Headline

Between Dele Momodu and Ayanmo: Sixty Years of Immense Grace

Published

6 years ago

May 20, 2020

Eric

By Hon Femi Kehinde

Yoruba epistemology and mores, believe that whatever happens to man, whatever happens in life, has already been predestined. Man chooses his destiny- “AYANMO” while coming into the world and man kneels down to choose his lot (Akunleyan) before the presence of God.

The great music maestro and philosopher, Chief Ebenezer Obey, had sang in a beautiful lyrics – “Ayanmo mi latowo oluwa mi eda aiye kan ko le yi mo ni po pada …” Man’s destiny is unalterable.

Navigating through the labyrinths of Dele’s chequered life and career and the truculent interplay of forces, one would safely say, that Dele’s “Ori”, a Yoruba metaphysical concept, is certainly one that is destined to be “Ori Alariwo” and “Ori O’lokiki,” both interchangeably, meaning greatness.

Through challenges of early life and its murky waters, Dele’s rise to stardom today, was never meant to be.

In 1958, Gladys Arike left Gbongan, her place of birth to soujourn in Ile-Ife. She left Gbongan, where she had been previously married to Chief Ajayi, and had two children – Ezekiel Oladele Bolarinwa Ajayi, now retired Professor of Physics, specialising in Materials Science and Feyisara Adeniran (nee Ajayi).

She was in Ile-Ife through the influence of her aunt, Olori Rachael Morenike Aderemi, wife of the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi and native of Gbongan. Olori Morenike Aderemi was the grandmother of Prince Adedamola Aderemi.

It was in Ile-Ife, that Gladys Arike met Dele’s father, Momodu.

Momodu took instant liking to Gladys Arike, they got married and the marriage produced her third child, that was born on the 16th of May, 1960 and was on the 8th day, named Ayobamidele Ojutelegan Ajani Momodu.

Dele’s Dad worked at Public Works Department (PWD) as Road Overseer while his Mum engaged in petty trading. Dele lost his Dad while he was barely 13 and life became very tough.

The circumstances of Dele’s birth, could have dwarfed his growth, but his name “Ojutelegan” (i.e. shame on my detractors) actually ran after him, and he rose steadily.

Dele lived his childhood and adolescent life in Ile-Ife and mixed with his age grades within the palace of the Ooni and outside the palace. After he left primary school, the choice of a secondary school became a nagging issue.

He was to go to Inisha Grammar School, Inisha, and Oluorogbo High School, Ile-Ife, before destiny finally threw him to the elitist St. John Grammar school, Ile-Ife, where he finished secondary education in 1976. Saint John is a Catholic boy’s school. After secondary education, Dele worked briefly with the CSS Bookshop, Iremo, Ile-Ife, and later the University of Ife Library, where he had the unique opportunity of devouring all of the James Hardley Chase series and quite a number of other interesting books on the African Writers series.

I have known Dele Momodu from our childhood days in Gbongan, where we both had our maternal roots.

Mama Gladys Arike (Iya Oyo) from the Fatoye Family Oke Egan, Gbongan, was also my mother-Wulemotu Aduke’s aunt, from Ile Opo Gbongan.

We bonded and related. In our secondary school days, we exchanged notes. Dele had been reading Hardley Chase from secondary school. He tells us “yam has a botanical name, Dioscorea Alata, Cayenensis Esculenta and Bulbifera.

I reminded him that our Agriculture teacher in Origbo Community High School Ipetumodu had also taught us those botanical names.

He was always willing to impact knowledge. In 1978, we both entered the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, variously to study Yoruba and History respectively.

Despite the less attraction of his course of study, he was always willing to parade himself, as a student of Yoruba, as against fanciful courses like Law Medicine, Estate Management, Engineering, Pharmacy and the likes.

I eventually left the study of History, to pursue a fresh course in Law. Dele graduated from the Department of Yoruba in 1982 and was posted to Bauchi State for his youth service, which he eventually changed to Ile-Ife, then Oyo State, after the orientation camp, because the Ile-Ife in him could not leave him.

