The Nation Newspaper

Category: Tribute

  • Celebrating a visionary leader, Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s 75th posthumous birthday

    Celebrating a visionary leader, Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s 75th posthumous birthday

    By Bolaji Tunji

    If former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi were to be alive, he would have clocked the enviable age of seven scores and five. Unfortunately  he died about four years ago, June 25, 2020. However, his transition has not diminished the love that the people of Oyo State had for him. His name continues to hold fond memories of a man who was trusted with  a second term in office when  Oyo State was not known to give its governors a second term in office. This unique achievement earned him the sobriquet of Koseleri 1. Koseleri simple means not having occurred before.

    Nostalgically, the people of Oyo State, his political associates and family have continued to gather every December 16 to celebrate his achievements while in office and which earned the nickname, ‘Father of Modern Oyo State’. They have  continued with the promotion of good governance that he stood for in his lifetime. Through the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Foundation (SAAF) which was set up after his transition, the ideals of good governance continued to be promoted through the Annual Senator Abiola Ajimobi Roundtable. About four years ago, the Foundation entered into a collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan. The collaboration was to jointly continue with the roundtable which began during the tenure of the former Governor in 2018.

    Today, the Roundtable has contributed  to deepening the country’s democracy through its different themes which continue to resonate and promote good governance. This is attested to by the issue that have been the focus of the Roundtable. The theme of the maiden edition in 2018: The Imperatives of Building Institutions for Lasting Legacies in Nigeria was delivered by Prof Tunji Olaopa, the Current Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission. The  2nd Edition which coincided with the former Governor’s  70th birthday celebration had as its theme; Managing the Dynamics of Nigeria’s Advancement, the lecture was delivered by Professor Ayo Olukotun, late professor of International Relations.

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    The 2020 edition which was the 3rd in the series was entitled; States and the Burden of National Development : the socio-economic perspective, and was delivered by eminent scholar, Emeritus Professor John Ayoade. The theme for the 4th edition in 2021 was: Election Security and Good Governance in Nigeria, delivered by former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega. Professor Eghosa Osaghae, the Director General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) spoke on  Re-engineering Nigeria for Sustainable Development: Options, Costs and Prospects while the 2023 edition had Professor Isaac Olawale Albert, pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies delivering a lecture on Deepening Nigeria’s Democracy for Sustainable Development. On December 16, another Roundtable would be held with the theme; Legislative Oversight and Accountability: Challenges and Prospects. The lead paper would be  delivered by Prof Julius Ihonvbere, Majority Leader, House of Representatives. In all these, the idea was to continue the conversation on good governance and sustainable development.

    Beyond all these, the former Governor also endeared himself to the people of Oyo State through his various developmental projects. 

    Born on December 16, 1949, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi’s early life was marked by a strong foundation in education and public service. His father and grandfather were public servants, instilling in him a sense of duty and responsibility to the community . Ajimobi’s academic excellence took him to the United States, where he earned degrees in Business Administration and Finance from the State University of New York and an MBA from Governors State University .

    Ajimobi’s professional career spanned several industries, including insurance, finance, and oil marketing. He worked with top-tier companies like Equitable Life Assurance Corporation and Shell Petroleum, Nigeria, rising to become the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company. All these prepared him on his political voyage.

    His entry into politics marked a significant turning point in his life. In 2003, he was elected as Senator, representing Oyo South Senatorial District on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). As a senator, he served as the Deputy Minority Leader. He was said to have run one of the most efficient constituency offices in the country.

    In 2011, he was elected governor and went on to make history by becoming the first person to be elected as the Governor of Oyo State twice, serving from 2011 to 2019 . During his tenure, he implemented various developmental projects, including the construction of roads, schools, and healthcare facilities.

    In the State, his impact was tremendous, his strides were gigantic and filling the shoes he left behind becomes harder every day. As Governor, his administration was hinged on a tripod agenda of restoration, transformation and repositioning. It was this tripod that served as the superstructure on which the peace, security, development and social infrastructural rejuvenation of Oyo State were placed.

    To ensure adequate security across the State, he established, the popular Operation Burst, a joint Security Task Force with zonal commands of operations in Oyo, Iseyin, Kishi, Ogbomoso, Saki and Eruwa with headquarters in Ibadan. The Ajimobi administration also established a Security Trust Fund, the first in the history of the State which assisted with the funding of security operations and services across Oyo State.

    The Oyo State Safe City initiative also came on  stream leading to the establishment of CCTV cameras in strategic locations. Most importantly, he established the Oyo State Inter Religious/Inter Ethnic Committee (SIREC) which helped to entrench religious, inter-ethnic and communal harmony across the State. The effect of this was to ensure a peaceful State, reduction in criminality, a decrease in robbery incidents. As a result in 2018, Oyo State earned the honour of being the fifth most peaceful State in the country, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Under Senator Ajimobi as governor, businesses  thrived with an increase in Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) to the State.  There was a renaissance of nighttime economy. Hotels, Events centres, cinemas, nightclubs increased by 147 percent. Radio Stations were just six in number when Ajimobi took over governance in 2011, by the time he left, the State had about 40 radio stations. He also created the Oyo State anthem, among other achievements.

    An area where his impact was most felt was in social and infrastructural renewal. He ensured the dualisation of entry roads into major cities in the State, construction of 183 roads and seven bridges, rehabilitation and maintenance of 850 kilometers of roads.

     Ibadan, the State capital got a new look with the construction of modern roads. In areas of Housing, the administration was able to establish several housing estates while education got a major boost with strategic policies such as the School Governing Board Policy (SGB) which led to the active participation of all major stakeholders in the administration of public Secondary schools. A few States  in the country sent representatives to Oyo State to come and understudy the model. The Ajimobi administration also established a technical university, the first of its kind in Nigeria to provide technical manpower for the society. Suitably, the present governor,  Engineer Seyi Makinde has renamed the technical university after his predecessor in office.

    However, Senator Ajimobi’s legacy extends far beyond his political achievements. He was a devoted family man, married to Florence Ajimobi for about 40 years before his death, he was  a a proud father of five children . His commitment to his community was evident in his establishment of the Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Islamic Centre, a state-of-the-art mosque and Islamic center in Ibadan

    As we celebrate Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s 75th posthumous birthday, we remember his unwavering dedication to public service, his visionary leadership, and his unshakeable optimism. His life serves as a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

    As we honor his memory, we are reminded of the importance of leadership, integrity, and community service. May Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s legacy continue to inspire future generations of leaders and citizens to strive for excellence and to make a positive difference in the world.

    Tunji, former Special Adviser, Strategic Communication to former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, wrote from Abuja.

  • Alia inuagurates new security outfit Anyam Nyor

    Alia inuagurates new security outfit Anyam Nyor

    Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has called on well-meaning Benue sons and daughters to support his administration.

    He assured the people  that his administration will ensure the safety of every  citizen and create an environment where everyone will flourish. Governor Alia stated this during the  launch of the 5000 gallant officers of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG) code named; “Anyam Nyor”.

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    He donated 100 Hilux vehicles and 6000 special combatant motorcycles to security agencies to bolster security .

