legal processes and stuff like burden of proof, dictators could simply order hits on people 'perceived' to be "corrupt."
Here's a personal story.
Here's a personal story.
BTW if dad was live, I would never tell this story but he's dead so, sorry dad. The world had to know at some point.🤷🏽
The year is 1990 and D.F. Hundeyin has just been promoted to Director, Lagos State Ministry of Lands. Apparently the seat is a goldmine, but oga has no idea.
The year is 1990 and D.F. Hundeyin has just been promoted to Director, Lagos State Ministry of Lands. Apparently the seat is a goldmine, but oga has no idea.
There is a well-oiled system of patronage supporting that seat, ensuring that every land allocation and C of O issuance in Lagos greases a network of palms in the ministry.
Of course my straightlaced, foreign-educated dad only wants to work and collect his salary so...problem.
Of course my straightlaced, foreign-educated dad only wants to work and collect his salary so...problem.
People start to complain because the money is no longer flowing. They assume that Mr. Hundeyin must be cornering all the egunje for himself, because I mean, what else could he possibly be doing?
"We all know" that a Director of Lands must 'eat,' so he must be a selfish man!
"We all know" that a Director of Lands must 'eat,' so he must be a selfish man!
Armed with this "we all know" beer parlour evidence, some prominent members of this LASG network then write a 31-page petition to military governor Raji Rasaki, alleging that David Hundeyin in Lands has "21 houses on Victoria Island!"
Something even the governor doesn't have!
Something even the governor doesn't have!
Meanwhile my dad is busy doing his work, getting governor's signatures for C of O's without demanding or expecting payment. There's hardly a prominent landholder in this city who didn't work with the man during this period.
Oga had no idea. He was just working and going home.
Oga had no idea. He was just working and going home.
He had 3 young children and a wife pregnant with me, and he had recently built his first house in Amuwo-Odofin. He drove a govt-issued Peugeot 504 and he went to church 3 times a week.
As simple as his life was, "we all know" was nearly about to get him killed.
As simple as his life was, "we all know" was nearly about to get him killed.
One day Raji Rasaki sends for him and tells him "That God you are worshipping, he saved you."
Apparently for a whole month, SSS operatives under Rasaki's orders have been tailing the entire family, monitoring the kids in school, attending church with them...
Apparently for a whole month, SSS operatives under Rasaki's orders have been tailing the entire family, monitoring the kids in school, attending church with them...
...going through D.F.'s bank records, talking to his friends, bugging his NITEL phone at home, even posing as teachers at the kids' school (Loral) to try to get them to reveal something about their fabulously corrupt and wealthy daddy.
And the results were in.
And the results were in.
D.F. Hundeyin was probably the cleanest senior civil servant in the state, if not the country. The SSS report completely exonerated him and even noted that he had no finished painting his house.
There was no property or fat bank account anywhere. Just a simple, hardworking man.
There was no property or fat bank account anywhere. Just a simple, hardworking man.
Rasaki didn't explicitly say so, but hinted that there would have been no trial if the report found otherwise.
The shadowy network of military goons would have just staged an accident and possibly the whole family would have been wiped out.
The shadowy network of military goons would have just staged an accident and possibly the whole family would have been wiped out.
Maybe if one of the kids decided to lie in school as all kids do, and say "my daddy has..." that might have been "evidence" that would have condemned D.F. Hundeyin, his 3 kids and pregnant wife to death.
Because "we all know" + dictatorship and lack of process = such outcomes.
Because "we all know" + dictatorship and lack of process = such outcomes.
Instead, Rasaki ended up gifting my dad a choice property in Lagos because he was impressed with him, and later moved him to the governor's office to work directly under him.
Again, the sort of arbitrary thing that happens where there are no proper institutions and processes.
Again, the sort of arbitrary thing that happens where there are no proper institutions and processes.
The petition writer was going to get fired, but he managed to get the Ooni of Ife to intercede on his behalf.
He later ended up becoming a minister under Olusegun Obasanjo, and was last seen taking a hearty wee all over Obafemi Awolowo's grave.
He later ended up becoming a minister under Olusegun Obasanjo, and was last seen taking a hearty wee all over Obafemi Awolowo's grave.
And that is the story of how "We all know who the corrupt people are" nearly got my innocent family killed and cut short my life in-utero.
The moral of the story is, DICTATORSHIP SUCKS. ALL OF YOU THAT WANT A DICTATOR ARE INSANE AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU.
The moral of the story is, DICTATORSHIP SUCKS. ALL OF YOU THAT WANT A DICTATOR ARE INSANE AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU.