During our undergraduate days, we sojourned in the boys quarters of Dele’s elder brother, our uncle – Professor Ezekiel Oladele Ajayi, alongside some of our brothers’ friends and compatriots: Prince Adedamola Aderemi, Wole Adelakun, Yemi Aderemi, Sesan Popoola (late), Layi Oladele (now Professor) Deinde Orafideya, (Dr) Ladiran Akintola, now Judge of the Oyo State High Court, Bola Adeyemo, (late) Wale Adeyemo and a host of others.

We were like a swarm of bees in the household of Professor Oladele Ajayi, who apparently thought we were not serious. Dele’s gift to us from Bauchi, was a pack load of “Burantasi”- an aphrodisiac.

Dele came back from Bauchi, having been redeployed and was posted to the Oyo State College of Arts and Science (OSCAS) an advance level studies school, as a tutor of Yoruba, alongside the likes of Doksy – now Oba Adedokun Abalarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila.

Doksy was a tutor of History; he had read Political Science up to Masters level in Ile-Ife before he eventually studied Law and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991. These were our colony of friends in our days in Ile-Ife of which Dele, was like our grand master

After the completion of his NYSC, he became a Private Secretary to the troubled Chief Akin Omoboriowo, who was Deputy Governor of Ondo State and had a running battle with Chief Michael Ajasin, in a bid to succeed him as governor.

Dele loved Chief Akin Omoboriowo, who had also been an Ile-Ife man, having lived in the staff quarters and worked as Registrar, before he became the Deputy Governor of Ondo State in 1979. His son, Segun, was in our fraternity of friends.
He worked tirelessly for Omoboriowo during the Ondo State governorship election of August 1983.

In that election, the Federal Electoral Commission, (FEDECO) headed by Chief Michael Ani, as the Federal Electoral Officer, had declared Chief Omoboriowo, who had now defected to the NPN as the winner of the Governorship election in Ondo State.

That announcement caused sporadic uproar, mayhem, arson and violence, all over Ondo State. A lot of houses were burnt and destroyed, and a number of prominent politicians were killed or maimed. Chief Agbayewa, a prominent Akure business man and politician was burnt to death while Hon. Olaiya Fagbamigbe, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, elected on the platform of UPN who had then defected to the NPN, was also burnt to death and his entire house was razed to the ground.

The wife and children were only lucky to escape by the whiskers. Omoboriowo managed to escape and Dele Momodu was always with him at this troubled moment. Ajasin was declared winner by the election tribunal and this ended the night mare.

The military sacked the second republic government and a new Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, emerged on the 31st of December 1983.

Dele went back to his normal life in the staff quarters in Ile-Ife, and began a Masters Degree studies in Literature in English, to chart a new course or path.
In the course of his studies, he had begun to write articles for the Nigerian Tribune, most especially. In his research studies, he had found a piece by an author that was used in a column by Ray Ekpu – a notable journalist, without acknowledgement.

To Dele, this was plagiarism and he made a big issue out of it. He wrote a piece challenging this journalistic indiscretion, and it was published by the Nigerian Tribune; Folu Olaniti, was the Sunday, Editior- Tribune, ably assisted by Yinka Adelani.

He used this piece and this was Dele’s first “Okiki”- public reckoning. The success of this endeavour honed his journalistic skill and he began to devour and search for knowledge. During this period, he was a Manager at the Royal Motel of Oba Okunade Sijuwade on Ede Road, Ile-Ife.

This reckoning brought about Dele’s employment with the Concord Newspapers of Chief MKO Abiola.

He worked in the African Concord Magazine and the Weekend Concord, a Saturday tabloid, under the editorship of Mike Awoyinfa and Dingba Igwe (late).
At Weekend Concord, he wrote beautiful stories and scoops. He wrote that the then Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida baby sits in the State House when he had his last daughter.

He churned out many sensational stories until when a former colleague in the Concord newspapers, May Ellen Ezekiel, invited him to edit her new magazine, the Classique Magazine, with a chauffeur driven car, good salary, an impressive package, and thus a change of life and status. Hitherto, the profession of journalism had been that of the “flotsam and jetsam of the society”, according to Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

He had now moved to his first rented apartment on Bashiru Oweh street, Ikeja Lagos, which we also turned out to be our rendezvous.

