•Gives reason he rejected CBN job in 1963Except you knew him in his heydays, you may argue at your detriment that Air Vice Marshal Anthony Okpere, retd, was a man of political power and influence. Aside from residing in highbrow Victoria Island, Lagos, nothing around him suggests authority and affluence. The aura of simplicity surrounding the Uromi-born retired military chief leaves you wondering what has changed between past public office holders and the current set of Nigerian leaders.
The significance is that God kept me up to that age. The Bible says 70 but now, I am 80. By the grace of God, I will be 81, 82 and 83. Until I finish my mission on earth, I am not going anywhere because I believe every human being has a mission. They did it in such a way that I was to be given a job. They calculated my salary and allowances, which came to about 55 pounds. I told my uncle I wouldn’t take the job. My uncle asked why, I told him the money was too much. In my young mind, something said ‘’if you started with this huge amount of money, would you not lose focus on what you should be in the future?’’In 1959, I was in class three in secondary school when Awolowo campaigned with a helicopter.
I had to report myself because I was in charge of operations and if somebody else did it, what moral justification would I have to punish that person if I didn’t report myself? That is why I did that.After rejecting the CBN job, they took me to the Federal Office of Statistics where I was employed as Assistant Executive Officer. I asked what it meant and they said the salary was 37 pounds 10. Again, I frowned. My uncle said okay. It was so easy to get a job then.
I checked and I didn’t have any money to go to Yaba for a medical check. I and the late Air Vice Marshal from Doko, who was then in the school of science, trekked to Yaba. He also had no money. While we were in the military training, our salary was eight pounds. We were paid a lot of allowances as cadets. Excitedly I took the money I was paid home and put it on the table and said ‘’dad, there is money.’’
People who have no self-esteem go there and try to behave like a master. They look at people eating garri as paupers but if you are content, you are a happy man.