15/05/2016

I rode a scooter 500 miles from Aberdeen to London — Ex-CMD, LUTH



Eighty-three-year-old former Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos; Provost, College of Medicine, UNILAG and Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Deji Femi-Pearse, talks about his life with KAYODE FALADE
When and where were you born?

I was born on September 18, 1932 in Yaba, Lagos.
How are you sure that was the actual date of your birth?
My parents were literate; my father was a medical officer. He worked at various places such as Yaba dispensary, Idah, Agbor and Umuahia. The last place he worked was Aba and he was quite famous in the place. My mother was into politics; she was a member of the Action Group.  That is why a street was named after her – Elsie Femi-Pearse Street in Victoria-Island, Lagos. She practiced politics in the 50s. And people had thought that she would be chairman of the Lagos City Council. But she lost because some of her colleagues in the AG – all male – said though Mama was good in social work, hospital work, and that education and social services would improve under her and that she did not know “business.” This underlines the fact that corruption in Nigeria had always been there all the time.
Where did you start schooling?
I started schooling in Agbor, Delta State, around 1938. I even spoke the Igbo language then. I do not speak it again now. I was always on the move travelling from one state to the other with my parents.  In the colonial medical service, people were transferred every three years. It was an advantage for professionals who were more concerned about Nigeria then and not ethnicity. Today some people to react thus, ‘this person is not an indigene.’ I consider it to be rubbish. When a person is good, he is good regardless of his or her ethnic leaning.
Did you receive all your education in Agbor?
No. After I left Agbor Governor School due to the transfer of my father, I attended Mrs. Kuti’s Class in Abeokuta. It was different from the grammar school. There we learnt many songs. It was a preparatory school ahead of the secondary school. From there I moved to CMS Grammar School, Lagos in 1946 under Bishop Kale then. Many felt I would not perform well because I had no steady schooling, because with transfers in those days, one had to leave school, go to another school, change teacher, curriculum and all sorts. But I did well in the grammar school. I came fourth in my first examination and in second examination I came first. In 1951, I became the Senior Prefect of CMS Grammar School, Lagos.
How was schooling then?
It was fun. The school song is one of the things that have inspired people like us. It was all hard work. I tell young people that stealing is not the answer; you have to work hard to achieve what you want.
What did you do after secondary school?
After my secondary school, I moved to the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. There, I read medicine.
What inspired your choice of study?
My father was a medical doctor. In fact, my grandfather built St. Jude’s Church, Ebute Metta, Lagos. He was Canon James Pearse. I chose medicine. But a lot of my classmates thought I would have gone into politics or administration. I guess it was because of my strength in History and I also had some leadership potential. And I think that was why Bishop Kale and my teachers thought I should be the senior prefect of the school. Back then, the senior prefect had the powers of almost a teacher.  I have no regrets for studying Medicine because I have done well for myself. I have done some research works which propelled me to be a professor at the University of Lagos; I have been a provost in the College of Medicine and Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university. Some people even asked me to push to become the substantive VC but I declined. I was contented with serving only in acting capacity, the provost of the College of Medicine and I also had my eyes on owning a retreat ground.
After Aberdeen, what next did you do?
I came back to Nigeria and worked with reputable Nigerian doctors and some Irish consultants in the General Hospital, Lagos. Then I went back to the UK, Edinburg for a specialist qualification for Medicine; a physician. After that, I returned to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, then went to the University of New York State School of Medicine, to do research. I worked with a Chinese professor. I was even asked to stay as faculty staff there because of the civil war going on, I think it was in 1970, but I refused. My wife and I returned to Nigeria. When we got to the Apapa Wharf, there was a wild rumour that a Swedish man was flying a plane and bombing Lagos.
So you came by sea?
Yes, we returned by sea. We liked the environment and of course, I have always loved water.  When I was at the University of Aberdeen, I was always rowing boats on the River Don.
Why did you choose to go into academics?
I don’t think I could have been just a general practitioner. I was interested in research. I did a research in respiratory physiology – a specialty which is not as popular as cardiology. I was happy with the outcome; I had articles in eminent scientific journals abroad with the offer of an academic appointment in the United States which I refused. I was confident that I was good enough to work anywhere. When I came home, I made some progress; I became a professor early and ahead of my competitors in the University of Lagos.