  • Randle family remembers patriarch

    Randle family remembers patriarch

    A thanksgiving service will be held tomorrow for the late Chief J.K. Randle.

    The former Lisa of Lagos died in 1956, at the age of 47.

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    The service will take place at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, at 2pm.

    Reception follows at X KPMG House, 1, King Ologunkutere Street, Park View, Ikoyi, Lagos (opposite Astoria Hotel).

  • Flowers for Onyema Ugochukwu’s octogenarian ascent

    Flowers for Onyema Ugochukwu’s octogenarian ascent

    • At 80, Onyema Ugochukwu’s life and legacy reflect a remarkable blend of humility, intellect, and impactful service. From his towering achievements in journalism and public service to the vibrant camaraderie he shares with family and friends, his milestone celebration in Abuja encapsulates a journey of excellence, resilience and pan-Nigerian significance.
    • By Tunde Olusunle

    Rest assured of convivial reception whenever you stop by his address in Abuja or back home in Umulenso, Umuahia, Abia State. Kolanuts, bitter kola, añara (egg plants), and ose oji (groundnut and pepper paste), receive you as is standard Igbo cultural practice. You savour the best of beverages, subject to your choice. The finest of Cognac XOs and VSOPs were preferences in years past. Properly aged whiskeys have become more fashionable as we all age and manage our wellness parameters. Wine connoisseurs and subscribers to softer liquids will also have their fill.

    Undoubtedly, he is a man of style. His sitting room typically snowballs into a theatre of vibrant discourse and robust conversations. The subject could be anything: Economy, politics, international affairs, sports and more. Get set to engage this living encyclopaedia. You will be amazed at the sharpness of his memory, the width of his insights and the depth of his interventions. He makes sure to congratulate me whenever my favourite team in the English Premier League (EPL), Arsenal, excels. He also sympathises with me when the outcome of a game is dampening and I wear a long face. He is that perspicacious.

    For his humongous attainments in life and the reverence he commands, Onyema Ugochukwu is a very humble, sober, maybe shy, temperate personality. He bestrode the corridors of the pristine Daily Times of Nigeria Plc with his towering frame. But he is a most amiable gentleman, an intuitive economist, a thorough-bred journalist, a painstaking administrator and thrifty personality. He is a diligent and loving husband, a caring and concerned father and a doting and grateful grandfather. He cherishes his quietude and abhors noise making. But he “loses” the battle when his grandchildren, predominantly boys for now, come visiting like they did on his recent 80th birthday. They wholly and effectively took over his house, spontaneously converting into a functional “amusement park!” But you could discern from his face the joy of grandfather-hood as he and his wife of 45 years, Joyce Ugochukwu, a veteran medical practitioner, try to moderate the energetic enthusiasm of the toddlers.

    Regular callers like us, those we call ama’la in Igbo, home boys that is, knew Ugochukwu would commemorate his ascent to the octogenarian hierarchies this year. I have been associated with him for about 35 years now since the charismatic media revolutionary, Yemi Ogunbiyi, gave me a job in the Daily Times in 1990. I was adopted by both paragons and I have never been far from them. I have a fair idea of milestones close to their hearts. Ugochukwu’s Abuja home underwent a tangible makeover which he always complained to me upset his equilibrium while the process was on. Just in case he thought the lawn in front of his house where a number of family events took place in the past would suffice for his 80th, however, his children, select kinsmen and friends had other plans.

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    Ugochukwu’s trajectory commands thanksgiving in every way. He was the third of seven children. Except for his immediate younger sister, Chinyere Achinivu, all the others are no longer with us. More touching is the fact that none of his siblings attained the age of 70, nay 80. There was therefore no shying away from celebrating the goodness of God. From New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Warri, family members, relatives, in-laws, friends, former colleagues were already streaming into Abuja days before the programme. Boisterousness and festivity enveloped the air, setting the stage for a memorable event.

    A thanksgiving service was held at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Cathedral of Unity, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Saturday November 9, 2024, the very date of Ugochukwu’s milestone and was attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Flagbearer of Labour Party, (LP) during the 2023 elections, Peter Obi and former Permanent Secretary and Ambassador at various times, Godknows Igali and his wife, were also present. Obasanjo used the opportunity to pay tribute to Ugochukwu who was his Director of Publicity back in 1998, when he, Obasanjo, first dabbled into partisan politics. He acknowledged the name-calling Ugochukwu endured from his kinsmen at the time. They could not fathom why he chose to work for Obasanjo, when former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, also from the Igbo country, was contesting the same election. He celebrated Ugochukwu for his multi-sectoral contributions to national development. He lauded him in particular for emplacing a sustainable road map for implementation by the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), as foundation Chairman, over two decades ago.

    Rainbow Marquee and Event Centre in Garki, Abuja was the venue of the reception. Days before, Ugochukwu was apprehensive about the cavernous size of the auditorium, noting it might just be half empty with the kind of restrictions placed on attendance. By the time he and his family joined his guests straight from church, however, Ugochukwu was astounded. He barely could believe what his “eyes were telling him.” The marquee was brimming and bustling. His guests by the way were not from the mass of those admonished by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to eat wherever they found food! Sometimes in life, we never know the depth of veneration we command in people’s hearts, until we are privileged to be honoured at events like Ugochukwu’s.

    What could have been more gratifying than having former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar; former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali and his wife Marian and former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, topping your guest list? Senator representing Ugochukwu’s Abia Central Zone, Austin Akobundu, who chaired the programme, and the House of Reps member representing the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Obi Aguocha, were in attendance. Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator for Abia South Zone, was represented by his wife, Florence Nwamaka, while former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Oko Chukwu Ude, also graced the occasion. So did former Health Minister, Professor Alphonsus Nwosu and his wife; former Senators representing Abia Central, Chris Adighije and Nkechi Nwogu, and running mate to Ugochukwu during his gubernatorial quest in 2006/2007, Chinwe Nwanganga and his wife.

    Other dignitaries at the event included Olusegun Runsewe, former Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC); Nebolisa Emodi, retired Permanent Secretary, State House Administration and Reverend Benson Ezem, Chairman of Cosmo Base Group and his wife. Uba Agadaga, former member of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC); Nonso Ogbunamiri, a Lagos-based multi-preneur; Umeh Kalu, SAN, former Attorney-General, Abia State, and Handel Okoli, also a renowned attorney and adviser in the Obasanjo/Atiku government, made it to the event. Segun Ilori, Legal Adviser, Green Energy Ltd, and Tivlumun Nyitse, Professor and former Chief of Staff in Benue State, honoured the programme. Emeritus Librarian, the septuagenarian Tunji Okegbola; adviser to the former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Nwosu and his wife; long-serving media adviser to Babatunde Fashola (SAN), former Lagos State Governor, who was also Works Minister, Hakeem Bello, topped the Daily Times alumni who celebrated their senior colleague. Paul Mumeh, media aide to former President of the Senate, David Mark; Joe Ibekwe, Convener of the FLED International Leadership Institute, and long-time Ugochukwu photographer, Tumo Ojelabi, all of them Timesmen, showed up for their former boss.