As editor of the classique magazine, Dele almost got me into trouble with the authorities. I have been practicing Law in Ibadan since 1984. I was on a trip to Aramoko Ekiti, alongside our friends; Barristers Yinka Ogungbemi and Kayode Olabiran for a prayer session.

I stopped over at Ile-Ife to see Dele Momodu, who was in town for the weekend. I told him of our mission, and he decided to follow us for prayers with this highly spiritually gifted woman of God, Iya Ayo. We were in Aramoko Ekiti, met the woman of God, who prayed for us, but on the side line, exhibiting her spiritual prowess, told us, that she was spiritual consultant, to Mrs. Rebecca Aikhomu, wife of the then Vice President, Admiral, Augustus Aikhomo.

She even mentioned that the woman had just left. The journalistic instinct in Dele saw a scoop in the woman’s narration, and decided to make it a bumber story and headline in the Classique magazine- “Aikhomo’s wife consults spiritualist in Aramoko, Ekiti.” The woman did not know Dele was a journalist, but only knew some of us as lawyers.

This was a bumber sale for the classique magazine. In the editor’s note, Dele had thanked me for ‘having a jolly good ride with me’, to Aramoko, where he got the scoop.

Dele was eventually picked up by the SSS for writing the story, but luckily I had travelled abroad, before the news came out. In Ibadan, I had assisted Dele to interview Governor Omololu Olunloyo, former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adeniyi, former Private Secretary of the Late Premier, SLA Akintola, Mrs. Mary Fagbamigbe, wife of the slain Olaiya Fagbamigbe of Akure and her daughter Yetunde.

Mrs. Fagbamigbe in her narratives explained her near miss with death when Akure raged, over the declaration of Omoboriowo as the Governor of Ondo State in the August 1983 election.

Dele’s relationship with the late acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 election, started with his stint with the Concord Newspapers, and he bonded with Chief MKO Abiola. He attended Dele’s wedding in 1992 in Ijebu Igbo, when he got married to Bolaji Adaramaja, daughter of the late silk, Dr. Adaramaja (SAN).

After marriage, Dele moved from the boys haven on Bashiru Oweh Street residence, in Ikeja, Lagos, to another rented apartment, Adigbolaja quarters in Ojodu Berger area of Lagos/Ogun State.

Doksy, now Oba Dokun Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, then a fresh barrister, lived with Dele Momodu in his Ojodu Berger residence, before he also secured an apartment around the same area.
Dele had left Classique magazine and now freelance as a journalist, media consultant and distributor of Abiola’s ‘wonderloaf’ bread from the Wonderloaf Bakery in Ikeja, Lagos.

Dele already had in his kitty a Mercedes Benz 230 imported from Germany and a Volkswagen Jeta Car. Then suddenly came Nduka Obaigbena, who introduced Dele Momodu to his pet project – ThisDay Newspapers for consultancy, and he came with a princely sum of money. He was handed a chauffeur driven brand new Peugeot 504.

Shortly after his marriage, he was waylaid by armed robbers at the Ikeja Under Bridge and locked up inside the boot of his Mercedes Benz 230 car.

Armed robbers and kidnappers were not as violent and vicious then. He was later released after a little torment, unscratched – another intervention of fate.

The year 1993 marked a watershed and turning point in Nigeria’s political history. M. K. O. Abiola, Dele’s mentor, role model and pathfinder, contested election on the 12th of June, 1993 to be President of Nigeria, and was acclaimed to be the winner of that election. Unfortunately, the election was annulled.

Dele was part of the publicists for the reclaim of his mandate. He was part of the Epetedo declaration on the Lagos Island where MKO declared himself as the President of Nigeria.

MKO Abiola was picked up from the venue of that declaration and never saw the light of the day or freedom again until his death in July 1998.

Dele was also picked up and locked up in Alagbon. Some of us visited him in Alagbon, and we discovered that his stomach had caved in. He loves good food and he is a good cook himself. After a while, he was released from Alagbon custody and shortly thereafter, found his way, through the NADECO route, to exile in London.

London was an unprepared life and an uncharted sojourn. He arrived London, with a future unknown and became a prominent member of the NADECO group with the likes of Air Vice Marshal Dan Suleiman, Bola Amed Tinubu and many others.

