INTERVIEW; DR. PETER OBAFEMI DECLARES; I WANT TO SAVE EKITI PEOPLE FROM POVERTY AND BACKWARDNESS

- By Al Humphrey Onyanabo
Some people are born into wealth and position and all their lives to maintain the status quo. There are a few others who are born on the other side of the track but who through strict Christian parental upbringing, hard work, diligence and faith build themselves into men of immense wealth and industry whose contributions will resonate through eternity.
Often times because they chose not to blow their trumpets, they remain unsung, like prophets in their homesteads. Hiding in the background, doing their thing until they are pushed up by circumstances or faith or service to their homeland and forced to shed their toga of invisibility.
One of such is the astute international businessman and humanist, Otunba (Dr.) Peter Obafemi, who continues to be a pathfinder and shining light to millions of Nigerian youth both at home and in the Diaspora. A beacon of hope, a true ambassador of the ‘can do’ spirit, as he daily espouses the Nigerian dream and our in built ability as a people to rise above adversity and tough times, to climb mountains, and achieve our ambitions.

Dr. Peter Obafemi was born into the strong Christian family of Mr. and Mrs. Obafemi Ogunlaye in the little town of Ikole-Ekiti on August 5. His dad was a railway worker and he spent part of his growing up years in Port Harcourt.

The doggedness which is intrinsic in all Ekiti and a personal desire to throw off the restraints of his environment crystallized when he was able to obtain a student visa to study Cinematography and Film Production in Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois in 1980. He attended the New York University Summer Film Production program in Summer of 1981. He later on moved to Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, where he specialized in Cinematography and Television Productions between 1982 and 1984. As a student he was the resident videographer for the Nigerian Consulate in New York for each of President Shehu Shagari’s visits to New York. The young cineaste went on to produce many documentaries and features films including that of President Shehu Shagari entitled President and Power in Nigeria. He later obtained his BA from Upsala College, East Orange, New Jersey in 1986.

Young Peter Obafemi’s business skills were honed very early in life . He went through a variety of business projects, acquiring shareholding very rapidly. He started his first business enterprise in 1985, named Budget TV and Appliances Rental Service Store on Central Avenue in East Orange, New Jersey and was a consultant in the opening of Heritage Spas on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, NY which became the place of choice for discerning customers. It is also on record that between 1985 and 1988, he owned one of the largest Western Union franchises in the state of New Jersey.
It was in recognition of his varied contributions that, Peter Obafemi was appointed to the Mayor’s Economic Council in East Orange.
He sheds more light on his business philosophy,
“I have always believed in hard work. I always see opportunities where others don’t. I believe in creating wealth while making others.”

The increase in material prosperity did not affect his Christianity; it pulled him closer to God. In spite of all these, Peter’s Christian upbringing continuously stirred within him. It is said that when God has a call on your life, you have no choice but to answer that call.
In 1997, Obafemi was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree and given a Pastoral licence by the World Christianship Ministry Training Center, Fresno, California. From this point onward, Peter threw himself into the Lord’s work and won many souls for Christ. His propensity for doing God’s work had drawn him into the study of evangelism at the Billy Graham School of Evangelism, Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1996. This naturally led him on to the Billy Graham Advanced School of Evangelism, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois in 1998. Peter served God as the pastor of Seal of Life Christian Center, Norcross, Georgia from 1990 to 1999. In recognition of the oneness of faith before the Almighty.

The American political system has recognized and vastly utilized the political and financial wizardry of Dr. Peter Obafemi; he was Chairman, Business Advisory Council from the state of Georgia to the United States Republican Senate from 2003 to 2004. So profound were his contributions that the US Senate Republican Congress bestowed on him the United States Senate Republican Medal of Freedom Award.
Dr. Peter Obafemi continues to play a support role as a genuine democrat and a prime mover of democratic principles. He is a Lifetime Member of the Republican Party of the United States of America (Eisenhower Commission). He was also a Member of the United States Presidential Roundtable 2002-2004 and Member Black American Business Council since 2003. He also received the 2003 Businessman of the Year Award of the Nigerian Foundation in Houston, Texas. Leadership Award by American Express Community Leadership in Calloway Georgia and a commendation by the City of Atlanta in 2003 for bridging the bridge between two sister cities of Lagos and Atlanta.