    From the NDDC family, “ancient and modern,” came former Managing Director who was also pioneer Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, Timi Alaibe. There was also the former NDDC Commissioner for Cross River State, Prof Eyong Nyong; the recently retired legal adviser to the Commission, Steve Igbomuaye and former protocol head, now multibillionaire entrepreneur, Julius Rone representing the old era. Incumbent Chairman of the Commission, Chiedu Ebie; Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku; Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Boma Iyaye, topped the present generation of the NDDC leadership. Not forgetting the Corporate Affairs Director of the organisation, Seledi Wakama.

    The NDDC solidarity was as remarkable in numbers as it was in goodwill. They supported the production of two books to commemorate the event. Obasanjo wrote the foreword to one of the books, Galvanising Development in the Niger Delta: Selected Engagements by Onyema Ugochukwu, jointly edited by this writer and the eminent journalist, John Araka. The second publication, a dedicated anthology of tributes to Ugochukwu, titled Testaments and Testimonials: Celebrating Onyema Ugochukwu at 80, was edited by Tunde Olusunle. The work is an anthology of about 90 attestations to Ugochukwu, predominantly by professional colleagues, old and young. Hakeem Bello one of the contributors to the volume, fittingly describes it as a “collector’s item.”

    What better way to profile an anthology with contributors from the media like: Yemi Ogunbiyi; Dan Agbese; Tola Adeniyi; Felix Adenaike; Lade Bonuola; Olu Obafemi; Chidi Amuta; Godini Gabriel Darah; Ben Obi; Dare Babarinsa and Ayo Akinkuotu? Tributes from Solomon Odemwingie; Emma Agu; Lanre Idowu; Omar Farouk Ibrahim; Lanre Idowu; Ohi Alegbe; Nduka Nwosu; Gbenga Adefaye; Eniola Bello; Idang Alibi; Gboyega Okegbenro; Olusegun Adeniyi; Segun Ayobolu; Segun Ilori; Lizzy Ikem, Angela Agoawike and Martins Oloja also feature. Gbenga Ayeni; Tunde Rahman; Al Bishak; Salisu Na’inna Dambatta; Lawal Ogienagbon and Dan Akpovwa, equally celebrate Ugochukwu in this volume.

    Ugochukwu’s globality resonates from the pages of this book. You find a man who is Igbo by birth and origin, but pan-Nigerian in thought and outlook. Ugochukwu’s colleagues, friends and associates come from all over. Tunde Ipinmisho, an Emeritus Editor who served under Ugochukwu in Daily Times always remarks about Ugochukwu’s politeness and culturedness: “He tells you ‘thank you’ for whatever you do for him, no matter how little,” Ipinmisho says. The 319-page innovative assemblage of tributes is indeed a treasure trove. The two books presented at the programme were published by the rising Ibadan-based Kraft Books Ltd and reviewed by Gbenga Ibileye, Professor of English at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL). They were formally presented at the reception and handed over to guests for free, consistent with the desire of the honouree.

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar noted at the event, that at the height of his famous acrimony with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ugochukwu refused to take sides. According to him, Ugochukwu was a conciliator who tried as much as he could, to mediate between both sides. He described Ugochukwu as an “extremely dedicated and passionate Nigerian, a credible and perfect gentleman.” Turning to Mrs Ugochukwu on the table they all sat, Atiku said: “Madam, you are very fortunate to have him.” He prayed for good health and many more years for Ugochukwu. Akobundu expressed utmost delight at the rare honour of chairing Ugochukwu’s landmark, a legend he defers to as Dee, (elder in Igbo) and leader.” The revelry flowed over to the home of the Ugochukwus, late into the night, with still a lot to savour.

    •Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), teaches Creative Writing at the University of Abuja

  • Doyen of NUJ politics Jola Ogunlusi turns 90

    Doyen of NUJ politics Jola Ogunlusi turns 90

    One-time National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Jola Ogunlusi, is 90 today (September 25). LAWAL OGIENAGBON pays tribute to him as he joins the exclusive Club of Nonagenarians.

    When he started journalism in 1963, Comrade Jola Ogunlusi, who turns 90 today, did so without forgetting his first love of medicine. To him, journalism was just a stopgap, pending his becoming a doctor. For several years after his first job as a reporter at Iwe Iroyin, the first newspaper in Nigeria, which was printed in Yoruba, Ogunlusi tried to become a doctor. He wrote the ordinary level examinations in chemistry and physics on many occasions in order to obtain the requisite qualification to study medicine at the university.

    According to him, he sat for chemistry more than seven times, and on each occasion, he flunked the examinations. He then gave up and faced journalism, where he left indelible marks after decades of service.

    Many of today’s journalists were not born when Ogunlusi started journalism. Many also were still in nappies when he took his exit from the profession. He left after serving as pioneer National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for about 15 years. It may not be wrong to describe NUJ as the baby of Ogunlusi and others like the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande who midwifed the birth of the union on March 15, 1955.

    Ogunlusi did not go into journalism by choice.  Circumstances beyond his control forced him into this business of “he said”, “they said”, “according to”, “meanwhile”, and “all efforts… proved abortive.”

    In a 20l3 interview with the Vanguard, Ogunlusi recounted his foray into journalism: “I came into journalism in 1963 by accident. I needed something to do back then, so I took the job out of survival. My dream was to be a medical doctor. Even 10 years after my sojourn in journalism, I was still aiming to go into medicine. Sincerely, I would have left journalism if I had passed chemistry and physics. I failed chemistry more than seven times and I was in the profession till 1977 as an investigative reporter until I became fully the first National Executive Secretary of NUJ.” Three years before his exit, he had, in 1974, won a brand new Olympia typewriter prize for the best investigative reporter.

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    Ogunlusi was in Form IV at Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Ikole Ekiti, when he left for financial reasons. As his parents could no longer fund his education, he dropped out of school to fend for himself. He left school, burning with the ambition of becoming a doctor. He became a pupil teacher and sat for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) ordinary level examinations as a private student. Ogunlusi’s first port of call for a job was Iwe Iroyin, which was founded on December 3, 1859. From Iwe Iroyin, Ogunlusi crossed over to Nigerian Tribune, then Daily Sketch, where he was seconded to Gbohungbohun, the Yoruba title in that stable, and finally, New Nigeria.

    Ogunlusi was a reporter’s reporter. He was bold, courageous and fearless. It was the season of politics and its myriad crises. With Ogunlusi practising in the west, he was caught in the turmoil in the region following the dispute between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ladoke Akintola. The crises consumed the First Republic, with the military taking over power in 1966.

    That military interregnum became an era that defined the political evolution of Nigeria. Ogunlusi saw it all, capturing events as they unfolded for the Nigerian Tribune, where he was then. He was not an armchair reporter, but a field man who experienced firsthand the breaking and making of stories by news makers, who sometimes, after realising the implications of their statements attempted to deny those remarks and claimed that they were misquoted.

