THE CONCLUDING PART OF THE SHEM OBAFAIYE aka 'Oga at the top' INTERVIEW What is your childhood ambition and where were you born? My dream was to become a military person. In the village, they called me a Soldier because of the way I walk. Talking about where I was born, I was born in Ayetoro Kiri in Kabba/Bunu local government area of Kogi State. What influence do your parents have on your life as an adult? My parents are very hard working and well-disciplined. My father was a farmer and made us to work on the farm as early as 4 a.m. and wouldn’t come back until 10 p.m. They were very strict. My father was not that rich, but he was determined and loved his children to go to school. The two of them are dead now but they left a good memory of themselves behind. And you know like it used to generally be in those years, we lived a communal life. My father lived a very selfless life. He wished all other children that were not even his own the best that he wished for we his children. He wouldn’t let any child that he found at home when others were in school be. That earned him the name- “Baba ki lo n se n le.” He would ensure that the reason why the child was not in school got fixed as much as possible. This and others we learnt as we grew up. He taught us the essence of hardwork. He was not rich, so, we had to work on the farm very hard to get money to take care of our school fees. My mother was also hard-working. She was a strong-willed woman who was a popular garri maker of her time. She died in 2009 while papa died in February 2013. They taught us to be solution givers and we thank God that we are on that path. He believed in the power of cane. I remember a time that I and one of my brothers went to work in the farm and we covered so much ground and without food. When he came, we thought he was going to be excited and commend us. He, instead, went wild when he found out we did all that we did on empty stomach. He caned us in anger. Would you recall any of your childhood pranks? I was a serious student in UNILAG and so wouldn’t joke with my books. I came from a poor family and I didn’t want to disappoint my parents and myself. I think I entered the female hostel twice throughout my undergraduate days. My success was more important and I wouldn’t want anything to distract me. How would you describe village life? It was a communal life. People do things together, but in the city, they want to do it by themselves. There were good and healthy foods in the village. Everything was expressly from nature, the air, water, vegetables and all. Even herbs came handy for ailments that would have cost a fortune in the city. City life has caused crises to marriages whereas this is not common in the village. There is a huge difference between life in the village and in the city. What attracted you to your wife? She is beautiful and a good singer. She was leading a chorus at a crusade when I first saw her. She is an evangelist. How would you describe marriage? Marriage is a beautiful thing. That is the way I would describe it. How do you unwind? I am married to my job and my wife complains about that. When I am not working, I am in church. The last time I went on leave was in 2009. What is your general advice for people? Let every individual do his work as ordained by God, believing that he or she is accountable at the end of the race. People should be contended with what they have; they should use all their strength to do whatever is given to them and wait on God for reward. People should put their trust in God and not in human beings. Today, we have so many people derailing because they expect so many things from human beings. Wait for God at the appointed time. Do what you are doing with the fear of God