He has always excelled under challenges. Preferring to thread where the terrain is toughest and the challenges seemingly insurmountable. It is on record that Dr. Obafemi successfully operated direct flights from the US to Nigeria when no one on either continent felt it was possible. The spectacular financial returns that enabled him to liquidate his bank loans in record time and the ultimate sabotage by his partners would have destroyed a lesser man. Dr. Peter Obafemi was undaunted and is poised to achieve even greater heights in the aviation industry.
He says of that experience,
“It was a painful moment for me; it shook me to my foundations. I could not understand why humans will go to such lengths to bring down another person over money. I thank God for strengthening me and seeing me through that dark patch. It was planned to destroy me, but God raised me up and eventually vindicated me.”
Otunba Peter Obafemi’s entrepreneurial expertise is evidenced by his vast and growing business empire. His interests span into farming, health spa, tourism, hospitality, and aviation, engineering and construction, real estate, energy as well as international finance. These businesses are scattered over several continents providing employment to thousands of people


He believes in responsibilities; governments must display fiscal responsibility with public finances, individuals taking personal responsibility for their actions, and social responsibility towards one another. He remains an advocate and a believer in enterprise and aspiration. His fundamental tenet is that power should be devolved from politicians to people, from the centre to the grassroots.
He sums it up thus:
“Personal ambition should be set as high as is humanly possible, with no barriers put in its way by the state. I believe we are all in this together.”

Dr. Peter Obafemi’s ambition to contest the gubernatorial position for the 2011 election in Ekiti State on the platform of PDP, he confides is based on his desire to serve the people and make a difference in their lives.
Hear him,
“As an individual and businessman I am fulfilled. I am financially secure by all means, all glory be to God. My ambition is now to serve my people. I look around and see poverty and hunger in Ekiti. I see lack of infrastructural development. I see the youths of my state without jobs. I see our women abandoned and without hope. I see a state with great future wallowing in misdirection and I tell myself that I can make a difference. I can use my international friends and connections to bring prosperity and swift development to Ekiti State.”
For Ekiti State, his vision is all encompassing. This is borne out of the fact that he has taken time to study the fundamental problems of the people and how to solve those problems. For example, he believes the key to tackling youth restiveness and crime is the provision of jobs.
He says,
“My plan if elected as Governor come 2011 is to provide 3,000 jobs for Ekiti youths within six months or I will resign. The idle mind is the Devil’s workshop. I weep when I see our youths who are out of school walking the streets without jobs. We shall keep them engaged. They are our future. We shall encourage those who want to go to school to do so. Every hand must be put on deck to help in the development of Ekiti State and make Ekiti first.”
In his typical fashion he plans to boost night life in Ekiti State as an avenue to extend the economic life -wire of the state and for economic activity to continue long after government business closes at 4.00p.m.
In his words,
“It is said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, it would be bad if you go out all day to work and you can’t come home and have something to relax with. There must be a night life; a place where there is no night life is like a ghost town. In Ekiti, 7p.m.-8p.m. the city is dead. However, in recreating this in the city we have to be socially responsible.
“We should have amphitheatres for stage shows; build a movie house, that’s where contacts and resources come in. If you create theatre atmosphere, you will be shocked at how well people will receive you, a good example is when Dagrin came to Ekiti, the show was sold out, and people had to be sent back. This pinpoints the usefulness of a good night life.”
Dr. Peter Obafemi’s plan for Nollywood is mind blowing. He is looking at partnering with international film producers to build film villages and studios in Ekiti so that it will be transformed into the hub of movie production in Nigeria and the West African sub region.
He adds,
“I want to put Ekiti State on the entertainment map of the world. We will build film villages like it is done Hollywood, our people will be usefully engaged through all of this and the state will generate revenue thereby. It will also open up tourism and such ancillary services such as hotels, transportation, restaurants, and amusement parks”.
For this race his motto is that ‘Everybody should put Ekiti first,’ that’s why he says he has put his vast business empire on the back burner so he can effectively see to the business of grabbing the ticket.
He laughs at potshots that his ambition to be governor is for personal gains.
“How much can I make as Governor? I could make ten times that in my business without stress. I have been exposed to wealth at a very early age. And now, I tell myself what I need to do is to help my people. I see my state being backward; our women are living and dying in poverty; nobody is reaching out to them. Through government, I can empower them successfully, alleviate their poverty. I have realized that I can do more being in Government House than being outside. As a private business man, I help a lot of people who come to me with various problems, but I as Governor, by the grace of God, I will be able to touch everybody, and to transform Ekiti into a paradise”.
It’s a huge dream, one he is willing to stake everything and pull all stops, with God on his side and the people of Ekiti state backing him, to bring to fruition.
All he is asking for is the support of the people and a level playing ground so that he can put Ekiti First.