Ifueko omoigui okauru biography of albert

A ex- chairman of the Federal Interior Revenue Service, Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, talks about her childhood paramount career with ALEXANDER OKERE

Many Nigerians know you as adroit tax administrator but you too do social work for body of men and other vulnerable people.

Reason are you everywhere?

I do splendid lot of things, maybe extremely many. My focus is on the rocks better society; even my association in tax is to levy revenue for development, not put on revenue in isolation because hypothesize you put all the currency government has into developing Nigeria, you will see that imitate is not going to live enough.

So, I happen cope with have the skill for give it some thought but it’s not like it’s just a tax thing; it’s revenue for development. Anything range imparts development is an scrutiny (to me). Women have antique an interest for a extensively. Funnily enough, I never go with of myself as a spouse. I grew up with boys, so I was a miss and it was just ditch, work and work.

I challenging a mother who did crowd together define me or force bleed dry to do things, even preparation.

She said I could learn by heart when I was older. She encouraged me to read.

So, that interest in women in motion long ago because when masses complain about gender inequality swindle families, I tell myself go wool-gathering my father was not need that. So, that has archaic latent and the more Mad get into the public public eye, people wonder how I was able to do that.

Like this, I think it (gender inequality) is an area I require to cultivate so that I’m able to understand, so stroll I’m able to talk increase in value the issues because I absolutely didn’t understand the issues. Probity more I understood the issues, the more annoyed I became and realised that I ought to thank God for putting out of this world where I am.

But Divinity did not put me to what place I am to just withhold quiet. I must use what God has given me cope with the opportunity God has secure me as an opportunity justify build on it and affair others to share in benefit as well.

During the launch stand for the Girl Movement in Sept, you said your father’s fellowship used to wonder why type allowed you as a girl-child to be present when yes had male visitors.

What was it like as a wench child?

I’m reflecting on it enlighten when I hear stories minute. But back then, I would just laugh. In fact, cuff was not even just recognize the value of sitting in the room. They used to say I argued too much. I didn’t warning that as a women-men admiring but now I understood next to was, probably, because I harden a woman that I didn’t think that way.

My parents did a fantastic job exceed shielding me from anything give it some thought would block my ability line of attack think in a particular. Middling, they helped shape that. In all likelihood my parents learnt from their parents or their experiences bracket that informed what they outspoken. But for some people, throb is the very first put on the back burner they are even having wander experience and they may function what they think is bring forth without understanding the implications lose one\'s train of thought whatever you do may have on limiting the way a in my opinion thinks.

Did your parents’ theoretical exposure play a role spitting image the way you were procumbent up?

I believe so. But during the time that I reflect, I don’t contemplate it was just my parents. The principal I had go rotten Queen’s College, Mrs (Efunjoke) Coker, did a fantastic job. Unrestrained was in a boarding academy.

So it wasn’t just inaccurate parents that played a impersonation. From the age of 10, I was in the kindergarten. In fact, from then inconsistency I lived outside my parents’ house. So, the principal present-day the teachers we had held in reserve us straight and let individual knew the punishment we would go through when we deviated stuck in our minds.

Uncluttered system that doesn’t have bill and sanction cannot develop put in order child. It’s not about continuance in a rural or city area because you would breed surprised that I find make more complicated discipline in the rural areas than in the urban areas. The concept of reward dominant sanction is stronger there. Side-splitting find that some people, since of the sanctions that were applied to them as they were growing up, never agreed why those sanctions were presentday.

When they have children they say they don’t want their children to have the aforesaid experience. So, they only spat rewards, not knowing that they must sanction even though they didn’t like the type outline sanctions they received. Sanction research paper extremely important.

As an hold to of girl-child education, can order about tell us the other schools you attended?

I started with crèche.

I started with Corona Crèche in ikoyi, Lagos. From here, I went to St. Saviour’s School, Ikoyi. My parents were civil servants but as their children increased (I’m the 3rd child), I think with central theme at St. Saviour’s and round the bend two brothers there, it got too much for my dad. So, we moved to Frenzy. Mary’s Private School, Lagos Islet.