    Ogunlusi had such an experience in the line of duty. He was saved because he got a copy of the statement read by the newsmaker at the press conference which he covered for the New Nigeria. According to him, “those days, we did not have access to portable recording gadgets like you have in present times. We did most of our reporting in long hand. In fact, we were not even advised to use tape recorders. I remember the training I got, that if you had to do an investigative story, you were not to carry a notebook or anything that will show that you were a journalist. If possible, you should hide a piece of paper and your biro such that nobody would notice it. By the time you were talking to people, they would respond confidently without them knowing who you really were. Back then, people were afraid of journalists; once they knew that you were a journalist, they would definitely conceal information…”

    His philosophy of taking whatever life throws at one has paid off. Though he did not become a doctor, Ogunlusi made a name for himself in journalism. “My philosophy about life is that whatever you do in life, do it well and make a mark. Like I said earlier, I came into journalism by accident. But I had it in mind that I would make a mark for which I would be remembered for what I achieved. I would not have ventured into journalism because I struggled to be a medical doctor, but, as fate would have it, hard work paved the way for me in journalism and I was privileged to have trained some seasoned journalists…”

    Those of us who were fortunate to meet Ogunlusi as NUJ secretary when we started practising remember him, usually clutching a folder bag everywhere he went. The folder contained mostly documents and press releases which he distributed on foot from one newsroom to the other. There were no dispatch riders then as we know them today. He was a regular face in newsrooms as he pursued one union matter or the other. He was the soul of the NUJ, and he ran the secretariat as a full-time employee. He worked with many presidents from Michael Asaju to Bola Adedoja to George Izobo and to Sani Zorro, a member of my own generation of journalists, before he handed over to George Anyakora.

    At 90, Ogunlusi has come a long way from Ayedun Ekiti, his hometown in Ikole Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State, traversing many parts of the country for the cause of journalism, the country and the people. Few years ago, he had a ghastly road crash around Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. He was rushed to the General Hospital in the town unconscious. Ever the journalist, when he regained consciousness, he asked for a pen and paper.

    Under the watchful eyes of doctors and nurses, he wrote: “Please, tell Governor Segun Osoba that his brother is here and could die any moment as a result of a motor accident.” There was pin-drop silence as the hospital workers looked at one another. When the note got to Osoba, he rushed down in a convoy and directed the hospital to do everything to save Ogunlusi’s life.

    Ogunlusi survived and today he is 90. Ten years ago when he turned 80, he documented his years as a journalist and union leader in a book titled NUJ: A History of Nigerian Press. It was a controversial book which pitched him against some past leaders of NUJ, who thought that it was too revealing. As Ogunlusi joins the exclusive Club of Nonagenarians, journalists old and young are coming together to celebrate him.

    The Lagos Chapter of the League of Veteran Journalists (LVJ) will, on October 8, hold a lecture in his honour. The lecture, with the theme: “Jola Ogunlusi: Life of a Journalist after Retirement” will be delivered by Chief Eric Teniola, a former Editor at The Punch, and retired Director of Information and Press at the Presidency.

    Before this, a thanksgiving service organised by his friends and associates will be held on Saturday (September 28) at the Church of Pentecost, 21 Road FESTAC Village Lagos. Ogunlusi deserves all the accolades, honour and celebrations.

    •Happy birthday, sir

  • ‘He fearlessly led battle against oppression of media men’

    ‘He fearlessly led battle against oppression of media men’

    .By Bolaji Kareem

    Yesterday, former National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Jola Ogunlusi, clocked 90 years. His friends and associates have planned a thanksgiving service for Saturday, September 28, at the Church of Pentecost, 21, Road, FESTAC Village, to give praise to God for preserving the life of the man who crossed many turbulent waves, along with others to make Journalism and its practitioners get to the Promised Land in professionalism and unionism.

    Ogunlusi has cause to praise God for sparing his life. He was humiliated, suffered setbacks, survived a motor accident, was incarcerated and even mocked by his peers in his younger days at Ayedun Ekiti.

    Because of his poor background he could not complete his secondary school education. He dropped out at Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Ikole Ekiti, in Form Four, due to the financial crisis. He ended up as a pupil teacher and studied privately at home for the General Certificate of Education (GCE).  His love for politics and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s ideology made him join the services of Africa Newspapers of Nigeria, Publishers of Nigeria Tribune and Iroyin Yoruba. This was in the early 60s when a political crisis had engulfed the popular Wild, Wild West and Chief Awolowo was incarcerated.

    Then it was a crime to buy or read Tribune titles, openly. He joined the Iroyin Yoruba as a reporter under the late Pa Olu Olofin. His passion for welfarism and trade unionism in the 1960s grew as he was influenced by Comrade J. O. James to join the United Labour Congress of Nigeria, as an Assistant Secretary. Because of the poor financial standing and political victimisation of Tribune workers, he orked for months without a salary.  Ogunlusi, to keep body and soul together, was also a freelance reporter for Africa Arts Magazine and LAMP Magazine. He was discovered by Chief Ayo Adedun, who eventually made him take up an appointment with Western State Government Newspaper, Sketch Press Limited, where he was seconded to Gboungboun, the Yoruba publication of the newspaper.

    Chief Mike Pearse later assisted him in gaining employment with the New Nigeria newspapers. His journey into full-fledged trade unionism started in the late 70s when NUJ was at its peak of leadership crisis, which led to Michael Asaju and Sidi Ali Sirajo’s factions. The union was then operating a controversial constitution. Luckily for Ogunlusi, he found himself in the camp of Asaju’s faction which became the reorganised faction by the government.

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    I remember the brunt I had with Igwa’s group when I used the photograph of Chief Asaju to illustrate a page I planned in the Herald Newspaper. At the editorial conference, the Editor, Alhaji Yakubu Abdulazeez, had to put his feet down to overrule views of the likes of Dan Ikunaye and Alfred Ilenre, who were in Sidi Ali Sijaro’s camp. They insisted we must not use Asaju’s photograph. While on a facility tour in Cuba, Sirajo was in charge of his group, mostly Northern journalists, who were sympathetic to his course except Plateau, Borno and Kwara states. There was no active NUJ unionism in the northern states. This was the period that Ogunlusi’s NUJ Secretariat succeeded in dragging the union to a full-fledged professional and trade union body, fighting for oppressed journalists.

    Many decrees and draconian laws, like albatross, were hanging on the necks of media practitioners in Nigeria. Despite that the crisis, which started in Jos, was not resolved at the Akure delegates’ conference, which led to the emergence of the Alhaji Bola Adedoja executive, the offshoot of Asaju’s recognised camp, Ogunlusi and his new boss, Adeoja, continued to forge ahead, fighting in all fronts to stabilise journalism practice which was in serious battles with the government and media owners.

    At the same time, many journalists lacked a professional background and there was the need to look for avenues to train them within and outside the country.

    Having been influenced by Comrade Tunji Otegbeye and Wahab Goodluck, hard-liners in trade unionism, Ogunlusi succeeded in getting training facilities, especially in the socialist Eastern Europe.

    At a go, 33 Journalists proceeded on three-month courses at the International Ogranisation of Journalists (IOJ) in Bulgaria. It is on record that during Ogunlusi’s headship of NUJ Secretariat, from Michael Asaju, Bola Adedoja, Geoge Izobor, to Sanni Zoro, 101 journalists were sponsored for various courses in Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Russia and United States as well as other facility tours, outside Africa, apart from local training.