In London, he floated the idea of Celebrity Magazine, Ovation, with his constant star and solemate, Prince Adedamola Aderemi as Chairman.

Segun Fatoye, his cousin, was also on board. Segun’s father and Dele’s maternal uncle, my uncle too, Chief Ezekiel Olasunmoye Fatoye, then an executive director with N.I.T.E.L, assisted Dele’s dream to become a reality, with a princely sum of money in hard currency, for Ovation to debut.

Chief Ezekiel Fatoye now an Octogenarian, first set of Nigeria’s telecommunications engineers, a Gbongan high Chief also joined some of his Indian friends to establish Multi links, after his retirement from N.I.T.E.L.

Ovation magazine became a house hold name and an international celebrity and glamour magazine. His stars began to shine and exponentially too. I became one of Ovation’s distributors in Ibadan, just like so many of our friends.
From London, he relocated to Ghana where he also became friends with the elites and political class in Ghana.

As a man of great culinary taste, he set up a restaurant and also ran his ovation magazine enterprise in an impressive office set up. In appreciation of Iya Oyo’s motherly love and affection, Dele took exceptional care of her, relocated her to Lagos, where she lived until she breathed her last in 2007 and was given a befitting burial in Gbongan.

According to Justice Ladiran Akintola, son of the late Premier of the Western Region-SLA Akintola, “Dele has an attitude that doesn’t brood on negatives or disappointments. You would hardly ever see him moody. He is almost always radiating joy. The story of Bob Dee is one of hope, determination and focus. He certainly had a date with destiny. You would not imagine that a young Dee MAD who obtained admission to study, to obtain a B.A degree in Yoruba while young men were scrambling for the professions, Law, Estate Management, Medicine, Pharmacy or Engineering had a date with destiny.

“His apparent casualness to matters at that time could mislead an unsuspecting observer to draw wrong conclusions. Alas, Bob Dee knew what he was doing.”

Oba Adedokun Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, who bestowed Dele with the Chieftaincy title of “Bashorun”, has gleefully described Dele as “a man of the world, but to some of us, Dele is still his old self, Omo Iya Oyo: Loyal to friendship, amiable, courageous, industrious, academic, kind, boisterous, adventurous, a typical Yoruba Omoluabi.

Kabiyeisi further said, “the year 2006 was not a good year for me and the 8th day of December, 2006 was the saddest day of my life, incidentally it was the day I became the Oragagun of Oke-Ila. I didn’t go to school to be a Yoruba Oba. I thought it was a movement from Grace to Grass but my friend and brother, Ayobamidele and many other great Nigerians, saw what I didn’t see, that service to humanity at grassroot level is the greatest. Almost immediately with the approval of my good people, he became the Bashorun of Oke-Ila Orangun. May the good Lord continue to bless him for humanity.”

Ayobami Dele Ajani Ojutelegan Momodu, you have lived your yesterday for your today. You have paid your dues. You deserve all the thrills, the frills, the glamours and encomiums that the world has bestowed on you on the occasion of your diamond jubilee anniversary.
“Omo ti yio je Asamu ati kekere ni yio ti maa jenu samu samu” – a bright child would always display his brightness from an early age. This is an apt Yoruba aphorism. May this bright light, continue to shine.

Hon Femi Kehinde, legal practitioner and former Member, House of Representatives, National Assembly Abuja, represented Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State (1999-2003).

Headline

Atiku Abubakar @79: Celebrating a True Statesman + Dele Momodu’s Inspiring Tribute

Published

6 days ago

November 29, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The rich cultural border town of Jada in Adamawa State, Nigeria, came briskly alive during the week, when trusted colleagues and associates, party bigwigs and immediate family members, trooped in to honour a man, whose legacies of political sagacity and entrepreneurial wizardry have become a reference point, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as he celebrates his 79th birthday.

With fanfare, razzmatazz and deep-rooted joy, the about-to-become-octogenarian hosted a week-long soiree rooted in legit discourse, high profile networking and philanthropy for all and sundry.

Known for his near-impeccable public service image, Atiku is revered as the Midas of our time, converting almost nothing to something of immense value.

