Dr Emmanuel Oluwole Alabi, now 80 years, and an astute politician and investor, tells KUNLE ODEREMI how he toiled hard, combining working in Lagos with part-time study to pass science subjects as a private student, in the bid to study Medicine at the University of Ibadan in the 1960s.
LET me know a little about your background?
I was born in Osogbo on Saturday, March 18, 1944, at 9:45 pm to the family of Papa Agboola Alabi, a former staff nurse at Osogbo General Hospital and Madam Cecilia Adeola Alabi, a trader, both of blessed memory. I attended Methodist School, Osogbo between 1948 and 1955 for my primary education, where I showed leadership quality and was made the head boy of the school. I later attended Fatima Catholic College, Ikire in 1957, where I sat for my West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1962 and was one of the five students, who passed in the First Division. Thereafter, I decided to follow in the footsteps of my father by showing interest in the medical profession. However, I did not have the opportunity to study all the science subjects in secondary school that could enable me to study medicine. Therefore, I proceeded to study science as a part-time evening student at the Federal School of Science, Onikan in Lagos after office hours. I started a working career at the Government Coastal Agency, Apapa, Lagos in 1962. I later moved to the Bank of India, at Balogun Street, Lagos in 1963, before I was employed at the Bank of West Africa (now First Bank of Nigeria) Marina, Lagos in 1964. So, it was during this short working career I combined evening classes in science subjects and passed the GCE O-Levels in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, which enabled me to proceed to the Federal School of Science for his A-Levels as a Federal Government scholar. After obtaining my A-Levels, I worked briefly at Kings College, Lagos, before I was admitted to the University of Ibadan to study Medicine and graduated in 1974, with a degree in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. I did my internship at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa and at the General Hospital, Ilorin.
How about the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme?
Yes, in 1979, even though I had passed the mandatory age of 30 years for the NYSC programme, I opted to participate in the scheme and was posted to Kaduna, where I served with the 44 Armed Forces Hospital. I was retained by the hospital management, where I worked for some time before I resigned to start my private medical practice at Alba Clinics and Medical Centre in Kaduna. I later established a 100-bed hospital, the first of its kind in Kaduna in 1980. Alba Clinics and Medical Centre has the repute of free medical treatment for financially and physically handicapped patients. In the course of my medical practice in the northern part of the country, I was appointed as the Commissioner for Health in the old Oyo State in January 1986 and served under two military governors: Col. Adetunji Idowu Olurin and Col. Sasaenia Oresanya (both, of blessed memory).
So, your role has been majorly in the health sector?
No, I also showed interest in farming by establishing Olu Farms and Integrated Nigeria Limited in 1988; it is an integrated farm in poultry, fishery and piggery to promote employment and food sufficiency for the country. Besides, I am into manufacturing and agro-allied industries. In 2014, I established Alba Food and Drinks LTD, the producer of Aqua Alba Water in Osogbo. My love for people living with physical and mental challenges equally made me establish Alba Home School in Jericho-GRA, Ibadan — a school for children with autism, and speech and learning difficulties. The school is reputed to be the first private boarding school in the country for children with autism. I later incorporated Alba Home for Autistic Rehabilitation Foundation in June 2014, having Mr Oba Otudeko, Chief D. K. O. George-Taylor, Senator Yinka Omilani, and Barrister (Mrs) Abimbola Alabi, among others, as trustees.
I equally founded other companies, including Dimension (Electro-Medical) Equipment Ltd, Alba Pharmaceutical & Chemical (Nig.) Ltd, and Alba Plaza & Facility Management Ltd. I was a co-founder and director of the defunct Commercial Trust Bank (1991-1992).
As a stakeholder in politics, what kind of impact have you been able to achieve?
I have a passion for community service. As the commissioner for health in Osun State, this propelled me to contest the Osun Central District senatorial seat under the then Social Democratic Party (SDP). Under the platform of the party, I became the first senator to represent the constituency in 1992. It was the same period that Senator Iyorchia Ayu and the current president of the country, Senator Bola Tinubu, served in the National Assembly.
Before then, I was part of the movement for the actualisation and creation of Osun State and vigorously campaigned for the sitting of its capital in Osogbo. All my activities are documented in books and publications by great writers, prominent politicians and the Osun State government.
While in the Senate, I was appointed Chairman, Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. However, the activities of the National Assembly then were hampered because of the restrictions of “no-go-areas” by the then Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, coupled with the fact that the tenure and nature of the Third Republic. Nonetheless, I initiated a bill for the proscription of certain poisonous food seasonings.
To what extent have you succeeded in giving back to your immediate environment, especially as regards community development?