    One of the beneficiaries was Prince Mola Olaniyan, who was NUJ Chairman in Kwara State, where I was Vice Chairman while the late Chief Jide Adebayo was secretary. I took over the running of the Kwara NUJ as Acting Chairman when he travelled until I relocated to Oyo State,  where I served consecutively as a two-term secretary.

    Apart from foreign courses, NUJ, during his tenure as National Secretary, contributed a lot to sustain and project the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ) as well as laying the foundation for the establishment of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ). When some females who were not journalists in electronic media were parading themselves as journalists, the George Izobor/Ogunlusi executive cut them to size, by creating the Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ).

    NUJ Secretariat under Comrade Ogunlusi became highly respected as an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the extent that NLC would not go for negotiations without one NUJ member on its teams. The Ogunlusi Secretariat, on its own also, fought relentlessly the injustice meted to its members. The sack of Vera Ifudu by the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) for reporting the missing N2.1 billion oil fund was a good example. NUJ declared a trade dispute against the NTA management and got the reporter reinstated.

    Many journalists who were laid off in The Herald in Kwara State were reabsorbed by the Tribune, Sketch and Oyo State Ministry of Information due to lobbies from NUJ.

    Ogunlusi was a rigid, conservative scribe whose loyalty to his boss on many occasions was his undoing. When a reformation group moved to unseat Alhaji Bola Adedoja to create a more NUJ with a broad outlook, Ogunlusi with some of us from the Western Zone opposed the move, which eventually, dethroned Adedoja and paved the way for George Izobor. This was the beginning of his pending exit from the secretariat. Though George Izobor and his deputy Nasir Zaharadeen meticulously accommodated Ogunlusi to run the affairs of the NUJ, after broadening NUJ secretariat with creation of zones, those who came after them, succeeded in retiring him without making proper arrangements to offset his entitlement, which, unfortunately, are still pending till today.

    A cat with many lives, Ogunlusi almost lost his life in a motor accident along Ijebu Ode Road. Unconscious Jola, when he regained his memory at the General Hospital, asked for a pen and piece of paper, where he scribbled “Please tell Governor Segun Osoba that his brother is here and could die any moment as a result of a motor accident.

    The hospital workers were disturbed by the write-up, a brother to our serving governor? Was this man insane? They were ruminating until the hospital management took the badly written message to Governor Osoba, who in a convoy with a blasting siren rushed down. Sighting the NUJ secretary on the bed with tears rolling down his cheeks, sobbing Governor Osoba instructed the hospital management to do everything in its power to bring him (Ogunlusi) back to life. Thank God who answered Chief Osoba’s prayer and the cooperation of Ogun State Hospital Management, perhaps this (90) year’s anniversary might have not been possible after all. May God bless his new age.

    Kareem, a veteran journalist and former Commissioner for Works and Transport in Oyo State, wrote from Ibadan

  • As Marwa clocks 3 scores and 11

    As Marwa clocks 3 scores and 11

    • By Femi Babafemi

    The name Marwa resonates with most Nigerians. In modern times, it is a name that is remembered for good reasons: a recurring decimal in the Nigerian military over the past 100 years; a reference point for excellent public administration in the past 30 years.

    Among Nigeria’s humongous population of about 220 million, less than 2, 000 bear the name, but the mere mention of it in public or private conversations most certainly evokes the picture of one person in particular. The best-known bearer of the name is none other than Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) CON, OFR, former Military Administrator of Lagos and present Chairman and CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Buba Marwa, as he is popularly known, venerated the family name, so much so that those conversant with his pedigree view the retired General as excellence personified. Where some appreciate him for what he has done in the past, many appreciate him more for what he is currently doing at NDLEA, where he has reinvigorated the country’s effort to curb the ravages of illicit drugs and halt the reigns of trafficking gangs and barons.

    People in his inner circle, those who have been around him and those who have worked with him in management, aren’t overly surprised at Marwa’s exploits. They will tell you he’s as constant as the North Star. He can be trusted to deliver on any assignment. In that regard, Lagos is one of his testaments. Once too often, you hear nostalgic recollections of the “Days of Marwa” from Lagosians. Occasionally, you come across developments that are rooted in the legacies of his time. That tells you his name is strongly knitted in the tapestry of contemporary Lagos. 

    From his background, one can deduce that service is the lifeblood of the Marwa family―a family strongly rooted in military service; from his grandfather, Buba Yola, to his father, Buba Marwa; from himself to his younger brother and then to his son. Three generations of the Marwa have served this country, and another generation is currently in the service of the Nigerian Army.

    As a soldier, Buba Marwa is well decorated. His military career was characterised by command and staff appointments that include Deputy Defence Adviser at the Nigerian Embassy, Washington DC, and Defence Attachee at the Mission of Nigeria to the UN, New York (1993-1996); Registrar of the Nigeria Defence Academy (1992-1993); military governor of old Borno State (1990-1992); and military administrator of Lagos (1996-1999).

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    Part of the allure of the Marwa personality, however, lies in his good nature and warm character. He has a Pan-Nigerian outlook forged in the furnace of his peripatetic education (in Enugu, Zaria, Abeokuta, Lagos and Kaduna) and military service across the country (north, south, east and west). Marwa, a firm believer in the oneness of Nigeria, is well-loved anywhere in this country, a fact attested to by his more than 30 chieftaincy titles across the country. A good Muslim. A simple man. Cosmopolitan. Broadminded. Kind. Principled. Endeared to many in Nigeria, Africa and the world.

    Marwa the person is a man of quiet disposition, decorum and humility, despite his towering accomplishments. As for his accomplishment, the more you look, the more you see. Sometimes, too, one is tempted to think of him in a literal sense as “The 11th Man” who makes a difference.

    He was the 11th Governor of Borno State, where his legacies now dot the landscape of Borno and Yobe. As the 11th Chairman of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON, he is remembered for his revolutionary leadership that awakened resourcefulness. He was the 11th Military Administrator of Lagos State, where his imprint is still visible all over Lagos aside from such glaring reminders as Keke Marwa and Marwa Garden. Now as the 11th Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, he has turned around the Agency and earned it a pride of place in the global standing.

    Human exploits fossilised over time and great men became yesterday’s men, remembered only when we open the history book. Not so with Marwa. Post-military service, he has managed to remain the man of the moment by dint of hard work and results at DICON, as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, at PACEDA and now at NDLEA.

    In a way, NDLEA is Marwa’s introduction to the younger generations of Nigerians. And what an introduction. The Agency set up 34 years ago, went into the doldrums until it was brought out of limbo by the famous Marwa’s Midas touch.

    Every week, the Nigerian public is served a digest of seizures of illicit drugs and the arrests and convictions of drug traffickers and barons.

    We are seeing all over again the same pattern of achievements that characterised his administration of Lagos, for which he was acclaimed  “Nigeria’s Man of the Year 1997” by Newswatch magazine.

    The reforms he started at NDLEA have attracted accolades at home and abroad. From obscurity, NDLEA is suddenly basking in the limelight and regarded as one of the top  anti-narcotic agencies around the world.