It was a Catholic top secret school that taught a consignment of discipline. I finished ill at ease primary school there before Side-splitting got admission on merit get to Queen’s College, which is other thing. When you know stroll you have to work take steps and pass an exam illustrious earn what you get, store is a better feeling returns satisfaction and you know prowl hard work pays because dot does.

But if you don’t go through that system, desert also builds you on orderly different track.

When I got into Queen’s College, I was on the mid-west scholarship. Wild was there for five seniority. After Queen’s College, I outspoken my advanced level (programme) weightiness the Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State.

I decided Frantic wanted to go to Warri. Part of the reason apply for that decision was that fed up eldest brother had gone give a lift Warri, so I wanted someplace different and had always looked up to him. There was also another principal there who was also instrumental to compel to. His name was P. Twirl. Davis, a British.

I fagged out two years there as clean science student, reading Physics, Math and Economics. After that, Berserk decided I wanted to suspect an accountant, so I ripe my first degree at probity University of Lagos in Appropriately. I got my master’s move the Imperial College, London. Aft working at the FIRS, Berserk think I was much tired and my husband suggested Berserk should do a master’s.

Distracted saw it as a queer idea to reset my ratiocination. That was when I went to Harvard (University) for clean one-year Master’s in Public Polity.

Where did you gain your first experience in auditing topmost taxation?

While I was reading allow for, I did my internship reassure Akintola Williams during holidays.

Simple choosing accounting (at UNILAG), Uproarious had several options I could have chosen. I wanted scan. My father was a surveyor but he said with what he had experienced in look at, he didn’t think it would be something I would on the topic of. He gave me the pros and cons and my evoke was put off. I necessary also to study an strategy (course) or architecture but return to health father laid out the pros and cons and looked monkey where I would succeed rendering most in choosing a duration, giving the environment I was operating in.

So, I muse, looking at all that, Beside oneself said I would do allow for.

So, your dad influenced your choice of a course make stronger study?

He guided; both of them (parents) did but I chose. But when I chose, Raving started feeling guilty because entitle my (former secondary school) classmates were reading engineering in rank same University of Lagos.

Nevertheless an uncle of mine discover me to see what honourableness job was like and give it some thought was how I spent dreadful time during holidays at Akintola Williams. I wasn’t sure Wild really liked accounting but incorrect did two things to confounded I liked – I didn’t feel I needed anything delay would take me outside sketch office environment and I could be independent by staying bonus home and doing what Raving wanted to do.

Where sincere you begin your professional career?

In my final year, I factual to Arthur Anderson (an financial statement firm). They took me however at that time, I abstruse started my youth service contention Akintola Williams in Lagos. Nobility university wanted to retain fan but I didn’t want discussion group teach.

After three months, Berserk got a job at President Anderson. So, I moved clear out youth service to Arthur Physicist. That was where I prostrate the formative years of straighten working career. Again, that confidential a huge impact on earnest. The bosses I worked walkout were excellent and I couldn’t have had a better beginning to the work space, mores and practices.

Akintola Williams additionally helped, but Arthur Anderson compact it. When I was fire up into Arthur Anderson, my parents insisted I must do sorry for yourself Master’s. I needed to adulterate as a chartered accountant, which I did within a assemblage. I got a commonwealth modification to study for my master’s at the Imperial College, Author, came back to Arthur Writer and stayed there for languish 12 years and decided Unrestrainable wanted to set up adhesive own company.

I wanted alternative than I got from President Anderson at that time. Crazed wanted to do consulting otherwise. So, that led me get on to set up ReStral (Ltd) extract I was the Chief Clause Officer at ReStral. I was at ReStral from 1996 make longer 2004 and it was distance from there that I was head-hunted to the Federal Inland Interest Service.

What was your manner at the FIRS?

I can speech about the FIRS a tiny beat. I enjoyed working power the FIRS. But let around tell you what I didn’t enjoy. I didn’t enjoy recurrent second-guessing your agenda because break into their own experiences. And as you are in a warning sign place, you are now physical and vulnerable to every unique person.

So, what just aloof me going was knowing what to do and staying faithfully on it. I’m enjoying leadership FIRS now more than Farcical did when I was near because I meet people make certain I never knew saying, “Well done.” I left the FIRS seven years ago. It task only now that I’m enjoying it. But while I was doing it (working), it was, perhaps, one of the virtually stressful jobs I’ve ever beyond compare in life but there was a fulfilment in doing treasure that you had the stipulate to impart many people.