One of the ways I have done this is by establishing the Osogbo Community Bank in 1993. I approved loans for small-scale businesses and traders within the Osogbo community. The bank was upgraded to Osogbo Microfinance Bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
How did you begin to nurse a governorship ambition and why was the bid not successful?
Let me start the narrative this way. Under the Abacha transition programme, I joined the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) and was a leading gubernatorial aspirant for Osun State. However, the transition period was terminated due to the sudden death of the Head of State, General Sani Abacha. Then, a new transition process began. I became a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it is on record, that I was then the major financier of the party in Osun State. I singularly donated the first PDP secretariat, vehicles and furniture. Also, I opened the first party’s account with Osogbo Community Bank. I was later elected the first PDP gubernatorial candidate and contested the governorship election in Osun State under the party — which I lost to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate in 1999.
In 2000, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, in recognition of my contributions to the party, appointed me Chairman, Board of Directors of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja. I initiated a lot of programmes for the FCT in transportation, rehabilitation and sanitation. I also contributed to the review of the Abuja master plan. In October 2003, I was appointed the Chairman, Presidential Due Process Committee of FCDA by FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir El Rufai.
After the 2003 Osun State gubernatorial election, which the PDP won, I was appointed the chairman of the state Transition Committee, which ushered in the government of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as governor. In February 2005, I was appointed a delegate for Osun State to the National Political Reform Conference. In September 2005, I was appointed as a member of PDP’s Board of Trustees. Other appointments include: Chairman, Arewa Health Maintenance Organisation on Health Insurance Company in 2000; Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Board, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; appointed and sworn-in as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Board, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in August 2009. I have also attended a lot of courses, where I obtained various qualifications, among which are a Diploma in the German Language; a Certificate in Reproductive and Primary Healthcare from the John Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; and a Postgraduate Diploma in Anaesthesia, University of lbadan.
I was also honoured with several awards, which include: Associate Member, Institute of Public Relations of Nigeria, Paul Harris Fellow of the International Rotary Club, and Dr Kwame Nkrumah Outstanding Merit Award by West African International. I was awarded a Distinguished Old Boy Award of Fatima College in 1985. I am a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain. I have been offered many traditional and chieftaincy titles but did not accept any of them due to personal reasons and beliefs. However, I showed interest in other social organisations and societies at various times. I was the President of the Rotary Club, Kaduna South, Kaduna, from 1984 to 1985; Chairman, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Osun State, from 1995 to 1997; The Worthy Physician, Catholic Knight of St. Mulumba, Kaduna Sub-Council; Merit Award by Ladoke Akintola University Medical Students Association, on November 25, 2000; Award of Excellence by Medical & Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), given on January 30, 2004; Meritorious Service Award by Osun State Association of Medical & Dental Officers (OSAMDO), on February 13, 2008; Merit Award by Osun State Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), on May 2, 2009; Distinguished Medical Practitioner (DMP) by Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), dated August 8, 2009; and Award of Excellence in Agriculture by the Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 2011.
I have, at different times, attended several international conferences in Madrid, Abidjan, London, Albany Georgia (USA), Hamburg, etc. I was at the Rotary conventions in Dallas, Texas, USA (1982), Toronto, Canada (1983), Birmingham, England (1984), Kansas City, USA (1985) and Mexico City, Mexico (1991). In May 1983, I was in New York, USA, for a conference of Parliamentarians for Global Action. In August 1986, I participated in the IPPF World Bank sub-regional workshop on government/NGO collaboration in family planning and health, at Banjul, Gambia.
It is interesting to note that I have so much passion for philanthropic activities, which started during my tenure as President of the Rotary Club of Kaduna South. In the same year, at the age of 40, I founded the Alba Scholarship and Medical Research Foundation through which I awarded secondary school scholarships to Osogbo and Kaduna indigenes. I also sponsored some journalists to attend courses at the School of Journalism and awarded prizes to the outstanding medical students in Paediatrics of Ahmadu Bello University in 1985 and I have, hitherto, been awarding regular scholarships to students through Senator Olu Alabi–Alba Scholarship Foundation.
How do you relax?
I like to swim, travel and organise philanthropic activities. I am a baptised, confirmed Catholic and a 4th-degree Catholic Knight. I am an Honorary Patron of the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) and a member of the St Benedict Society of the St Benedict Cathedral, Osogbo; patron of the Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ACMPN), Osun State; patron of Plants & Machineries Mechanics Association of Nigeria, Osun State. I am married to Mrs. Abimbola Alabi, a graduate of French/German and Barrister at Law and our union is blessed with children.