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, once described the invincibility of the Wazirin Adamawa as follows:

1. Give him pure water and he’ll turn it into Farro water
2. Show him a Primary school and he’ll turn it into a world class univeristy
3. Show him a jetty and he’ll turn it into a world class port
4. Give him a bull and a heifer and just few years and he ll give you a herd
5. Give him a bag of chaff and he’ll mill it into animal feed
6. Give him a bottle of bala blue and he’ll turn the cream to farro juice
7. Give him a home and he’ll bring Nigeria into it as family members
8. Make him walk into an environment where there is contention and fight and see how they fade into peace.

From the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to the Yola Airport in Adamawa State, heartfelt accolades from supporters trailed every movement of the vice president, who absorbed all with equanimity, acknowledging greetings with finesse and humility, stopping at regular intervals for a deep hug and claspy handshake that says more friendship and camaraderie.

The grand finale of the activities was held at the Atiku Family Event Hall in Jada with a well-attended Commemoration Lecture that drew dignitaries and admirers including political associates, mentees, members of the diplomatic corps and many others from far and wide. Though it was meant to be an in-house celebration, it drew together distinct policy makers and more.

From one distinguished speaker to another, soul striking lectures and goodwill messages were delivered including tributes aimed at extolling the stateman-like qualities of His Excellency.

It is instructive to note that Atiku, as he is easily recognized, is not just another politician; he is exceptionally versatile as a detribalised, prolific entrepreneur and a practitioner of politics without bitterness. It is not a wonder therefore that he has excelled in politics, public service, and entrepreneurship, most especially.

It was in the notes of the one of the keynote speakers, Chief Dele Momodu, that the underlying greatness, humane qualities and more of Atiku Abubakar were laid bare before public scrutiny.

Momodu, in a lecture he titled Alhaji Atiku Abubakar: The Consumate Democrat, took the audience down memory lane as he highlighted the uncommon humility the Waziri Adamawa demonstrated when he stepped down for MKO Abiola in 1993.

The details of Chief Momodu’s speech are as follows:

ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR: THE CONSUMMATE DEMOCRAT

It gives me great pleasure, and I consider it a privilege, to have been invited to speak about one of the greatest Nigerians alive today. There’s no way I would have turned down this request.

Just last week, I was invited to a roundtable meeting at the British House of Lords in London, also at the behest of Alhaji ATIKU ABUBAKAR. I wish to offer my sincere gratitude to ALHAJI for his confidence in me and his demonstration of love for me at all times.

My earliest recollection of Alhaji was wayback in 1993, in the beautiful city of Jos, where three political gladiators, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Chief Moshood Abiola had locked horns in a world heavyweight bout to decide who picks the Presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party. I was barely 32/33 at that time but I was politically savvy and heavily inspired and motivated by my adopted father, Chief Moshood Abiola.

The SDP primary of that year remains unprecedented till this day. I will not bore you with details of the Convention that brought these juggernauts into a three horse race, which only one of them can, and must win. But there was a logjam and the only way a winner could have emerged was for one of them to step down and quit the race. This was a tough decision for all of them.

Alhaji Babagana Kingibe enjoyed the avuncular support of most of the SDP Governors. Alhaji Atiku had access to the extensive networks of his mentor Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. The Abiola team calculated well and smartly by reaching out to the godfather pronto. The incredible then happened. Without much ado, Alhaji stepped down and thus cleared the coast for the eventual victory of my adopted father, Chief Moshood Abiola. Since then, unknown to Alhaji Atiku, I have been his big fan. Alhaji did not throw tantrums or sulk endlessly like a baby. He did not seek to destroy their party. Not that he didn’t have enough reasons to be angry and bitter but he chose the path of uncommon equanimity and submitted himself to the immutable will of Allah at His appointed time.

What could have made matters worse, Alhaji Atiku failed to clinch the runningmate slot, against conventional wisdom of give and take. Again, Alhaji Atiku went back to his drawing board, and about his life peacefully without raining a tirade of insults against distinguished elders who have paid their dues to our country. Even when he had the opportunity to retaliate after the June 12 debacle, Alhaji followed a path of honor by supporting Chief Abiola, unconditionally, and for the revalidation of his mandate. Alhaji Atiku is not your common politician.