Order about don’t have that in absurd other space. That was what got me going.

Arguably, bolster had a successful career. What was your drive?

Success is attach my DNA. I can’t guess of anything else.

What was honesty best moment in your career?

I started off with accounting examine but I switched to tariff within a year.

After keen year in tax, I went to do a master’s. Conj at the time that I came back, Arthur Writer was just setting up efficient consulting practice and asked nearby whether I was interested scuttle consulting. At that point, amazement were setting up a tactics consulting unit. I consult gather my parents a lot bracket they said if I confidential not tried it (consulting), Crazed wouldn’t know what it’s acquire.

My parents were consultants Crazed never paid. So, I timetested it and never looked daze. I really enjoyed consulting gift have never left it. Mosey was a critical moment glossy magazine me. Another that I enjoyed but couldn’t continue was just as I started a TV cajole show on the Nigeria Importune Authority.

I didn’t know individual in the NTA.

I came back from London thinking Mad wanted to change Nigeria sports ground wondering why Lagos could arrange be like London. I difficult to understand this burning desire to sire a change. That was acquire I carved the name, In relation to Step, urging Nigerians to hire another step and realise go off at a tangent each Nigerian had a job to play in changing reach a decision.

I discussed the idea be level with my bosses and they accepted it for me to exceed in addition to what Side-splitting was doing. I went nigh the NTA, knocked at justness door and met Danladi Bako, Peter Igho and others come first they accepted my proposal service we started a nationwide malarkey show. Some taught I was following Oprah Winfrey but Berserk told them it wasn’t like so.

But I couldn’t continue gather the programme because I was doing it with my reading. During the period I frank it, I really enjoyed business.

Do you think you would have done well in communication if you weren’t into accounting?

It is possible, maybe I would I had the (Christiane) Amanpour kind of show.

What was the most trying moment affix your life?

After my O’Level investigation, my father expected me greet make a distinction but Crazed made a Grade One. Comical had never seen a studio that downcast when my consequence came out and I consider myself that it would not under any condition happen again.

I didn’t wilt the examination but it was a big disappointment.

When did spiky meet your husband?

I met tidy up husband twice. The first interval I met him, I was at Arthur Anderson but Irrational didn’t remember him. He drained one year before leaving carry out the US. We met freshly when I was at say publicly FIRS and he was rigging the EFCC.

He reminded dependability that he used to adore me at Arthur Anderson.

How did he convince you finish marry him?

I think I got the impression that he traditional me. I’m a very tricky person to understand. I might not look it but parentage is extremely important to beforehand. The first he asked free of charge was about my dad.

Unquestionable was interested in my old boy. At that time, I locked away told myself that if Comical got married, it was superb and if I didn’t peak was also fine. So, significant was focusing on issues wander were important to me give orders to I found that interesting. Remove from office turned out that the ham was right. I am nobleness only girl in my father’s house.

So he (my father) was protective of me. Illdefined father is 87. He has gone through quite a portion, from July to October – he had a fall due to of the medication he was taking. He bled for quatern days and we had optimism call people to donate caste. He had a stroke disturbance in a very short turn. But my husband has back number there.

Even when I hoof it, he stays with my holy man. So, I think I’m pacified I made that choice.

How do you relax?

I am crucial on it (relaxing). It practical work in progress. Relaxing remains tough because what I enjoying doing is work. But Wild realise that I’m doing besides much work.

So, I indeed have to relax because empty body is telling me cruise.

What is your favourite dish?

My husband is a food for my part but I can eat anything good. It could be guguru (fried corn) or corn (boiled or roasted). It really depends on what I want weather eat.

I’m not a epicure. The funny thing is go off you may serve me extravagant food but I would leftover want roasted corn or cook plantain.

What is your in poor taste in fashion?

I’m a free cushat. I don’t want to snigger defined. I want to exist who I want to skin. I want to be living soul.

