CITIZENS COMPASS—Former Lagos State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Shem Obafaiye says he has retired from the Corps after years of active service.
He says this was why he did not wear an official kit after his recent promotion.
Citizens Compass had reported that Obafaiye was promoted alongside two of his colleagues as Deputies Commandant General of NSCDC by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
He disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
He said, “The president magnanimously approved, my minister of Interior as well, my now Oga at the top, the commandant general, the trio agreed that let him go home with this rank even after retirement”.
He revealed that the viral ‘Oga at the Top’ video affected him psychologically.
His words: “Definitely, it has to be because I have never gone through such in my life, but with the words of my cousin, ‘I know you have a future; if you are ready for national recognition, be ready for national embarrassment, harassment, and insults’.
“The name became viral globally, and it didn’t impact my life negatively, thgough from some quarters they projected it negatively.”
He also stated that, contrary to the news that made the rounds, he was not sacked but redeployed.
“I was not sacked, contrary to the news that was making the rounds. Immediately after the interview—and I was changed—my principal, who is my commandant general, just asked me to rest. I was at home for one month rest before they moved me to Oyo State Command,” he said.
Obafaiye rose to prominence in Nigeria after a notable interview on Channels Television in 2013.
During the interview, he was asked to state the NSCDC’s website for members of the public who would like to get information about the agency.
He said: “The one (website) that we are going to make use of is going to be made known by my Oga at the top. Yes. I can’t announce one now, and my Oga says it’s another one that we are going to use.
“If you want to know about NSCDC as at now. Ok, www.nscdc…. That’s all.”
The interview, which was compressed into a 1 minute 8 second video, quickly became viral on social media, with music DJs spinning a ‘remix of the interview and shirts with the ‘Oga at the top’ logo’ being sold on online stores.
Obafiaye also disclosed that he obtained a patent for the slogan.
“We have the certificate; my wife did it, so we have the patent. Anywhere I hear ‘Oga At the Top’ without permission, na money o,” he noted jovially.
