I was born in Nigeria on August 8, 1938. I grew up in Nigeria where I started my career by accident. I grew up under the colonial administration of the British government and education was a priority. If you want to get ahead in life you had to get educated. I did not have money, my family did not have money so I depended on my brain and scholarship to take me on. I went to the Nigerian College of Arts, Sciences and Technology to study sciences. All our teachers were British and Europeans. Then I went to the University of Ibadan then taught high school science in 2 secondary schools. But then there was an opportunity for further studies professionally so I applied for a scholarship to study medicine at the University of Ibadan. When I got there, they told us that there would be a new medical discipline called Physiotherapy. I did not know how to spell it! Because I had no money, I joined the examination for that. 13 of us passed, supposed to be the most brilliant in the class. Unfortunately I was the only one who graduated 3 or 4 years afterwards, so I became the first Nigeria-trained physiotherapist in Nigeria..
One of the people who really helped me establish who I am was the principal of my high school. I misbehaved once and he called me to his office. Instead of disciplining me, he said “Look, I want you to believe in yourself. As long as you believe in yourself and think positive, things will be fine.” I have never forgotten that advice.
During the Nigerian civil war, I was wounded. I was working as a physiotherapist at the university hospital. The war broke out; Ibos or members of my tribe, were being killed. I was living on campus in a privileged residence. I had a houseboy who was not from my tribe who reported that an Ibo was living there. The soldiers came for me. Fortunately, I escaped and hid in the bush for many weeks. But because I was the first Nigeria-trained physiotherapist, the university was interested in protecting me. So the university was looking for me and hiding me in professors’ houses until I was smuggled out of Nigeria to Britain. Because I was wounded and I had a bullet lodged in my armpit which I carried to London then to Canada, I had no inclination to return to Nigeria. The military government took over killing members of my tribe and things were bad.
My first experience in Canada was traumatic. On the way, the pilot announced that rebels had kidnapped the British Trade Commissioner and killed a Quebec minister and that there were tanks around the airport and on streets. I started regretting going to Canada. because I felt Canada was at war. I was afraid to leave the airport after immigration cleared me. Eventually I went to a hotel and told the manager I had no money. It was the first time I experienced Canadian kindness. He gave me a room and contacted Saskatoon. My host, Professor Hunt, later said they were waiting for me but I didn’t arrive.This gentleman helped me get on a plane to Saskatoon
My experience there was also terrible. It was very cold at the airport so I ran back in again. When Professor Hunt saw me, he gave me his coat and I was surprised the cars were plugged to electric outlets so they could start. But the most important shock I had was the accent. I could nor understand people’s accent and they could not understand mine. I was lonely, frustrated, had no friends, did not have cultural reference point and, worst of all, I could not have the food I liked.
At the hospital, my first patient screamed because she had never seen a black man before. I was so ashamed and angry that I wanted to leave. I preferred to die in Nigeria instead of being so disrespected. But my head of department was so mature and he said to her “ He is the only one with the technique to treat you. If you don’t like it then leave the hospital.” That convinced me to stay.
After finishing graduate studies in Saskatchewan, I went to Nigeria in 1972. The war had ended and we got news that a civilian government was going to come in. I went back to teach at the University of Ife but this only lasted 5 weeks. I had to run back again. They were still killing members of my tribe. So I left and came back to Canada and ended up in Toronto where I got a job as a physiotherapist under a Canada work or ministerial permit. From there I decided I should go as far as I can in this profession or find something else. But I was still hoping to go back to Nigeria. I went as far as I could in physio. I was head of department; provincial consultant; recruited to teach in the University of Western Ontario. It was there that I got exposed to other aspects of health care. I got interested in epidemiology and in health administration. UBC was one of five universities offering it. I had never been to BC before so I applied. I came to UBC in 1979 to do my Masters in Health Services Planning and Administration. I came with my wife who is Canadian, born in Canada but of Dutch descent. She had the greatest influence on me in terms of my acculturation, in terms of mixing cultures and finding ways to co-exist. She taught me the two cultures need to synthesize and I am very grateful for it.