When did you become a professor?
I became a professor in 1977 at the age of 45.
Why did you refuse the job in the US even despite the civil war going on in Nigeria at the time?
I was confident that the civil war won’t last that long.  And I knew some of those fighting the war. Douglas Ngwube was a relation of (Odumegwu) Ojukwu and he was my very good friend. Hence, I knew the war could not be sustained for that long.
Does it mean you were talking to Douglas during the war or you knew Ojukwu?
No, I was not talking with Douglas but we grew up together. We attended grammar school together. And he was one of the assistants to Ojukwu. I did not know Ojukwu personally. I had passion for this country and I was better doing research here than in the US. In the US, I could have learnt the use of more equipment which would not be available to me in Nigeria. So I thought I should return home and use the little I had learnt in my country.
What is your area of specialisation?
It is respiratory medicine or chest medicine. I told my wife that we would be comfortable in the US. We would have house and cars but we would still not be happy because we are black people and there would be some limit to the level we could rise. Overall, what is important is happiness.
How did you derive your compound family name?
Dr. Jamison Townsend Femi-Pearse. My grandfather was educated by the missionaries. He went to England to do Theology. When he came back, my father was born and he named him after some of the missionaries. In fact, we were not bearing Femi-Pearse before. We were just Pearse. But it would interest you to know that there were so many Dr. Pearses in the country at that time. There was Jamison Femi Pearse; my father, there was Dr. Akintola Pearse, an eye specialist and there was Dr. Maja Pearse. Some of the other Pearses had white wives and whenever bills came from John Holts and other big stores, my father would ask my mum if she had patronised these stores but she would reply in the negative. Thus, one day, my father just called all of us and said, “From this day, our name shall be Femi-Pearse. Any bill that comes now without Femi-Pearse will not be honoured by me.”  That was how we became Femi-Pearse which was an arrangement based on the economy.
How many siblings and children do you have?
We were four. I lost my sister, Mrs. Akinkugbe, a lawyer, some years ago at the age of 75. We lost another sister some years later. I have a brother who is a surgeon at Yaba, Lagos. I have four children, one of them died.
How did you meet your wife and when did you get married?
My wife’s name is Ibilola. I got married in 1962. I saw this attractive young lady at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina. Later, one of my students at CMS told me he knew where she lived at Majaro Street, Onike. In the evening of that day, we went to Majaro Street to meet see her. We got talking. At one time she lived at Technical College of Education quarters, Yaba, Lagos. The Ministry of Education had flats there then. She lived in one of them. I remember once on my way back, we saw two pythons at her veranda, and she took a stick to kill them. It was a strange thing to me that a woman could do that.
I asked how she got the boldness and she said she schooled at Ede and that because the place was bushy, there were snakes all over hence she learnt how to kill snakes. I was so happy and knew I had met a courageous woman who could be a leader.
When did you become the provost of the College of Medicine, Chief Medical Director of LUTH and acting Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG?
In November 1980, I had returned from a sabbatical leave. I got a call from Shehu Musa saying some drastic changes would be made at the university, because the Senate didn’t agree to Babatunde Adadevoh becoming the Vice-Chancellor. In December, the government terminated Adadevoh’s appointment, together with that of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, registrar of the university and six other professors.
I had to become acting Vice-Chancellor until April 1 when Akin Adesola came to take over as Vice-Chancellor. I was a crisis Vice-Chancellor. I enjoyed my stay there when I ran the university for about four months. A lot of people came to me to and told me to lobby hard to become the substantive Vice-Chancellor, but I wasn’t interested.
How were vice-chancellors chosen then?
The Senate had to recommend three people then the government would choose one. In my case, the government had sacked the Vice-Chancellor and his deputy who should have been the acting vice-chancellor. They had sacked all the people at the top. Hence, as an incoming professor and provost, I had to be the acting vice-chancellor according to the statute of the university. Thus, that was the way I stepped in. I did not contest to be a vice-chancellor. I did my work as an interim vice-chancellor; I did not want to be vice-chancellor.