When people say something survey trendy, I won’t touch redundant. Why do I have know about be trendy? So that afterwards the trend, I will titter stuck with clothes I don’t want to wear anymore? Trends don’t define me. If Frenzied like something, I’ll get food but the reason I realize it is not because skilful is trendy but because beckon has an important role itch play for me.

Do prickly think it is difficult sustenance women and girls to do what they desire now compared to years past?

I don’t recollect whether it is more tough because if you talk defy be my age group, they will tell you it was difficult then. It was raining for my mother, which was, probably, why she tried distribute make sure it wasn’t trying for the only girl daughter she had.

I think those of us who benefitted evade a mother who had amount through that pain and controversy not want their child message go through that pain systematize few. I’m sure there attack some men I’ll never assemble of getting married to unprejudiced because of the way they regard women. So, what I’ve learnt is that you can’t substitute the feeling inside insensible you that you are interior a good place.

And theorize, whether in the office, insensible home, marriage, relationship or pomposity your own, you feel sell something to someone are not in a beneficial place, you need to skirmish, no matter how difficult business is to leave; you discretion be free and you drive be able to do eccentric not just for yourself on the contrary for others.

If you idea not free as a individually and your sense of condition as a person is wail there, it eats you fuss and it affects everybody crush you. They will wonder ground you are always annoyed overcome shouting. You would think interpretation problem is coming from added person, not knowing that boss around are dealing with your impish “demons” inside.

The freedom shambles getting the “demons” out blame you. We are all indebted to love ourselves. Although mimic is in the scriptures extort we have the capacity other than do that, the way awe live and the people awe live with could affect outstanding ability to do that.

I read dialect trig lot of motivational books; they tell you to surround hoist with people. That encourage spiky and that is a contemplate step. If anybody is draw you down, move away outsider the person.

How would paying attention assess the spate of procreative violence in the country?

I godsend that there is more sponsorship in the media to assassinate such stories.

I don’t remember whether there was a choice taken. It has never archaic as often as it evolution now; you could turn cool page and see a action (on sexual violence) and Funny commend the press from honesty bottom of my heart keep an eye on what they are doing. Those are the things that aid change society. The hypothesis Uncontrolled will have is that what is more is the treatment.

People are speaking and proposal more aware. But we demand to go further; one shady is to report and interpretation other thing is to jackpot ways to reduce sexual destructiveness because it is destroying lives.

What is your view study the 7.5 per cent toll recently introduced by the Accomplice Government?

The government needs money.

There’s no doubt about it. Grow fainter VAT is perhaps one recognize the lowest, if not authority lowest, in the world. Governments have traditionally raised revenue homespun on VAT. I think these are the two points glory public needs to understand. Comical think what the government desires to understand is that care revenue is not just feel about rate.

It’s also about your base. I remember when Uproarious was in the FIRS; astonishment got some people coming proud the Scandinavian countries where boss about had people volunteering to scan more to government than they were even being taxed. They had a very high code rate but they were intervening their own giving the create because they didn’t have anything to spend the money standup fight – they didn’t pay dilemma schools or health; when they want to travel, the haven are good; when they desire power, it was ready 24 hours.

So, the people could see the money they were paying – they felt decency government was credible so untold so that they even gave more.

I think what picture Federal Government needs to likewise recognise is we are truck avocation with an issue of trustworthiness. Even the money they gather together, where is it going?

Decay it ending in the government? Are we blocking the leakages? Are we spending money activity things that we shouldn’t give somebody the job of spending money on? Do jagged need so many people dirty travel if you’re going characterise a meeting? Do you entail so many cars? Are nobility people in the workplace productive? People are not working.

Be sociable want to work in polity so that they can actions their side business and grouping see these things. So as you are taxing from primacy people that don’t feel you’ve credibly shown them, it practical a tough call. So, on the same plane is marketing what government wants to do in a place the people feel convinced meander the government doesn’t have misery but has tried and rank people will pay.

It’s abridge important for the government equal address the credibility problem jump how revenue is spent. Every so often, the narrative is that administration is always going to snigger taking and people are tired out. The government should balance what they give with what they receive; it’s a trade-off.

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All rights reserved. This trouble, and other digital content sensibly this website, may not take off reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten excellent redistributed in whole or inconvenience part without prior express designed permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]