Mr Samuel Adewunmi is a Financial and Mortgage Advisor at Emirate Financial Limited in the United Kingdom. In this interview, he told SEGUN KASALI his life story.
WERE you born with a silver spoon?
Not initially. The potential was there for my parents to have been born wealthy but my dad had to drop his own education and profession to be able to raise his own siblings. So, if that had not happened, my beginning would have been a lot better. He then worked his way up to become a state commissioner under two regimes: the Onabanjo regime and the other one I can’t remember before he died. I did not suffer for the normal things of life. I grew up in Ake area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.
What were the trending things in Abeokuta at the time?
That is a very interesting question. So, my life revolved around the church and I was mindful of the activities I could get into. So, my friends were people from church. But, we did all the things the youth could do. As a matter of fact, I was a DJ and this was because I love music. I would travel as far as Oyo State. I did it just because of passion and not money. My love for music allowed me to have so many collections for easier operation as a DJ.
How did you combine that with Christianity?
My dad must not hear about my DJ exploits because I was doing it secretly. At a point, he almost caught me being a DJ but he knew I loved music and always played it in the house.
As father to son, what were the things he usually impressed on you?
We had to behave because he was a lay reader, who reads scriptures in the church. So, there was really not much we could do. I recall everyone wanted to become a lawyer, accountant, pilot, doctor and others, but I wanted to be a pastor at 7 years of age. I was in my mid-20s when I was ordained in 1997. I consider it as a profession not a vocation. God has given me some skills about finance. So, I wrote a book on financial services. Now, I realise that I practice all I wrote in the book.
Did you study financial management in the university?
No. I studied Chemistry at Ogun State University. In fact, that was not what I wanted to do. I wanted Pharmacology, but I did not make enough scores to do that at the University of Ibadan. Looking back now, it was like God was in it because many skills I learnt became useful and valuable in what I currently do, but I went on for Executive Masters at MBA.
How did finance become a major interest for you?
I had more time on my hand; hence, I started looking for things to do. Someone walked into what is called insurance and my wife looked and said ‘my husband can do what this man is doing’ because she knows everything about me. So, that was how the question of how the man got into the profession came? So, he said ‘if he wants to, I would introduce him’. But, I did not come in through him but someone else who asked me why did I not tell him I could do this. So, he introduced me to my CEO, Festus Arishe and then I came for an interview which was on the 12th of June and the interview went well. I remember he asked if it was something I could do and I said ‘yes’. I told him that from the description given, coupled with my skills, I can help people with it. And I was happy because that could give me freedom for my pastoral work.
At what point did you leave Nigeria?
June 20 was my 33rd year of being in the UK. I went through the invitation of a church. The shepherd of the church is a white man. So, one of my uncles attends his church and he was the one who brought him to Nigeria then. I came as a visitor and after six months you could convert to holiday visa. So, I could do holiday and also work for two years. 14 months into that, I had immigration problem. They withdrew the rest of my visa and ordered that I should be deported.
Really?
Yes, so this was what happened. My visa allowed me to work one year and the other year is holiday. You work part-time and holiday part-time for two years. But, I had been working 14 months full time. So, I went to Germany to buy cars to send home. On my way back, immigration stopped me. So, they asked me ‘what are you doing’ and I just told them the truth. So, I told them and my point was valid. They now asked ‘how long have you been working?’ I told them 14 months which meant I had exceeded the 12 months working agreement. So, they said ‘now you have violated the agreement, you have to go back home’. So, they allowed me to go and pack my things in 10 days and asked that I come back to be deported to Nigeria.
How did you feel from that point?
Notably, I have begun to take God seriously at this time and that was why I told the immigration officer the truth. From then on, I went underground. But, I asked God ‘do you want me to stay or not?’ and God, in His humour said ‘I did not bring you, but since you are here, you have work to do’. This scenario I am narrating is indeed a big testimony. So, I was no longer concerned that I would be caught and be deported.
Was government not looking for you?
Yes, but each time I moved house and returned to pick up my letters you would hear ‘the immigration came looking for you not quite long’. So, that was how God was ordering my steps.
How did you eventually get out of the problem?
So, a solicitor in my church helped filed an appeal. And after five years of appeal, a letter came saying ‘although you do not qualify but based on the Order of the Prime Minister, we would now issue you an indefinite stay’. Tony Blair, who was the prime minister then, wanted to clear backlog of files in the Home Office and gave an order that anyone that their papers had been approved and rejected but not yet served in the last five years should be given indefinite stay. So, that was how I became legal, six years after that incident.
What are the challenges of the waiting period?
The challenges were numerous but we thank God eventually. That is why I tell people that there is no challenge I can’t face head-on now considering what I had gone through. As a coach, I have written nine books, they are religious but everyone can read it. It was thereafter I wrote the finance book after being in debt of £35,000 and how God brought me out of it.
£35,000 debt?
Yes, this was because amid the visa issue, I couldn’t work but I still had to pay rent. After series of rejections, they did not want to approve my credit cards application. So, the debt was because there was too much need against what was coming in, but we paid back when we sold one of our properties. And the rest is history with a lot of bookshops in different areas of London now.
Where did you meet madam?
I met her in my secondary school. When I failed upon graduation in my grammar school, I changed school to repeat my WAEC. So, it was just about who was available and she was available. And I proposed to her and that took us through 10 years of courtship before we eventually got married.
What attracted you to her?
It must have been destiny because she actually went to my primary school (St. Bernadettes Primary School, Abeokuta). So, amongst all the girls I was talking to, she was not only available but also decent. So, I asked ‘would you be my girlfriend’ and she accepted.
Who amongst your children is taking after you?
They are all seriously serving God in their churches. They are in different churches, none attends mine.
How have you been giving back?
Several years ago, my wife and I support over five charity organisations. We give them financial support every month. I also believe my ministry is supporting people because I don’t get paid as a pastor. So, the impartation, transfer of knowledge and all that, is giving back.
How would you describe your personality?
From what you would have picked up, I am a bubbling person. I am very outspoken and anywhere I am, I’m likely to be identified, noticed and very likely I would be given leadership role, to the extent that when I was playing football, I was the captain of the football team. From class rep in secondary school to social secretary and president of my association in the university at that time, I humbly believe I have the gift of leadership. Apart from that, I think I like relating with people.
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