As fate would have it, he later contested the Governorship election in his home state and won. But before settling down to his Gubernatorial assignments, he was invited to be the Vice President to President Olusegun Obasanjo. He would soon become the most effective and influential Vice President ever in Nigeria. As the head of the economic team, he was able to attract and work with the best and brightest. The gentleman’s agreement was that he would Vice for the office of the President after one term, but again he was let down. He could have fought tooth and nail against his Boss, President Olusegun OBASANJO but he chose the path of absolute peace and patience. But his boss was unhappy that Alhaji and his friends ever challenged him. President OBASANJO went after them like bullets. And there were collateral damages here and there. Several of my friends in Alhaji’s office at the Presidential villa were summarily sacked.

I must confess that I have never seen a man like Alhaji before. He takes everything in his strides. Most politicians would have brought down the rooftops. His faith in Allah is unshakable. What should have been to his glory eventually became his albatross. But Allah compensated with extraordinary favor as a businessman. While his peers became parasites feeding fat on the State, Alhaji became King Midas and most businesses he touched turned to gold. Though he never abandoned his political dreams, he pursued his ambition with visionary clarity and painstaking discipline. He never engaged in violence. He rather invested unrelentingly in the rule of Law. Whenever he contested and he felt robbed of victory, he headed to the courts of the land. Many of his landmark cases have since enriched our jurisprudence and legal lexicon. He has remained a tireless fighter and defender of the rights of the common man.

It is a tragedy that such a man of sharp intellect and prodigious talents has been endlessly maligned in the name of politics.

It must be noted that many of our political icons had suffered similar persecution in the past. My sad conclusion is that when we refuse to encourage good people, the worst amongst us will continue to thrive.

I make bold to declare my maximum respect for ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR as a great man of ideas and ideals, a peacemaker, man of God, blessed family man, absolutely detribalised, very cosmopolitan, well educated, versatile, humble in spirit, unpretentious, experienced and exposed. He is without doubt a man of diversity and destiny. May Allah preserve him for the benefit of all us because in the days of tribulations, kids must run to the elders of the house. No one else is better prepared for this role at this auspicious moment.

Please, let’s all rise and give a standing ovation to a leader who has refused to give up on his goals…

Other speekers, who eulogized the celebrant in goodwill messages were former Adamawa Governor Jibrilla Bindow, Senator Ishaku Abbo, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, Senator Abdulaziz Nyako and several others.

In his traditional soft-spoken nature, Atiku expressed gratitude to all attendees, with special appreciation to the organizers, and special mention of Prof. Ahmed Shehu (Pullo Jada) for their dedicated efforts to ensure the smooth sailing of the event.

THE MAN ATIKU ABUBAKAR

Below is brief history of the former Vice President as told by himself –

I was born on the 25th of November 1946 in Jada village, Adamawa State Like many of my generation, my father was opposed to Western education and tried to keep me out of school. When the government discovered this, my father spent a few days in jail. I was then enrolled in Jada primary school.

When I was only 11 years old, my father drowned and died while trying to cross a small river. The task of raising me then fell on my mother. At that age I resolved to work hard, remain focused and be successful in life to make my her proud. In 1960, I was admitted to Adamawa Provincial Secondary School in Yola.

Academically, I did well in English Language and Literature but I struggled with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. I spent most holidays working to earn extra money. In 1961, when I was 15 years old, my mother’s elder brother sold the family house in Jada without her knowledge and rendered us homeless. I spent that holiday working and from my earnings, I bought a house for my mother in Ganye. I became an orphan when my mother suffered a heart attack and died in 1984.

Post Secondary School

I graduated from secondary school in 1965. After that, I studied at the Nigeria Police College in Kaduna for a short while. I left when I was unable to present an O-Level Mathematics result. I worked briefly as a Tax Officer in the regional Ministry of Finance, from where I gained admission to the School of Hygiene in Kano in 1966.
I graduated with a Diploma in 1967, having served as Interim Student Union President at the School. In 1967 I enrolled for a Law Diploma at the Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Administration, on a scholarship from regional government. After graduation in 1969, I was employed by the Nigerian Customs Service.