In Vancouver, after my masters degree, I was approached by the university hospital president. He heard about the good work I did at the research institute and asked me to stay and help amalgamate the 3 branches of university hospital. So I stayed as Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Then I decided I wanted to go further in my education. I enrolled for the PhD program, working fulltime as head of department and fulltime student. Even before writing my thesis, I was approached by the dean of medicine and asked to head the program I trained in. I became Director of the Program in Health Services Planning and Administration. I was there for 10 years. I was fortunate to say I was the one who founded the MHA program.
One of my most memorable contributions is, as Chair of the Community Health Committee of the Vancouver Regional Health Board, I was instrumental in initiating and establishing the first community health centre in Vancouver, known as the Pacific Spirit Health Centre, and from there we now have other community health clinics that are contributing to improving the health of the population.
In Ontario, because I was lonely and searching for people of the same culture as me so that I could have a home away from home, I founded the Nigeria Association of London, ON so that a few of us, 6 or 7, would get together, eat our food, play our music, relate without being judged. I did the same thing in Toronto.
I did the same thing in Vancouver. I founded the Nigerian Association of BC. But before doing so, my home with my wife was the meeting place of all Africans, from Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe. During the festive season, Christmas, nobody went home. It was in our house they spent Easter or any of the holidays. We used to have sometimes 60, 70, 80 people and they would stay till 6 am just having a good time. Many felt grateful because they had contact. And I had to use my own experience, having been in Canada longer, to counsel them on things that tended to get them into trouble. For example, don’t beat your wife. Because you do so in your country does not mean you do that here. Second, no matter what your religion, the Canadian values, if you really want to succeed, you have to understand it. And how to use your values instead of being an outsider. Some of them had immigration problems so I would go with them to Immigration. Some of them who were getting married, I had to represent their father in the church and in ceremonies. I found myself playing so many roles, not just for Nigerians but for all Africans.Then I founded the Nigeria Association. The association became very important in the sense that it brought feuding tribes together.The association is still going on today.
I got involved in multiculturalism because of my earlier experiences. When I first came to Canada, there were many Canadians who helped me. I started noticing that they were really concerned about me as an immigrant. So I started helping other people, not only Africans. It doesn’t matter where you are from. Frankly, I have had more to do with non-Africans than with Africans in terms of advice or help. Because some Canadians were helping me adjust I felt I needed to pay back through mentoring. That brought me in contact with many cultures. By the time you know it, I was really very interested not only in cultures but in how we can get together.
Because many black youth get in trouble, I was one of those who founded the Black Educators Association of BC to provide role models, particularly to males. As time went on, I started pulling together different African groups. In fact when I was President of VMS, we hosted them in a discussion on how to participate in civic discourse. I noticed we, as blacks, were not significant, we have no voice. I felt that I should do what I can to champion their voice, even at my town peril. My wife, thank God, said I should get involved in the civic area. That’s how I got involved with VMS, AMSSA, BC Citizenship Council, the School Board Diversity Committee to help educate about our multiculturalism. I am proud that today there are many people having their voices heard. It’s good but you have to be persistent.
My view of multiculturalism is accommodation, not tolerance.Giving everybody the opportunity to sit at the table. We have a common stake in this country. As I said, I have been of more use to non-Africans. By way of advice, I say to my community and all other communities: Keep your culture. Be proud of who you are. Be yourself. However, when you are in the midst of others, when you interface with other cultures, make an attempt to understand who they are, the engine that drives them. Only then will they make an attempt to understand you. So that’s the first advice: accommodation. Second advice is that regardless of who you are, get involved in civic discussions.You may say I don’t count. The cumulative effect over the years will. So my advice to my community is you have to get involved. When challenged, you have an opportunity to educate the individual. Those two elements are very important to me and maybe as I’m aging gracefully, maybe one or two will listen to that.