A brisk encounter with Kemi Nandep

I don’t know the way it is with others, but I’m so eternally enamoured by my alma maters across my life’s trajectory, I just can’t stop celebrating them. For me, the Immaculate Conception College (ICC), Benin City, is the best secondary school in this milieu. Headed by the unsung academic and administrative luminary, Dr Joseph Odidi Itotoh in my generation, ICC was catalytic in laying the building blocks of my life as destined by God.

I feel similar nostalgia for the University of Ilorin where I obtained two hard-earned degrees in English. To imagine the institution didn’t initially feature in my priorities. I was almost incurably obsessed about schooling in the erstwhile University of Ife, (Unife), now Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU). Africa’s first Nobel Laureate for Literature, Wole Soyinka was on the faculty of Unife. I really drooled and salivated about the prospects of physically encountering and being taught by this icon, whose imprimatur was all over our literature curriculum, over time. OAU was star-studded, boasting luminaries like Femi Osofisan, Biodun Jeyifo, Kole Omotoso, Chidi Amuta and Godini Gabriel Darah, among others. If I desired to study English, Unife was the place to be, so I thought.

True, the burgeoning University of Ilorin which operated in its early years substantially from the makeshift mini-campus in the city was bereft of the jaw-dropping aesthetics of Unife. Unilorin made up for this, however, with the sheer density and diversity of its faculty. Between the former “Department of Modern European Languages” which warehoused the English and French courses, and the adjoining Department of Performing Arts, Unilorin could not be cowed by faculties elsewhere. At the head was the English man David Cook, credited with mentoring the Ngugi wa Thiong’o generation of East African writers. There was also the multifaceted, self- effacing Indian scholar, Prayag Tripathi. A much younger Olu Obafemi, creative versatile, charismatic, steep in radical intellectualism; and Sam Adewoye, a novelist, were equally in the team.

There were also the trendy Nigerian-American intellectual, Tayo Olafioye who was given to infectious and flowery elocution; the bubbly American teacher, Russell Chambers; the engaging Ugandan lecturer Stephen Hesbon Lubega, and the untiring language specialist, Emmanuel Efurosibina Adebija, among others. Africa’s first published female playwright and first female professor of theatre arts, Zulu Sofola; pioneer faculty member in performing arts in Unilorin, Akanji Nasiru and the indefatigable Nigerian-American dance expert, Bunmi Babarinde-Hall, featured in the newly established performing arts department in our time. Not forgetting the eccentric Sierra Leonean actor and playwright, Yulisa Amadu-Maddy, and subsequently, Ayo Akinwale. Such was the kaleidoscope of personalities who privileged our thoughts and vistas. An aggregation of these resources and experiences bred the moniker, Better By Far with which we’ve beaded the university over aeons.

Over the years, I’ve found myself a compulsive and delighted documenter and diarist of fellow alumni from Unilorin, in their courses and attainments in life. The institution has blessed Nigeria and the world at large with some of the finest of manpower, some of the most skilled human resources in virtually every department and sector. Early this year, Kemi Nana Nandap, who was hitherto an unobtrusive Deputy Comptroller-General, (DCG), in the Nigerian Immigrations Service, (NIS), was appointed substantive Comptroller-General of the Service by President Bola Tinubu. She graduated with an honours degree in biochemistry from Unilorin in 1987, same year with Tinuke Watti, another distinguished Unilorin alumna, who was appointed federal Permanent Secretary late 2023, by the President.

Nandap became the fourth woman to be appointed to the position of Comptroller-General, (CGI), of the NIS. This is tangible evidence that she has consistently and sustainably proved her mettle all through her career, in a male-dominated paramilitary profession. Notable women who previously led the NIS as chief executives include: Uzoamaka Nwizu, (2000 – 2004, of blessed memory); Rose Chinyere Uzoma, (2010 – 2013) and Caroline Wuraola Adepoju, who handed over to Nandap early this year. Her appointment took effect from March 1, 2024.

