*Says “Politicians Today Are There To Make Money, Not To Serve Like Zik, Awolowo, Sardauna”
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Distinguished Nigerian lawyer, elder statesman, and former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Chief Elijah Latif Olufemi Okunnu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has said that Nigerians are the authors of their own misfortune, blaming “money politics” for the country’s current problems.
Chief Okunnu, who will be 93 on February 19, 2026, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Reuben Abati on Arise News, where he reflected on his accomplished life and decades of service to the nation.
When asked where Nigeria got it wrong as a nation, the elder statesman was emphatic that Nigerians cannot blame colonialism for all their problems.
“Our problems are Nigeria’s problems. We created the problems ourselves. The colonial power set up the framework. We are the authors of our own misfortune today. Because our problem today is money politics,” Chief Okunnu stated.
The nonagenarian contrasted today’s politics with the politics of the founding fathers.
“There was no money politics in the days of Zik, my hero. When I got against Lero, no money. No money. Even in time of Awolowo, Zik, no money. He will go to Glover Memorial Hall for Lagos elections. I was a witness. Have election. In the evening, they’ll count the votes and announce the votes.
“So those who were in politics in those days, I’m talking of the forties, after the war, before the war, were men and women who funded themselves.”
Chief Okunnu expressed sadness at the quality of politicians in contemporary Nigeria.
“One of the problems we have in Nigeria is that we have professional politicians. Professional politicians who go to make money. It’s not to serve, it’s that politicians make money. Because it’s not to serve. People go, not to serve as the politicians of old, as of Zik, Sardauna, Awolowo, the politicians of that age before the first coup. Most of our politicians today, today I’m sorry to say, is they’re there to make money. I’m not saying all, I’m not condemning all.”
The former Federal Commissioner advocated for mandatory asset declaration by all politicians.
“I wish that all politicians down to local government level are required by law, by law, to declare their assets on assumption of office and then assets on leaving office submitted to EFCC,” he stated.
Chief Okunnu expressed concern about the current state of the bar and the bench.
“We have too many lawyers in Nigeria. Too many. And they have to find jobs for themselves. So the huge number of lawyers also have created a problem.
“The judiciary, the finest judiciary had gone. The days of J.I.C. Taylor, by his father. In those days, when I was young at the bar, judges never mixed with the society. You wouldn’t see any judge at a party, whether in Enugu or Lagos or Ibadan. They kept themselves to themselves.
“I’m sad that the Supreme Court has more than 16 judges. U.S. of America, 16 judges. Up to today, for years in their Constitution, 16 in the Supreme Court. Sacred. Court of Appeal, which was to help, that also has tens or maybe almost 50 or so judges. That should not be. The number of cases we go to this court are too many.”
When asked about the irony of Nigeria seeking help from the United States and Turkey for security, having opposed the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact in the 1960s, Chief Okunnu acknowledged the irony.
“It is an irony. It is an irony. Maybe we don’t even know whether Britain is also supplying arms forces, but I’m not strong on that issue. America, Trump’s America, is now the president, the overall head of the world.”
Chief Okunnu, who was a Pan-Africanist and member of the West African Students Union, expressed sadness about the state of Africa today.
“I’m very sad, just as I’m sad about Nigeria. Very sad that we come to this stage up to now. The same Africa has now produced sit-tight leaders. And some of them were originally Pan-Africanists.”
The elder statesman rejected ethnic nationalism.
“Let’s talk of this ethnicity. Eastern Igbo something, something, no. Northern, what do they call themselves? Northern something, something, no. Nigerians, we are all Nigerians.
“I’m a Pan-Africanist. I’m not interested in Egbe Omo Oduduwa. When I was asked to come and head Egbe Omo Oduduwa, I said no.”
Chief Okunnu credited the Gowon administration for declaring free primary education.
“At the race course in Sokoto, Gowon declared free primary education for all children in Nigeria. I’m sad that Murtala, Obasanjo, Shagari did not follow it up. It was abandoned at the time when Murtala came on board. It was pushed aside.”
Despite expressing sadness multiple times during the interview, Chief Okunnu said he does not regret serving Nigeria.
“Oh, I regret nothing. I’m happy that after opposition to the colonial government, led by Balewa, in a way, more or less, as a youth radical, Nigerian Youth Movement, after all that, I regret not a single minute.
“My regret is that the road project, road system which I spent so much time building up, from six thousand miles to about 21 thousand miles, if you add Badagri-Sokoto, that will give you 1000. I’m very, very proud of my record as Federal Commissioner for Works.”
Chief Femi Okunnu was born on February 19, 1933. He was a student activist at the University College London, involved in the Nigerian Union of Students in Britain and Ireland, the West African Students Union, and the Conference of African Organizations.
Upon returning to Nigeria in 1960, he was involved in the opposition against the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact and the detention bill. He served for seven years as Nigeria’s Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing under the Gowon administration.
He participated in the 1966 Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference, the creation of states, and was involved in drafting the 1979 Constitution. He was also part of the 2005 and 2014 National Political Conferences and served as Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Makurdi.
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