    Medals are earned for results. And that is Marwa’s metier: achieving results. That has earned him medals and honours, including a military Distinguished Service Star (DSS) in 1998, national honours of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2003 and Commander of the Niger (CON) in 2023. He has earned the public’s respect, in addition to a slew of leadership accolades from respected media such as Leadership, The Sun, Vanguard, Blueprint and Champion, among others.

    As he turns 71 on September 9, 2024, he deserves our good wishes. We wish a happy birthday to a man who is a good example of how to serve one’s country; we wish good health and more to a man whose achievement is a statement that service to one’s country is a lifelong duty.

    •Babafemi is the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Abuja

  • Israel Adebajo: A visionary industrialist and football promoter

    Israel Adebajo: A visionary industrialist and football promoter

    • By Adeyinka Adeniji

    Amidst palpable tension cascading the entire country about a planned mass protest against bad governance, and just as citizens groan under economic hardship occasioned by policy reforms, another 25th of August may sneak past Nigeria’s and Lagos State’s football governing bodies, and the entire sports community, without a word in remembrance of one of its most outstanding outgone icons.

    But the utter neglect by those concerned with the preservation of sports legacy in the country cannot be sincerely ascribed to the crunching, stiffly economic reality of the period because year in year out, observers have waited in vain for a pronouncement, at least, in memory of one Lagos indigene who did so much in sports development in Nigeria and Lagos State in particular.

    It will be exactly 55 years since the death of Pa Israel Adebajo, a pioneering pre-independence industrialist and football club owner, who left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s economic and sporting landscape.

    Born in the early 20th century, late Pa Adebajo was a visionary entrepreneur who recognised the potential of Nigeria’s industrial sector long before independence.

    Entrepreneur, football lover, employer of labour

    Adebajo established several businesses, providing essential goods, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth. Prominent among his numerous businesses were the Nigerian Office Stationary Supply (NOSS) Stores and its manufacturing arm, Nigeria Paper Converters Limited.

    He remains one of those whose business acumen and innovative spirit helped lay the foundation for Nigeria’s economic development, earning him a reputation as a pioneering entrepreneur.

    Directly and indirectly, he is reputed as one of the highest indigenous employers in Lagos during his time.

    Founded Stationery Stores FC

    Pulling back profit from his stationery production and distribution investments, into sports and youth development, Adebajo demonstrated passion for excellence, social integration and commitment to love for his state of birth, Lagos.

     Deserves state recognition

    In the opinion of keen followers of history of football club ownership, its evolution and history in Nigeria, if there is anything like a Lagos Hall of Fame, whether for sports or job creation, late Pa Adebajo‘s remarkable contributions to youth and sports development in Lagos, and by extension, Nigeria, makes a strong case for a prominent place of recognition.

    His unprecedented, unmatched strides

    For keen observers and students of history, Pa Adebajo manifested a never-seen-before faith in and patriotism to Lagos by founding Stationery Stores Football Club. Unprecedentedly too, he had his name and company so closely associated with his football club, an uncommon act in that era.

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    Israel’s commitment to football development helped lay the foundation for Nigeria’s football success. Apart from being first to own a club in his name, as a pan-African to the core, Adebajo Babes were the first football side to sign professional players from outside the country.

    All these, the late Noforija-born philanthropist and business mogul did during the 60s and 70s, when football clubs were owned by conglomerates like Leventis, the United Africa Company (UAC), Nigeria Railway Corporation, and Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN), to mention but a few.

     Philanthropist who sponsored the NFA

    At a time, Israel became a financier of the soccer administration in Nigeria. This, he did, through resources donated to the Nigerian Football Association. No wonder he was elected treasurer of the association and supervised its finances during the construction of the National Stadium, Surulere. He literally donated his football club to Lagosians

    It was never difficult and raises little or no argument, anytime, to say that late Pa. Adebajo founded a football club, invested in and nurtured it, and then donated it to ever-vibrant Lagos soccer lovers who found a team that represents their fun, passion, and aspirations.

     Stores and Lagosians

    Also known as ‘The Stores’, the club became the darling of Lagosians, amassing fanatical fan base through their exceptional exploits in football leagues and competitions, both within the country and on the African continent.

    Almost every Lagos resident was presumed as a Stores Fan. This was because Lagosians who support other sides in the state, at a time like Julius Berger FC, were ever quick to support Stores in any match, having become a symbol of unity among soccer fans.

    Onikan, home pitch of Stores

    The club competed at the government-owned Onikan Stadium, which was later named after a former Governor, Mobolaji Johnson. But, unknown to them, fans of visiting teams came with the mind of visiting a stadium ‘owned by a club’.

    The Flaming Flamingos, or Stores, as the club is also known, to Lagosians, represented what FC Barcelona is to Catalans or Catalonians in Spain.

    Single-handedly financed by Israel Adebajo, Stores represented Lagos State in various competitions, winning laurels to her glory. A total of 13 Lagos State Challenge Cups, the preliminary round for the Nigerian FA Cup, and four National FA Cup competitions were among laurels won by SSFC of Lagos.

    Single handedly projected Lagos to the world

    In the 60s, Pa Adebajo, using Stationery Stores as instrument, placed Lagos State in the limelight before global football followers, through frequent friendly games with clubs from Europe, Asia and the Latin Americas.

    Beyond Lagos

    Beyond the state, it would be hard to find a Nigerian of Adebajo’s era who demonstrates a greater commitment to sports and youth development than the Lagos-born Football Club owner.

    Being a founding member of the Nigerian Football Association (NFA), and who played a crucial role in popularising the sports in the country, Adebajo’s contribution to youth and sports development in Nigeria deserves national recognition.

    Onikan already renamed

    Unarguably, a former governor, deceased or alive, deserves to be immortalised. It is also in the prerogative of a sitting governor to so determine. However, those close to survivors of Pa Adebajo, his children and associates were shocked the day Onikan, the ‘home’ stadium of Stores was named after pioneer Governor of Lagos State.

    What this meant to them was that a verbal promise by former Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), to name Oníkan stadium after Adebajo, had lost whatever was left in terms of chances of becoming a reality any day.

     Others honoured

    Those who followed Adebajo’s path by founding Football Club’s and associating the same with their names, though with lesser achievements than Stationery Stores in terms of laurels and terrain in which they navigated, have received due recognition from successive governments of their respective states.

    Abiola Babes in Ogun, Iwuanyanwu Nationals, in Imo, Lekan Salami in Oyo, Amesiamaka in Rivers, to mention but a few. Nonetheless, Adebajo’s inspiring legacies remains confined in the cell of unpushed aspirations.

    Calls for Adebajo’s Immortalisation

    This is why Stores lovers across board are of the opinion that the incumbent Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, should seize the opportunity of the proposed Epe township stadium to correct what has long be an uninspiring neglect of Pa Adebajo’s lofty legacies.

    The likes of MKO Abiola, undeclared winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, and recently-passed Chief Emmanuel Inwauanyanwu, who founded and financed Football Clubs in their name in the manner of Adebajo, were both immortalised before their death; friends, family and fans of the ‘Flaming Flamingos’ now desperately wait on Governor Sanwo-Olu to make use of the proposed Epe Township stadium to immortalise Pa Israel Adebajo.

    The observant Football community in Nigeria and beyond are curiously looking forward to what they hope to one day describe as ‘the dawn after a long slumber’ for soccer administrators in Lagos.

    Lagos has a role to play

    However, it is worthy of note that his home state of Lagos has a role to play in projecting Pa Adebajo’s heroics for official recognition from the Federal Government. Immortalising Israel Adebajo, is long-overdue.

    Governor Sanwo-Olu’s action, it is believed, would not only inspire the present and incoming generation, it will also engender a principle of due effort due recognition, a symptom of integrity, for which Mr. Sanwo-Olu is known for.

    Other areas where the Governor may decide to immortalise Pa Adebajo, other than naming a stadium or sports facility after them includes but no limited to: establishing a scholarship or awards program in his honour; creating a museum or exhibit dedicated to his life and achievements; hosting an annual football tournament or event in his memory and unveiling a statue or monument in his honour.

  • Yayi: Senator extraordinaire @55

    Yayi: Senator extraordinaire @55

    By Kayode Odunaro

    In the highest legislative body in Nigeria, the Senate, populated by many former state governors, speakers of House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly, retired top military officers, professors, and other influential Nigerians, whose average age hovers around 65, it takes lot of doings not only to roll with the “big boys” but to be “a turn-to man” among your colleagues.  It takes loyalty, trustworthiness, hard work, professional competence and cognate legislative experience to be singled out to perform a national duty or give opinion on serious legislative matters. Such is Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, representing Ogun West Senatorial District. He is popular with the sobriquet ‘Yayi’.

    Currently serving Nigeria as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Yayi at age 55 years has rendered quality representation to the people he has represented at all levels of legislature as well as served the nation meritoriously leading to his being awarded the national honour of the Commander of the Order of Niger, CON. Indeed, Yayi is a man with many historical accomplishments in his legislative career spanning over 21 years and still counting. He has won 6 competitive democratic elections back to back from the state legislature through the House of Representatives at the federal level to now serving in the Senate for a third term. Again, unprecedentedly, Yayi moved from serving in a senatorial district in one state to another senatorial district in another state with him at some point being a senator in one state and a senator-elect in another state. The record can only be rivaled in the future if possible. A real case of “No Rival”.

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    Senator Adeola did not achieve his current enviable status in the political sphere of the nation overnight. It took dint of hard work in the private sector and progressives’ political tutelage that kicked off in the populous Alimosho Local Government of Lagos State. He tasted his first political position as the elected state legislator representing Alimosho State Constituency1in Lagos State House of Assembly in 2003. At the Assembly, where he was from 2003-2011, he was appointed the Chairman of Finance Committee and Joint Chairman of Appropriations Committee. He was instrumental to the enactment of the law that strengthened the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service. The legislative reforms laid the foundation that catapulted the revenue of the state from a paltry N5billion monthly to about N60billion presently! He was also part of the legislative team that passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Procurement Act of Lagos State, two laws that saw Lagos State qualifying to access developmental funds from international financial bodies like World Bank.

    His performance during his two terms as a state legislator easily recommends him for promotion to the House of Representatives to represent the Alimosho Federal Constituency, unarguably the largest federal constituency in Nigeria in 2011. As a member of the House of Representatives, he was selected as the chairman of the only constitutional committee of the House, the Public Accounts Committee. It was a feat that he got this important post usually reserved for ranking members as a first-timer. In fulfillment of his core function as a legislator, Adeola sponsored and successfully pushed through to passage a bill that repealed the colonial Audit Act of 1956 and Re-Enact the Audit Act of 2014 on May 22, 2015.

    He equally embarked on unparallel constituency projects including empowerment in areas of education, health, ICT, employment generation and infrastructure.

    It was no surprising that Yayi in 2015 got a further promotion from the electorate to serve in the highest legislative body in Nigeria, in the 8th Senate. He contested and won to represent, Lagos West Senatorial District, the largest senatorial district in Nigeria in terms of population of some 12 million constituents. 

    In the 8th Senate, Adeola sponsored 15 bills making him one of the first 10 senators in terms of bills sponsorship. Twelve of these bills were constitutional amendment bills with two of them passed by the National Assembly in the Constitutional Amendment of the 8th Senate.

     Similarly, in the area of oversight activities of the 8th Senate and beyond the regular senate committees’ oversight that he was fully involved in, Adeola sponsored three motions, namely the motion to Investigate Non-remittances and Misuse of Revenue Generated by MDAs; the motion to investigate the Local Content and Cost Variation Elements of the $16 Billion Total Egina Offshore Oil Project and the motion to Investigate the near Bankruptcy of Etisalat leading to renege on Multi-Billion dollar loans. These three motions were passed into resolutions with two Senate Ad Hoc Committees headed by Adeola that investigated revenue generating agencies and the Egina project making many startling discoveries and recoveries of funds.

    In 2019, it was not a difficult decision for the Lagos West electorate to return a legislator par excellence to continue his effective representation. Senator Adeola is indeed a man of history. In the 9th Senate, he was the one who seconded the motion to elect Senator Ahmad Lawan as President of the Senate. At the victory of Senator Lawan, he earned the parliamentary privilege of leading the newly elected president of the Senate to his presiding seat and taking the iconic picture alongside the mover of the motion and the Clerk of National Assembly. This photograph is only taken once every 4 years except there is a removal of President of Senate. And in a historic coincidence, in the 10th Senate, Senator Adeola played the same role in the election of Senator Godswill Akpabio and took the iconic photograph again. As written this feat is historic in every 4 years and more historical as Senator Adeola is the only senator to have achieved this feat twice in the parliamentary history of Nigeria.

    He had served as chairman of Public Account Committee of House of Representatives (2011-2015), pioneer chairman of Senate Committee on Local Content (2017-2019), chairman of Senate Committee on Finance (2019-2023) and now in the 10th Senate chairman Senate Committee on Appropriations (2023- till date). His service to the nation over the years at still a relatively young age points to future elevation to position of greater responsibilities with his successes and experiences over the years.

    Born on August 10, 1969 at Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos State to family of Mr. Ayinde Adeola Ogunleye of Ago-Ishaga, Pahayi, Ilaro and Madam Abeeni Olasunbo Ogunleye (nee Akinola) from Kemta, Abeokuta, Yayi began his education at the State Primary School, Alimosho in Lagos State. On the successful completion of his primary education, he proceeded to Community Grammar School, Akowonjo, Lagos for his secondary education. His quest for educational advancement in life took him to the prestigious Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo, now Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo state where he bagged the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting.

    Adeola became a Chartered Accountant at a relatively young age. He is a distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, (ICAN) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. He is also a honourary doctorate degree awardee from the Federal University of Oye, Ekiti in Accounting as well as Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro.

     Adeola working experience in private sector finance started in “The Guardian Newspapers Limited”, where he put in almost 12 years of meritorious accounting service and rose to the position of Accountant.   He resigned from “The Guardian” and proceeded to Olatunji Omoyeni &Co where he led the audit team for several years and was later promoted to the position of a Senior Auditor.  Adeola later established his own company, Sootem Nigeria Limited, where he was the managing director and chief executive officer until his foray to partisan politics.