Family

I met nineteen year old Titilayo Albert when I was serving at Idiroko, Lagos, and in December 1971 I married her secretly, because her family was initially opposed to the union. On 26 October 1972, Titi delivered a baby girl and we named her Fatima. Titi later gave birth to Adamu, Halima and Aminu.

In January 1979 I married Ladi Yakubu as my second wife. I wanted to expand the Abubakar family. I had no siblings and I felt extremely lonely as a child. I did not want my children to feel that way.

This is why I married more than one wife. My wives are my sisters, my friends, and my advisers and they complement one another. Ladi gave birth to Abba, Atiku, Zainab, Ummi-Hauwa, Maryam and Rukayatu.

In 1983 the late Lamido of Adamawa who had become like my father made me the Turaki of Adamawa. This position was usually reserved for one of the Emir’s favorite sons and was rarely given to non-royals like me. To ensure that I met the ‘blood tie’ requirement for the title, the Lamido gave me one of his daughters, Princess Rukaiyat, to marry.

She gave birth to Aisha, Hadiza, Aliyu, Asmau, Mustafa, Laila and Abdulsalam. I married Fatima Shettima in 1986. She gave birth to Amina (Meena), Mohammed and two sets of twins Ahmed and Shehu, Zainab and Aisha and then Hafsat. Jennifer Jamila Atiku-Abubakar is my last wife. She gave birth to Abdulmalik, Zara and my youngest child, Faisal.

Customs

My Customs career commenced on 30 June 1969. My first posting was at Idi-Iroko, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic. My other assignments included the Lagos Airport, Apapa Ports (1974), Ibadan Customs Command (1975), Kano Command (1976), Maiduguri (Area Comptroller, 1977), Kaduna (1980) and the Apapa Ports in 1982.

In April 1984, when I was the Murtala Muhammed Airport Area Administrator, my name was associated with a scandal that made headlines. As part of efforts to cripple corrupt politicians who had stashes of stolen cash in their possession, the new military government had phased out the old naira currency and replaced it with new ones. Orders had been given to ensure that all luggage entering the country was properly screened to prevent smuggling of the old notes. The Emir of Gwangu and Ambassador Dahiru Waziri had arrived from Saudi Arabia with many suitcases. As is customary, the suitcases were supposed to pass through Custom officers for check but the Emir’s son, who was a Major in the Army and also ADC to Head of State Gen Buhari drove straight to the Tarmac with soldiers, off-loaded the suitcases there, picked up his father and the Ambassador and drove away. The soldiers had threatened to shoot the Custom officers who had protested and tried to stop them. My officers reported in writing to me and I in turn reported the incidence to my boss, the Director of Customs. A few days later, one of the officers leaked the story to Guardian Newspapers and their correspondent called me to confirm if it was true. I did.

Soon after, Newspaper Headlines read, “Passenger with 53 suitcases leaves airport unchecked”. This scandal embarrassed the government and they tried to make me deny it happened. I refused and they threatened to throw me out of service. The Minister of Finance then, Soleye, who oversaw the Customs Service played a big role in ensuring I wasn’t dismissed. He had said it would be unfair to punish me for being honest and standing by my officers.

In 1987 I was promoted to Deputy Director of Customs and Excise in charge of Enforcement and Drugs. In April 1989, when I was 43, I voluntarily retired from Customs after 20 years of meritorious service.

Business

I’ve always had a good nose for business. In my early years as a Customs officer, I received a 31,000 naira Housing Loan, built a bungalow in Yola, and rented it out. With the rent I collected in advance, I bought a second plot and built another house. I continued building new houses with rent from completed ones and after a few years I had built 8 houses in choice areas in Yola. When I was transferred to Kaduna, I continued this process and in a few years I had 5 houses there.

In 1981, I moved into agriculture. I became the largest maize farmer in the whole of Gongola state. Unfortunately, due to Government policies that increased the cost of production, the business fell on hard times and closed in 1986.

The most successful business I ever ventured into was with Gabrielle Volpi, an Italian businessman. He intimated me about how profitable Oil and Gas Logistics business could be and, trusting his abilities, I partnered with him to form NICOTES which started operating from a container office at Apapa ports.