Between Olusegun Adekunle, OON, Emeritus Federal Permanent Secretary and Chairman of the Abuja chapter of the Unilorin alumni association; Wale Fasakin, National President, and Bolanle Olatunde, National Public Relations Officer, I was literally “abducted” and thrust into an impromptu visit to CGI Nandap, Friday December 6, 2024! Fridays are usually tricky days. One tries to wrap up his schedule for the week with very strict deadlines. The trio, however, are people one holds in high esteem. Fasakin indeed came from out-of-state, to Abuja specifically for the purpose of the courtesy call. His selflessness could only be assuaged if the programme proceeded successfully. My only option in the circumstances was to juggle my schedule so as to be on the delegation. Other members of the delegation were: Moji Oshikoya, (of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA)); Nuhu Adam, (an aviation industry stakeholder), and John Ondoma Freeman, (who is on the executive of the alumni Abuja chapter).

The air was festive within the perimeters of the headquarters of the NIS on the airport road as we drove in. The grass lawn adjacent the administrative building of the organisation was being readied for some event, most probably a night of carols, maybe an end-of-year get-together. Our delegation was very courteously received and ushered into a visitor’s room by aides of the CGI. I remarked about the tidiness and sense of order which I noticed within minutes of our arrival. We engaged ourselves with reminiscences of our times in Unilorin, enjoyed our laughters and glanced at the television screen from time to time. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo the Interior Minister, we were informed, was visiting. He was being received by the leadership of the NIS in the boardroom of the outfit.

Nandap’s entry into the visitor’s room where we were seated was without fanfare. I’ve visited quite a few regimented services through the decades and I’ve never been impressed by the contrived stampede, the conjured drama and needless gra gra associated with the movements of their “big men.” Let’s be very clear: I was a very close aide of President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, all through his eight years in office. I operated from the most proximal physical space to him and saw him everyday. To this extent, I’m very accustomed to “VIP movements.” To be sure, I logged nearly 30 countries across the world on Baba’s entourage. (Baba is the globally adopted alias for Obasanjo). This was until I began to dodge the drudgery and tedium of moving around and about with him. Before Obasanjo, I had worked back- to- back as publicist with one civilian Governor and two Military Administrators in my state: Prince Abubakar Audu; Colonel Paul Omeruo and Colonel Bzigu Afakirya.

CGI Nandap was already standing before us, before we even noticed when she eventually joined us. We rose in unison to our feet to return her civility once we saw her. Despite the ring of uniform-wearing and plain-clothed aides around her, her naturalness, her unassumingness, her humility shone bright. She apologised for keeping us waiting. She explained she was indeed going to request fo a rescheduling of our meeting with her, once impromptu engagements began to clog her itinerary for the day, so that our meeting with her will be worth the while. Having seen off her supervising Minister, Nandap still had a few other programmes to attend on a day like Friday, typically a “half day.”

Dr. Wale Fasakin spoke on behalf of the team. He presented as souvenir, a roll-up banner bearing the image of the CGI congratulating her on her merited appointment. Nandap was draped with a customised sash bearing the Better By Far inscription, emblazoned across the colour code of the University of Ilorin. Bolanle Olatunde stepped forward to decorate her with the Unilorin lapel pin. I did invite her to the public presentation of two of my newest books which took place early October. The event was chaired by three-time National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, GCON, with the media luminary, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, FNGE, CON, as “Professional Elder Statesman.” CGI Nandap’s colleagues in the Nigerian Police Force, (NPF); the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), and so on, attended. I had with me, autographed copies for presentation to her.

Kemi Nana Nandap who hails from Ogun State was born June 3, 1966, in Zaria. Like me, who was born in Kaduna, she epitomises the merits of our archetypal sociocultural interconnectedness, with her added spousal affiliations to Plateau State, to wit. This is not discounting her horizontal and vertical movements across the country on several postings and assignments on national service. These have helped to consummate her pan-Nigerian worldview. Last October, there were murmurings within Immigrations circles that Nandap had attained 35 years in service and was due for retirement, consistent with service conditions. Nandap was a member of Course 22 of the NIS Training School, Kano, which was commissioned on October 9, 1989. While it is true that she has completed 35 years in the public service, her Letter of Appointment specifies that she will hold office for a period of 18 months, all the way to October 2025. Her continued stay in office is therefore consistent with the terms of her appointment by the President, Commander-in-Chief.

A heavily decorated professional, CGI Kemi Nana Nandap continues, to lead with every passion a service which aims to approximate the attainments of pace-setting parallel agencies in other parts of the world, as the Nigerian Immigrations Service continues to reinvent itself.

Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja