Headline

SOLILOQUY: The National Stadium As A Metaphor Of Our Sports Development

Published

7 years ago

August 5, 2019

Editor

By Michael Effiong

I was at the National Stadium the other day, and I could not help but shake my head at what that intimidating edifice has become. What used to be a beautiful bride is now a worn, ugly old hag, a monstrosity of the highest order.

How time flies. In truth, as I drove into the facility, all the memories of my days in the sporting arena and in the Surulere area just flooded back in torrents.

How can I forget those days, when we will spend our holidays and free time playing table soccer? There were no suffocating home works and assignments as schools these days heap on our children. Holidays were for fun and relaxation.

Table soccer? A smile just broke through my lips as I reminisced. This is soccer played with bottle tops as players with the cap of Smarties as the ball. The goal posts were made from cutting one half of the St Louis Sugar pack into two. It was so much fun. After table soccer, we played what we called set, and then went on to play the real thing through street vs street football competitions.

It was fun growing up. But I must add that it was not all smooth sailing, many times, we got flogged for staying away longer than expected or even stepping out of the house at all. But boys will always be boys, the flogging of last night will not deter you from sneaking out again a few days later to catch your fun.

Football was it. I remember vividly that one of the places we used to sneak to was the Stationery Stores Camp in Lawanson. It was at least a full 45 minutes or so walk. Hmmm, only if our parents knew the risk we took. But Surulere of the 70s, like Nigeria at the time, was relatively safe.

We will be atop the moon with excitement as we watched the likes of Peter Rufai aka Dodo Mayana, Ebitimi Collins aka Barb Wire, who died in last year, just relaxing at the Club House.

Yes, the team had a functional club house! On match days, we used to go see them depart, what an experience, the songs by the supporters, the energetic dance steps of the players and the whole atmosphere was one that was worth all the risk.

Long before I became a journalist, my friends knew me as a story teller, I would always have stories to tell and how can you tell stories without experiences. So outings like these, are the ingredients used to regale my friends with sweet tales of what they were missing.

Not to far from home was the UAC, that is the facility we now call, Teslim Balogun Stadium, I watched many Principal Cup and league matches here. Clubs such as First Bank, Julius Berger and Nepa FC and of course my own Super Stores were the most prominent at the time. But going to the National Stadium was another matter all together.

The National Stadium, for any child who grew up in Surulere was a huge edifice that we saw from the outside and dreamt about.

My first real experience of the Stadium on big match day was during a Challenge Cup Final Match.

My excitement reached a feverish pitch when one of the many “uncles”, no relation of mine though, came to inform my mum that he wanted to take me to the Challenge Cup Final. It was a game between Stationery Stores and Bendel Insurance. We were all heart and soul for Super Stores, it is a club of my hood and to be honest, I could not sleep the night before the match.

The “uncle’ ‘s invitation was a surprise because I knew he was a die-hard Enugu Rangers Fan. We had a good mix of supporters in in my area.

Our maroon Jersey with gold stripe was by far more attractive and was the envy of my friends who rooted for Sooting (IICC Shooting Stars), they wore what I usually described as dull blue and Enugu Rangers’s dirty White and Red. Stores was the darling team of Surulere and we strutted around proudly like peacocks.

But I have to add here that Rangers had a lot of support base in my area too and anytime Rangers came to town, we were usually swarmed by their supporters. My street, Olaitan Odularu was take off point on match days and their chants..Holy Holy, Holy, Holy Enugu Rangers…still rings in my ears even till this day.

On D Day, I was teasing my sponsor that I hope we would not have the kind of experience Rangers had in 1978 as we made our way to the Stadium.

Many fanatical fans of Rangers will never forget 1978. Rangers was the African Cup Winners Cup Champion of 1977, they had National team stars like Emmanuel Okala, Christian Chukwu, Alloysius Atuegbu and a lethal striker, Nnamdi Nwokocha who was defender’s nightmare.

Anyway, Insurance team of David Adiele, Henry Ogboe, Felix Agbonifo etc shocked the all mighty Rangers 0-3.It was an earth-shaking upset.

But on this day, it was Stores vs Bendel Insurance. I was too optimistic to think of a loss for my darling team. By the time we got to the stadium about noon, it was already packed.

Of course, I had been warned that it would be a long, tiring wait, Who cared about any wait or tiredness? Being inside the National Stadium for a Challenge Cup Final meant that any other thing paled into insignificance.

I was on top of the world because I was going to watch some of the stars of the Green Eagles, that was how our national team was then called and that was enough.

Those days, there were no phones or computer games to occupy you, all you had to do was seep in the atmosphere, the lovely songs, the taunts and the fun.

I was not even hungry. I took mental note of key points to share with my friends who had already noted “Udo, this one wey you dey go watch Final for National Stadium, we no go hear word. Trust me “dem no hear word for weeks. I made sure I was releasing my exclusives from the arena in bits and pieces.

Back to the match, I could remember that there was an Under-15 game that kept us occupied before the main game, but the stadium came alive as soon as the players stepped onto the pitch for warm up. Every inch of the arena was filled, it was dizzying for an 11 year old.

Trust us, the Lagos football fans, we outnumbered the Insurance guys three to one and our excitement was sky high.We were vociferous. The match started on a high, but ended on a sad note because we lost 0-1.

I was devastated, that is why today I can relate to the emotional state of some of my friends who support clubs like Arsenal, who keep witnessing losses week after week for so many years, that day, I was heart broken and I cried all the way home.

It was very painful, but two years later, we blasted Niger Tornadoes 4-1 to lift that same Challenge Cup. But that first experience will forever be etched on my memory.

It was not only with clubs that my romance with National Stadium ended. The Green Eagles used to camp at the famous Kilo Hotel in Surulere I used to keep vigil at the hotel which was a walking distance from my house.

That proximity to the stars inspired me to become a regular at the stadium and watched many Green Eagles matches, if I was an autograph hunter, I would have banked the signatures of all the leading stars in Nigeria, I was that close to these guys.

Why am I waxing lyrical and fantasizing about the now decrepit National Stadium, it was a national pride, but now the shame is on us all. Why have we allowed such a wondrous facility to go to waste?

The state of the national stadium, is a clear indication of the state of our sports, everything is in tatters.

Take our football for instance, it is in shambles. Let us start from the grassroots. There is no grassroots football anymore. I remember that Stephen Keshi, Nduka Ugbade, Samson Siasia all played for St Finbar’s College and were spotted at that very young age.

Igbobi College, St Gregory’s College, CMS Grammar School, Ansar Ud Deen, Baptist Academy, Zumuratu Islamiya, CKC, all produced stars. YSFON used to hatch players too. But that production factory have all gone comatose.

Our National Nationwide league is a huge joke. Can you believe that after recruiting players, training almost every day, the Nationwide National League 1 teams played only 3…Yes, I, 2, 3 games and the league season was rounded off. The NNL began with great promise even getting a sponsor but today, it is barely surviving.

Now, lets go to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) our equivalent of the premier league. to be honest, the league is professional only in name. There is nothing professional about the structure and the operation of the league.

The clubs are almost all owned by the State Governments, which means governing structures are weak and unpredictable. The Managers of the various clubs have no direct stake in terms of investment so, the clubs are run like a typical government property which does not aspire to excellence.

How many Nigerian Premiership clubs have their own stadiums or even have audited accounts?

The weak rules is now about to lead to a major problem when the new season begins as two teams from two different states will be playing in the NPFL, how will the almighty administrators handle this situation when its rules clearly says no two teams with same owners can play in the same league?

Futhermore, I don’t know any professional league where the players have no defined contracts. Contracts are drawn up but never kept, that is why players are owed months of salaries and the League Management Committee cannot do anything about it. Some players even have to stage protests to get paid. Clubs are fined and they don’t pay the said fines and there are no consequences.

The other day, Kano Pillars players were unruly during a Super League game with Enugu Rangers at the Agege Stadium.

Rabiu Ali, the Pillars captain had instigated it all with the way he reportedly charged at the referee after the final whistle. His action led to a pitch invasion, which would have been deadly, if not for the timely intervention of the Police.

The LMC fined Kano Pillars N8million and slammed Ali with a 12 game ban. I doubt if that fine had been paid till date and we are about to begin another season. And to make matters worse, Ali’s ban was later reviewed and reduced!

What of the state of the playing pitches, that is another matter all together, if you check out the requirement stipulated in the NPFL document, you will applaud, but many of the pitches are not worthy to host a top tier match if truth be told.

Well, even as bad as our league is, I often wonder why clubs like Super Stores, 3SC, Rangers, Enyimba, Akwa United, Kwara United cannot sell thousands of jerseys and other forms of merchandising to raise funds for the running of their operations.

Look at the shameful way our numero uno league was conducted last season in what was called an abridged league? Yet we are going on as if everything is right.

And then, I don’t know where we learnt this bad habit that anytime our national team is participating in a major tournament, the league must go on recess? Even while Russia was hosting the World Cup, some games in the lower tier were still on.

I believe shutting down the league is just an excuse for the officials to go on their usual jamboree. Even when we said we would align our league with that of Europe and the rest of Africa, we are still wobbling and fumbling.

Where are the stars to watch? The National team in the past few years have been filled with players playing in low quality teams or third rate leagues. Unlike the past when Adokie, Odegbami, Muda, Olukanmi, Chukwu, etc who played for the Eagles were here shining in their clubs.Everything today is mediocre. That is why we now have more supporters of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona in Nigeria than ever before.

It therefore should not surprise anybody that the stadiums are empty except for a few matches. What would attract you? Is it the quality of players, the quality of pitches or the quality of the game? Why cant we have a 10-club Professional league that is up to standard than this contraption that has not lived up to expectation?

Just as run down as the National Stadium is at the moment, our football is also on a downward slide. I wonder what NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick will leave behind as his legacy.

Amaju is one savvy gentleman that has injected fresh ideas and some panache to football administration in Nigeria, I am impressed with his connections with FIFA, but what has he achieved in terms of building the right structures for our football to grow. He has to start now to think about this otherwise, he would come, go and become another footnote in our football history like some before him.

Still on the stadium. Today, when you go to the stadium, you are made to pay N100 as levy per car, who keeps that cash and what is it used for?

I saw that the swimming pool has been privatized and it has been renovated and looks sparkling clean, good move, but why is the whole facility not given to a concessionaire? Who is selling off this our national treasure ?

Why are we cutting the place up, like the whale that we saw that was being cut by some people till its bare skeleton were left behind?

Let’s leave football and delve into boxing? Has anyone been inside that Brai Ayonote Boxing Gym? That is another cause for concern? I could not believe my ears when I was told that the National Boxing Team trains there. The flooring is pulling off and the place is so dusty and unkempt that you can’t stay there for twenty minutes without catching catarrh.

Look at the issue with the basketball federation. For over two years now, we have two boards laying claim to the operations of the association and not even the former Minister could whip them in line. Where is our pride and our sense of shame?

Nothing typifies this lack of shame more than the shocking occurrence at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). The system has become so rotten, that we do not care a hoot even if it will lead to international embarrassment.

We are all now familiar with the story. In case we have forgotten so easily as we often do, and move on to the next scandal, it had to do with a simple transaction.

The world athletics governing body, International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) as part of its commitment usually sends each federation a tidy sum of $15,000 for developmental purpose.

In 2017, the IAAF sent the money as usual but instead of the $15,000, the officer mistakenly sent $150,000.

After waiting for months for our Athletics Federation of Nigeria to do the needful and it did not, the IAAF wrote to us indicating that it was an error and that the $135,000 be returned.

The AFN and the Sports Ministry under Mr Solomon Dalung began to play hide and seek, and as we speak the matter had not been resolved.

It was even reported that the former Minister promised to pay the money in installments! Who did to us?

That Minister should have been disgraced out of office for disgracing the nation in such a manner but this is Nigeria where any thing goes, he was at his post till the very last day. Everywhere you look, you are confronted by barefaced impunity!

Gone are the days when we used to shine at Commonwealth games and the Olympics, with the likes of Innocent Egbunike, Falilat Ogunkoya, Chidi Imoh, Davidson, Deji Aliyu, Chioma Ajunwa, Christy Opara-Thompson and Mary Onyali

These days, we only participate and come back home with our tails between our legs. Our claim to fame at major tourneys in recent years are the exploits of the para athletes, how are the mighty fallen.

The reason for our poor outing are not far fetched, we have left the National Stadium to rot. We need to wake up and fast too.

For us to begin the quest to restore our lost glory, we need to restore the National Stadium to its lost glory. We cannot have such an edifice and allow it to rot.

That was the reason, I was so excited when news filtered in that the Ministry of Sports was making plans to hand over the National Stadium to the Lagos State Government, whatever had been the clog in the wheel of that deal, I am appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to pursue it with vigor and conclude it.Lagos deserves more than the astro turfs in Agege, Teslim and the new Onikan.

How has Lagos, eko for show, fallen so low to the point that we never host first class National Team matches anymore? Governor Sanwo-Olu has to rewind the hand of the clock.

The refurbished National Stadium would not only be a wonderful achievement for Sanwo-Olu, it would return Lagos to its pride of place as the authentic Centre Of Excellence in Sports. In addition, this will certainly mark the beginning of our return to the days of glory.

Headline

Senate Passes Electoral Bill 2026, Rejects Real-time Electronic Transmission of Results

Published

2 days ago

February 5, 2026

Eric

The Senate, yesterday, passed the Electoral Bill 2026 following hours of robust debate. But it rejected a proposal to mandate real-time electronic transmission of election results while approving significant reforms to election timelines, penalties for electoral offences and voting technology.

At the centre of the controversy was Section 60, which governs the transmission of polling unit results. Senators voted down a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters that would have compelled presiding officers to upload results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time.

Instead, lawmakers retained the approach in the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows electronic transmission after votes are counted and publicly announced at the polling unit.

Relatedly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which concluded work on the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election, is unable to release it due to ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly.

It also identified the inclusion of deceased persons on the voters’ register, prompting plans for a nationwide verification exercise.

On its part, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) raised the alarm over the National Assembly’s delay in passing the Electoral Act amendments, warning that the situation could expose political parties to technical and legal pitfalls ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Under the retained provisions, presiding officers are required to: count votes at the polling unit, record results on prescribed forms, announce them publicly and transmit them electronically to the appropriate collation centre.

Copies must also be provided to polling agents and security personnel where available. Violators face fines of up to N500,000 or a minimum of six months’ imprisonment.

Senators opposing the real-time upload argued that inconsistent network coverage and logistical challenges could trigger legal disputes and undermine electoral credibility.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu, described the debate as largely semantic.

“Electronic transmission remains part of the law,” he said, “and results will continue to be available to the public both electronically and through physical forms, ensuring verifiable records for disputes.”

Beyond the transmission debate, the Senate approved far-reaching amendments to Nigeria’s electoral calendar. The election notice period was reduced from 360 days to 180 days, the deadline for submission of party candidate lists was shortened from 120 to 90 days, and the nomination period was cut from 180 to 90 days.

To deter electoral malpractice, the fine for unlawful possession of voters’ cards was increased from N500,000 to N5 million, though the Senate rejected a proposal for a 10-year ban on vote-buyers, opting for stiffer financial penalties instead. The smart card reader was officially removed from the electoral framework and replaced with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, noted the delay yesterday in Abuja at INEC’s first quarterly consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

The e-transmission of results, if approved, would have required INEC presiding officers to upload results from each polling unit to the IReV portal in real time, immediately after completing Form EC&A, which must be signed and stamped by the presiding officer and countersigned by party agents.
Instead, the senators chose to retain the present Electoral Act provision, which mandates that “the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”

The rejected proposal was contained in the new Clause 60(5) of the draft bill, which aimed to mandate presiding officers to electronically transmit polling unit results in real time after completing and signing Form EC8A.

The clause was designed to strengthen transparency and reduce electoral malpractice through technology-driven result management.

The motion to reject the electronic transmission clause was swiftly seconded by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin.

Similarly, the Senate also rejected a proposed amendment under Clause 47 that would have allowed voters to present electronically-generated voter identification, including a downloadable voter card with a unique Quick Response (QR) code, as a valid means of accreditation.

The Senate further upheld the provision mandating the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other technological device prescribed by INEC for voter verification and authentication, rather than allowing alternative digital identification methods as proposed in the new bill.

With these decisions, the Senate reaffirmed the use of PVC and BVAS-based accreditation while rejecting efforts to expand digital voter identification and make electronic transmission of results compulsory.

The Guardian

Headline

Wike Remains Undisputed Rivers APC, PDP Leader, Tinubu Rules

Published

4 days ago

February 3, 2026

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has, again, intervened to halt the escalating feud between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor and estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike.

The peace deal came after months of failed settlements that had pushed the state to the brink of governorship impeachment, legislative paralysis, and prolonged instability.

The president had previously intervened in the rift between Fubara and Wike in December 2023, when he brokered a fragile peace, which broke down soon after, leading the declaration of a six-month emergency rule in the state on March 18, 2025 by Tinubu and suspension of the governor.

However, in the fresh push to defuse one of the country’s most combustible political disagreements in recent times, Tinubu ordered an immediate suspension of any impeachment moves against Fubara, but with very strict conditions.

Multiple highly placed sources familiar with the issue told THISDAY that Tinubu, who acted just before departing for an official trip to Türkiye on January 26, laid down the political terms aimed at restoring peace between the two key political actors in Rivers State, a state seen as critical to the president’s re-election in 2027.

Tinubu’s intervention came with a blunt message to Fubara: Wike remains the undisputed political leader of the party, whether APC or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, and he must be respected in that regard.

THISDAY was told that the president, visibly displeased by the depth of the rift, despite his efforts in the past, warned that continued hostilities would undermine governance in the state and lead to instability, a situation Tinubu said he was not ready to condone.

Tinubu was said to have clearly told Wike to back off any impeachment plots against Fubara and allow governance in the state.

Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, have had a cat and mouse relationship just within months of the governor’s swearing into office in May 2023. What is now out in the open is that Wike, who personally engineered Fubara’semergence as his successor, has sought to control the levers of power from Abuja, while the governor has resisted what many see as the FCT minister’s chokehold on him.

The relationship began to fracture within months of Fubara’s inauguration, as the governor quietly sought to assert his independence, with political actors in the state immediately taking sides. Notably, in the ongoing fight, almost all the state lawmakers align with Wike.

Subsequently, attempts to impeach Fubara emerged from the pro-Wike group in the House of Assembly. Although the governor has tried to wriggle out of the situation several times, the shadows of impeachment continue to haunt him every time there is a disagreement with the minister.

Several efforts have been made to resolve the crisis, all of which failed to produce lasting peace. The failure of one of the peace meetings eventually led to the declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, which lasted six months.

While Wike’s camp continues to accuse Fubara of betrayal and political ingratitude, the governor’s allies argue that Rivers State cannot be run from outside the state by a former governor now serving as the FCT minister.

Still on the latest attempt to seek an end to the prolonged imbroglio, one insider recounted the president’s thinking, drawing a parallel with Lagos State, where Sanwo-Olu is the leader of the party.

Tinubu was said to have stated, “Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?”, according to a source.

The president was equally said to have stated that Fubara should respect elders, saying Wike is an elder statesman in Rivers politics and should be regarded as such. Tinubu, one of the sources added, made it clear that political seniority could not be wished away because of personal disagreements.

As part of the peace deal, the president directed Wike and his camp to immediately halt all impeachment-related actions against Fubara, citing his overriding concern about stability in Rivers State.

In return, Fubara was instructed to make significant concessions. Chief among them was the formal recognition of Wike as the “political leader” in Rivers State, with final authority on party matters.

Sources said Tinubu stressed that all internal party disputes in the state must ultimately defer to Wike.

However, the complexity of Wike’s case is that he is not a card-carrying member of APC in Rivers State. Officially, he remains a member of the struggling opposition PDP, although he is a top minister under the ruling APC government – A position he has used to weaken his party, the PDP.

Besides, the understanding covered the upcoming state House of Assembly bye-elections in Rivers State. Tinubu directed that candidates loyal to Wike should be recognised by the APC leadership for the two vacant assembly seats. “It was explicitly stated that Wike has two candidates for the by-elections and that those candidates are to be recognised by the APC party structure,” one source said.

Already, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 21, 2026 for the contentious by-elections into Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of the state.

THISDAY learnt that while the Ahoada-East II seat became vacant following the resignation of its former occupant, Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff (CoS) to Governor Fubara, the Khana II seat was vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.

Notably, the sensitive issue of Fubara’s second term ambition also came up for deliberation, the source said, but was deliberately side-lined, with the president alleged to have said such discussions were too early for now. One source said Tinubu described any talk about the 2027 governorship in the state as still premature.

ThisDay/Arise News

Headline

Otunba Adekunle Ojora: Farewell to a Good Man

Published

6 days ago

February 1, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The curtain dropped on the elitist life of prominent Lagosian, traditional custodian, boardroom guru, refined journalist and elaborate philanthropist, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, on January 28, 2026, bringing to an over nine decades of spreading good tidings, prosperity, unity and humanity. He was 93 years.

His death was announced via a statement by his daughter, Mrs Toyin Ojora-Saraki, on behalf of the Ojora Family, saying he died early in the morning in full submission to the will of Almighty Allah (SWT)

“With total submission to the will of Almighty Allah (SWT), the Ojora family of Lagos hereby announces the passing of our beloved patriarch, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, the Otunba of Lagos and Lisa of Ife, who returned to his creator early this morning.

“We say Alhamdulilahi for a life well lived, and we comply with Allah’s words: ‘Surely, to Allah we belong, and to Him we will all return’ (Q2:156),” the statement reads.

A distinguished businessman, people-oriented-person, the Olori Omo Oba of Lagos and the Lisa of Ife, Adekunle Ojora’s passing came with a much ancipated heartbreak, wailings and regrets, among his hugely extended family members, circle of friends, mentees, colleagues in and across business and traditional terrain, associates and the well impacted general public.

With the announcement of his death came the heavy traffic of personalities, dignitaries and nobles to his Ikoyi palatial home, where his adorable wife, Ojuolape Ojora, and one of his distinguished daughters, Mrs Toyin Saraki, who is the wife of the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, played significant hosts.

President Bola Tinubu was one of the first mourners with a statement signed by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, acknowledging the dimunitive personality of the deceased, noting how he had affected humanity in a positive light.

Tinubu commiserated with the government and people of Lagos State, as well as the Ojora and Adele royal families.

“The passing of Otunba Ojora is a significant loss to the country, the private and public sectors, and traditional institutions,” the President said, describing the late industrialist as a man whose life was defined by humility, perseverance, hard work and generosity. He further noted that his values shaped his long and distinguished career.

“He remained a towering figure whose counsel and experience benefited institutions at both national and subnational levels,” Tinubu added.

In his condolence message, former President Olusegun Obasanjo described Ojora’s death as painful, saying his absence would be difficult to fill, according to a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi.

The ex-president described Ojora as “an amiable and distinguished Nigerian who, during his lifetime, built a remarkable legacy of integrity, wisdom, and unwavering dedication.”

“By his death, the country has lost a notable captain of industry and commerce, but there is no doubt that his memory lingers on through his many landmark contributions to the development of the South-West zone in particular, and the country in general,” Obasanjo added.

He also stated that “He was a remarkable entrepreneur whose vision, determination, and resilience added value to the community and to hundreds of families who depended on his commercial activities. He was a role model and exemplar whose personal life and achievements inspired a generation of entrepreneurs, industrialists, and merchants. Over the years, with his wise counsel, unquestioned strength, and gentle guidance, Otunba Ojora commanded respect and reverence, and took particular pleasure in mentoring younger men and women to succeed in life.”

Also reacting, a former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd) described Ojora as a “veteran journalist and boardroom titan”.

The former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army noted that he made positive contributions to the industrial and entrepreneurial sectors of the economy, lightened up the social fabric of his time in Lagos, in particular, and across our nation.

Among dignitaries that called to the home of the Ojora’s to express heartfelt condolences were the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke and his elder brother, Dr. Deji Adeleke; Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mr. Femi Otedola and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.