Why didn’t you want to be a vice-chancellor?
First of all, I had other interests; I wanted to have a retreat, a place where Nigerians could be happy. If I were a vice-chancellor, I would be dealing with students’ unrest, all these negative things that I am not interested in. I wanted something positive; I wanted progress in my life. If I was vice-chancellor and had a place like this (Whispering Palms), they would have assumed I stole government money. I was happy to be detached from the administration of the university. When Adesola came, I was happy and I gladly handed over to him. I did not think being a provost of the college of medicine or vice-chancellor mattered to me.
As an educationist, what differences can you see between the education system in your days and now?
One significant difference is the dedication of teachers. Teachers are not so dedicated anymore. Maybe it is because they are not well paid. Essential things such accommodation should be provided for teachers. The teachers should be able to offer maximum help to students. In Nigeria, I don’t think we are doing enough for teachers. If we want to have excellent professionals, teachers must be attended to. Teachers who go into the profession are not looking for money; they want to instil skills in their students. But the government has to play its part to see that these people can instil good behaviour. Education is not all about knowledge; it is a matter of attitude to things.
How has the university system improved from your days?
Medicine for example which is a scientific area is an area where the universities may be suffering from one weakness: lack of enough skill acquisition. It is a bookwork acquisition. I advise my grandchildren to take interest in a few things. For example, the solar system could be a good source of energy. Universities are not thinking like some of us are thinking. You can do a lot of classroom work, but students should come out and work and go out for practical trainings. Teachers must do same because some of them lack skills.
Does this extend to governance?
It does, attitude is very important. How did President Muhammadu Buhari select his ministers? It was based on party basis and state. I expect a Minster of Technology for example to go to factories and see what is going on. For Nigerians to move forward, ministers must have the right attitude, speak to people within their industries and advise them. Instead, a minster is competing with someone doing well within the state. We have an attitudinal problem. Our ministers are not going down to the grass-roots, and we are not bringing our people up. Most people do not love Nigeria, they love their pockets. Our attitude to development is still not good enough.
When did establish Whispering Palms?
I established it in the 70s. I have always wanted to have a retreat.
Why do you desire a quiet relaxation centre?
I have always had passion for travel and adventure especially in the rural areas.; at the University of Aberdeen, I rode my scooter, from Aberdeen to London. I rode for 550 miles. There are some ministers and youths who have passions. They must be nurtured not condemned.  If they love drumming, we should encourage them to improve on the quality of their drumming. Where the child’s passion is, that is where is or her strength lies. My passion is to have a retreat and seeing people happy. It was one of the reasons I established Whispering Palms. It was meant to be for family only, but we said we should not be the only one enjoying this. In 1980, some events triggered my coming to Topo, Badagry area of Lagos State.
After holding three positions at once, I went home and told my wife that it was high time we set in motion moves to achieve our aim of having a retreat. In 1981, the Oba of Iworo got me a place in Topo. It was not the whole of the 12 hectares but a part. And since then we have expanded.
How will you rate the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria?
We do not really do tourism. Nigeria has a lot of facilities for tourism but the attitude is not good enough. If we depend on tourism, tourist centres must be provided with adequate security and must be accessible.  It is a problem getting security agents now, they prefer following ministers. If we want to do tourism, roads must be good to the centres. It is the sector that creates the most employment.
You have achieved so much, do you still have aspiration?
I think I have done what God sent me to do. I am fulfilled, I am satisfied. If I die today, I will be satisfied. Our mission here is to see that people are happy and remain happy. Nigeria is an unhappy place.
How do you keep fit?
I do exercise in the morning; I take a walk in the evening. I had a surgery sometime ago, but I am happy I’m alive. I would have died two years ago. I am happy I’m still alive.
Do you have any regrets?
No, I don’t have any regrets.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Tolulope Basirat Adeoyethe notorious bully on Facebook, once again exposed herself on live chat

  Abike jagaban, the notorious bully on Facebook, once again exposed herself on live chat yesterday. While she was on her live program, she ...