Create Jobs For Nigerian Graduates, Anozie Urges President Tinubu

Dr Eze Alexandra Anozie, the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadanland and Oyo State, is also the Chief Executive Officer of Conac Nigeria Limited. The prominent optician is also the president and the traditional head of all the non-indigenes in Oyo State. In this interview, with 'Kunle Bakare  he spoke about national issues 

The Lagos State government recently requested for the three years of tax clearance of property owners in Lagos and some people believed that it is mainly targeted at the igbos for their roles against the APC during the last election , what is your take on this sir? 

Three years tax clearance certificate over their properties or what ? I don't think that is true maybe it's for all the residents of Lagos and if the government requested for this from all the residents it is their right because that may be their own way of generating funds to develop the state because people should be encouraged to pay taxes but if it is for the non indigenes Alone I will say that is unfair but if it is for everybody of tax age I have no objection to that.

Sir what is your take on the subsidy removal and likely measure the government needs to provide as palliatives to the masses?

You see I want to answer it this way , Nigerians are already shock absorbers , there is no situation we have not gone through so anyone that will come that will be for the best of the country and God want it that way , let it be but as long as God is above he knows the best and any government that is legitimately there  , I used legitimately because they are still in court contesting the results and if they have come up with any policy they should try to adjust at the end of the day because the people will support the outcome of the court and support the government , we must be law abiding and I am appealing that the tribunal should critically look into the matter because we don't want trouble in Nigeria ,the kind of Nigeria I want to see is where all the tribes will be happy and it is possible because God gave us all the things to make things possible but we lack credible and sincere leaders since our independent we have never had it so good and any day that is put in place , the country will be better, all this agitations for secession are mainly because of bad leadership and I am sure that many people love Nigeria and if we have good leaders where majority were reasonably comfortable because it may not be possible for all of us to get that perfection in everything but if it is reasonably well , Nigeria will be better . Though We have the security challenges but but we have all the things to to utilize our potentials but we lack quality leadership .

" We have more than enough to ensure that all the ethnic groups in the country are happy but we have not been having good people to manage our resources most of them are just going their to load their pockets while many Nigerians are suffering , if the country is well managed nobody will agitate for breaking away because Nigeria is a very beautiful country " 

The Igbos says they want to go , Igboho is preaching Yoruba Nation and we never bothered to get to the roots of the matter to identify why people want separation at all costs , we should look into Genesis of the problem and begin to make corrections and apologise to Nigerians so that we can start a new life and people will begin to observe if truly there is a rebirth , by that the thinking of the people will change . 

Where do you think the process of rebuilding the Nation starts ? 

It begins with the leaders that we elect , for instance if you get to any organization that is progressing , you should look at the person at the helms of affairs and if it is the other way round its still the leadership.

That means the leader of the progressing organisation is serving with the fear of God and sincerity of purpose coupled with total commitment and selfless services .

Then where is the place of attitudinal change? 

Where the leaders are doing well , Nigerians are beautiful people let me be frank with you all the tribes in the country are beautiful people and that is why I said they are shock absorbers if other countries are faced with what is happening in Nigeria there will be problems , Nigerians are good people that can easily be managed if we have good leaders who are not self centred , the attitudinal change you talked about can be adopted if we see our leaders doing the right thing but when you look at the leaders we have today and all the people working with them are selfish that is the major problem and many people believe if you can't best them joing them , if they are not selfish, how would young Nigerians graduated from schools and be looking for jobs for many years and when hunger set in their mindset will change to negative things .

"The wealth that can cater for thousands of graduates is in the hand of a single politician, what they have stolen in this country is capable of empowering many Nigerian youths , when I started my company in 1975 I brought to Nigeria ten Indian eyes specialists and I gave them accommodation and brand new Volkswagen cars which I bought for one thousand seven hundred naira each at Mandilas motors in Ibadan here but when the exchange rate began to disgrace our Naira they relocated because I could no longer pay their salaries" 

Initially the Naira was 68 kobo to one dollar but when the dollar rose against the naira things change .

But if the government can empower our young graduates and compel them to employ more there will not be unemployed youths but I am happy the present government is doing something in that regard I only hope those in charge will be sincere .

But don't you think that will be jeopardised? 

I don't pray for such and  I am using this medium to urge the government to monitor this properly so as to achieve the primary objectives , I have once advised the government to pick 500 graduates from each state but the money they are embezzling did not allow them to do this if there is massive employment the crime rates will reduce and our livespan in this country will increase, the idea of senators collecting 30 million naira monthly with other allowances is a mere waste of the country's money the earlier the better we stop deceiving ourselves because we need love love and understanding to move the country forward.

How is your community collaborating to ensure peaceful co- existence with your host community? 

Before I became the Ezendigbo and after my inauguration I have been contributing positively to the growth of this country right from my base here , we are collaborating with the security agencies to promote peace or have you ever heard of any clash between the Igbo and other tribes in the state? We are law abiding people .

What do you have to say about the mass movement of medical personnel  out of the country? 

That is what they called japa , well to me the main reason if you ask many of them is because of the insecurity we have talked about while another factor is the poor renumeration I think a lot of them want to live happily where the security of their lives is guaranteed, if our wealth is well managed nobody will japa.