    In all his years as a legislator, Adeola set the standard for effective representation that saw his repeated re-elections. He is noted for his numerous personal and constituency projects. The people of Alimosho Federal Constituency, Lagos West Senatorial District and now Ogun West Senatorial District can never forget his developmental initiatives in the area of provision of water through boreholes, provision of electric transformers, regular free medical programmes and rehabilitation of roads. Other areas of life changing programmes that are the hallmark of Yayi’s representation include educational empowerment and support in the form of building classrooms with ancillary facilities, annual purchase of GCE forms and tutorials for indigent students. In recent times, his incomparable massive empowerments have gone viral on social media with Yayi as now the reference point for effective representation across the length and breadth of Nigeria. 

    For the young man born 55 years ago in humble circumstance it looks Nollywood-like to see the man Adeola making huge waves in national affairs and development. His meteoric rise as a technocrat politician winning six elections at state and federal levels across states consecutively apparently marked him out as a peoples’ politician you mess around with at your own political risk. 

     Adeola, a Christian, is a believer in religious freedom for all faiths. The great philanthropist is happily married to Mrs. Temitope Adeola and the union is blessed with children.

    At the age of 55 years, Yayi is setting a worthy record of an experienced legislator par excellence, a parliamentarian extra-ordinary and one set for bigger service to the people and nation.

    kayodunaro@hotmail.com

  • A legacy of leadership: Remembering Captain Hosa Okunbo

    A legacy of leadership: Remembering Captain Hosa Okunbo

    • By Ifetayo Adeniyi and Patrick Ochoga

    Few individuals have left a legacy as profound and far-reaching as the Late Captain Hosa Okunbo: a man of extraordinary vision, unyielding determination, and boundless generosity.

    Captain Hosa Okunbo was a true polymath, excelling as a business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and trained commercial pilot. His remarkable journey through life was marked by significant contributions across multiple sectors, leaving an indelible mark on the nation and beyond.

    Born into a humble family, Captain Okunbo’s early life was characterized by an insatiable curiosity and a relentless drive to achieve greatness. These traits led him to the skies, where he trained and served as a commercial pilot, mastering the art of aviation.

     However, his ambitions extended far beyond the cockpit. Captain Okunbo’s entrepreneurial spirit soon propelled him into the business world, where he would go on to establish an empire that spanned the agro-allied, petroleum, telecommunications, power, real estate, and banking industries.One of his earliest ventures was the establishment of Hoslyn Ventures Nigeria Ltd., a company involved in the procurement sector of the Nigerian petroleum industry.

     This marked the beginning of a series of successful enterprises that would define his illustrious career. As a visionary leader, Captain Okunbo understood the importance of diversification, and this strategic approach was evident in his extensive portfolio of business interests.

    Captain Okunbo was the founder and chairman of several prominent Nigerian companies, each contributing significantly to the nation’s economic development. One of the most notable was CMES-OMS Petroleum Development Company (CPDC), which, in September 2019, secured an $875.75 million alternative financing deal for the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) operated OML 65.

    This monumental achievement underscored his ability to navigate complex financial landscapes and foster partnerships that drove growth and innovation.

    In the hospitality sector, Captain Okunbo’s vision materialized through The Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Abuja, a luxurious establishment that set new standards in the industry. His commitment to excellence and attention to detail ensured that the hotel became a beacon of hospitality, attracting guests from around the world and contributing to Nigeria’s tourism industry.

    Agriculture was another area where Captain Okunbo made a significant impact. In March 2016, he unveiled Wells San-Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., a $750 million, 9,000-hectare farm designed to create 85,000 jobs in Edo State. This ambitious project not only addressed food security concerns but also provided employment opportunities, empowering local communities and fostering economic development.

    Security was another critical sector where Captain Okunbo’s influence was felt. Ocean Marine Security Ltd., an offshore asset-protection company he founded, rendered invaluable services to major oil companies in Nigeria, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The company’s completion of the 46-kilometre Escravos–Warri Crude Pipeline was a testament to his commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s vital infrastructure and ensuring the stability of its energy sector.

    Captain Okunbo’s entrepreneurial ventures also extended to the maritime industry. Ocean Marine Solutions Tankers Ltd., under his leadership, became the proud owner of Nigeria’s first marine tankers, demonstrating his foresight in enhancing the nation’s maritime capabilities. Additionally, his involvement with Westminster Security Solutions Nigeria Ltd., a franchise of Westminster Group Plc UK, highlighted his dedication to enhancing security measures across the country.

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    The Wells Group of companies, which included Wells Dredging Ltd., Wells Property Development Company Ltd., and Wells Entertainments Ltd., further exemplified Captain Okunbo’s multifaceted approach to business. His financing of the movie “Black November” through Wells Entertainments Ltd. showcased his support for the arts and his commitment to telling compelling Nigerian stories on a global stage.

    In the realm of aviation, Gyro Air Ltd., operators of charter flight operations, bore Captain Okunbo’s imprint. His passion for aviation, combined with his business acumen, ensured that the company provided top-notch services, contributing to the growth of the aviation sector in Nigeria.

    Beyond his role as a founder and chairman, Captain Okunbo was also a director in several notable companies, including Joint Marine Environ Guard Ltd. (JMEG), Secure Anchorage Area Ltd. (SAA), Digisteel Integrated Services Ltd., and Phil Nugent Nigeria Ltd. His directorship in Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd. (IEDM), a core investor in Ibadan and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies, underscored his commitment to improving Nigeria’s energy infrastructure.

    Furthermore, Captain Okunbo served as a member of the Board of Directors of NatCom Development and Investment Ltd., the holding company of Nigerian telecommunications giant NTEL. His contributions to the telecommunications industry were pivotal in driving connectivity and technological advancement across the nation.

    Captain Okunbo’s philanthropic endeavors were as impressive as his business achievements. He believed in the power of giving back to society and dedicated significant resources to various charitable causes. His philanthropic efforts spanned education, healthcare, and community development, touching countless lives and creating a lasting impact.

    In remembrance of Captain Hosa Okunbo, we celebrate not only his numerous accomplishments but also the values he embodied. He was a man of integrity, resilience, and compassion, whose life serves as an inspiration to future generations. His legacy is a testament to the power of vision, hard work, and unwavering dedication to making a difference.

    Today we honor the memory of Captain Hosa Okunbo, as we recall the profound impact one individual can have on a nation and its people. His contributions to Nigeria’s economic growth, social development, and global standing are immeasurable, and his spirit of innovation and generosity will continue to inspire for years to come.

    Captain Hosa Okunbo’s journey may have ended, but his legacy lives on, woven into the fabric of Nigeria’s progress and prosperity. His life was a beacon of hope, a testament to the boundless possibilities that await those who dare to dream and strive for greatness.

     As we remember him, we are called to carry forward his vision, to build upon his achievements, and to continue the work of creating a better, more prosperous Nigeria for all.

    •Adeniyi & Ochoga wrote from Abuja