As a revered Muslim, versed in Islamic doctrines, the nonagenarian’s burial followed the very next day, drawing an avalanche of well wishers and mourners to the Central Mosque, on Lagos Island, where the funeral rites or the Janazah, led by the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolla, and assisted by other prominent Islamic clerics, were conducted, and finally to the Vaults and Garden, Ikoyi, where the remains were committed to mother-earth. The events were a meeting point of some sort, as they drew together prominent Islamic scholars, family members, political bigwigs and other distinguished guests.

A roll call of the elite callers at the events include the deceased’s wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora; his daughter, Toyin Ojora-Saraki, and her husband, former Senate President and Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki. Also in attendance were Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Ali Ahmad, former PDP National Chairman Kawu Baraje, Mufti of Ilorin Sheikh Sulaiman Onikijipa, and National President of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria Prince Adeniji Kazeem.

The burial ceremonies began with a recovery of the remains, which were borne by pallbearers for a burial procession before it was a motorcade bore it to the venue of the Janazah.

The long convoy of dignitaries that accompanied the body to the mosque spoke volumes of the personality of Adekunle Ojora. As the solenm approached, Imam Sulaiman Abou-Nolla led the congregation in prayers, asking for the repose of the siul of the deceased.

At the conclusion of the prayers, the body was conveyed to the Ikoyi Vault, where pallbearers and Muslim Ummah as well selected members of the family and notable dignitaries accompanied the remains, amid chants, to its final resting place.

THE MAN, OTUNBA ADEKUNLE OJORA

The highly principled businessman was born Isiaq Adekunle Ojora on June 13, 1932, into the distinguished Ojora Royal Family of Lagos, where he grew with a deeply-rooted tolerance for the history, culture and traditional governance of the Yoruba race and Lagos in particular.

His lineage placed him among the foremost royal families in the state, a heritage he upheld with dignity throughout his long life. Over several decades, he emerged as one of the most influential figures within Lagos’ traditional institutions, commanding respect across royal, cultural and civic circles.

Ojora was a member of the Ojora and Adele royal families of Lagos and was himself the holder of the chieftaincy of the Otunba of Lagos. He studied journalism at Regent Street Polytechnic, with the intention of developing a career in journalism. He started work as a staffer at the BBC where he rose to become an assistant editor.

In 1955, he switched his services to the Nigerian government as a reporter with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. He was soon transferred to Ibadan as an information officer in the office of the regional premier. Ojora’s stint with NBC lasted until 1961 when he took up appointment as the public relations manager at United African Company.

Ojora soon developed interest in the commercial units of enterprises, he became an executive director of UAC in 1962. After a military coup truncated the first republic, Ojora was nominated as a member of Lagos City Council in 1966. A year later, he was given political appointments in two government agencies, in 1967, he was managing director of WEMABOD, a regional property and investment company and also in 1967, he succeeded Kola Balogun as chairman of Nigerian National Shipping Line.

After leaving WEMABOD, he became an investor in various firms including AGIP petroleum marketing and NCR Nigeria. He also founded the private firms Nigerlink Industries, Unital Builders and a holding company Lagos Investments. After the Nigerian Enterprise Promotion Act, he took equity interest in some foreign companies operating in Nigeria such as investments in the Nigerian operations of Bowring Group, Inchape, Schlumberger, Phoenix Assurance, UTC Nigeria, Evans Brothers and Seven-Up. He married Erelu Ojuolape, and among their children is Toyin Saraki.

Beyond royalty, Otunba Ojora was widely regarded as a bridge between tradition and modern governance.

The Otunba Adekunle Ojora would be remembered as a quintessential gentleman, astute businessman, excellent in speech, dignified in conduct, and deeply respected across generations.

For as many as those who know him, Ojora has for decades, remained a familiar and revered presence in elite social and cultural spaces, where his highly sought-after counsel and calm disposition have proved relevant and needful.

He is also known for his refined lifestyle and strong family values, an embodiment of a “brand of old-school nobility that earned him admiration well beyond wealth or status. He was often described as a man of honour whose life reflected discipline, tradition, and unwavering integrity.

Otunba Adekunle Ojora is survived by his wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.