When the business began to grow, we relocated to Onne, Rivers State. The company, now known as INTELS (Integrated and Logistics Services) is a multi-billion naira company that has a staff of over 15,000 people and pays huge dividends to its shareholders. My other businesses include agriculture, feed making, plastics, printing, TV/radio media, and beverages.

Politics

I met Shehu Musa Yar’Adua towards the end of my Customs career. He invited me to the political meetings that were happening regularly in his Lagos home; and that was how my foray into politics began.

In 1989 the political meetings became Peoples Front of Nigeria and I was elected as the National Vice- Chairman.

We wish the Wazirin Adamawa a happy birthday, and many fruitful years ahead!

Headline

Season of Compensations: Tinubu Submits 32 Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate

Published

6 days ago

November 29, 2025

Eric

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent the names of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after he sent the first batch of three names.

Bayo Onanuga, media aide to President Tinubu made this known in a statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, President Tinubu, in two separate letters to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio asked the Senate to consider and confirm expeditiously 15 nominees as career ambassadors and 17 nominees as non-career ambassadors.

Onanuga stated that there are four women on the career ambassadors’ list and six women on the non-career ambassadors’ list.

The statement reads, “Among the non-career ambassador designates are Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta), former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti first lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

“Others are Tasiu Musa Maigari, the former speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly, Yakubu N. Gambo, a former Commissioner in Plateau State and former deputy executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

“Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, a former senator from Plateau; Otunba Femi Pedro, a former deputy governor of Lagos State; Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister from Osun State; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State are on the nomination list.

“Also on the list are former First Lady of Oyo, Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande, former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent, former governor of Abia, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, businessman, lawyer and Senator from Ondo State, and the former ambassador of Nigeria to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu from Benue State.

“Among the nominees for career ambassador and high commissioner-designates are: Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi) and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).

“The other nominees are Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kawara) and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).

“The new nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains excellent and strategic bilateral relations, such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and to Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. All the nominees will know their diplomatic assignments after their confirmation by the Senate.

“Last week, President Tinubu sent three ambassadorial nominees for screening and confirmation. The nominees were Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun). All three are in the pot for posting to the UK, USA, or France after their confirmation.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said more nominees for ambassadorial positions will be announced soon.”

Headline

FG Must Urgently Deploy Modern Technology to Curb Killings – Obasanjo

Published

7 days ago

November 29, 2025

Eric

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that Nigerians owe no one an apology for seeking assistance from the international community to tackle the country’s insecurity, stressing that lives are being lost daily regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation.

Speaking on Friday night at the ongoing Plateau Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Obasanjo said the Federal government must urgently deploy modern technology to curb killings, noting that with technology, no criminal should be beyond the reach of security agencies, as the country has the capacity to take them out.

“In these days of technology, there should be nobody who can hide after committing a crime,” he said. “Before I left government, we had the capacity to pick up anybody in Nigeria once identified… Every Nigerian life matters, whether Christian, Muslim or pagan. Nigerians are being killed; this must stop.”

He insisted Nigerians have the right to seek international partnership if domestic efforts fall short, arguing that saving lives must remain the nation’s priority.

Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who also addressed the gathering, reassured citizens that Nigeria would overcome its current trials. “By the grace of God, those who want Nigeria destroyed will not succeed,” he declared, praying that national and state leaders continue to receive strength and wisdom to act rightly.

The governor said the annual carol event was inspired by the vision of uniting the people of Plateau through worship and thanksgiving. “God is delighted when we come together in unity to exalt His name,” he said. “Despite all odds, we are gathered again this year to celebrate the goodness of God in the land of the living.”

Mutfwang welcomed dignitaries in attendance, including former President Obasanjo; General Lawrence Onoja (rtd.); former Governors of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye and Jonah Jang, who attended with his wife, Ngo Talatu; former Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna; former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.); and the GOC 3 Division, Major General Folorunsho Oyinlola, among others.

Expressing delight in the diversity of worshippers, the governor said Plateau citizens put aside denominational differences to worship under one banner. “With unity, we will shut the door against the enemy that troubles us,” he said.

The event featured ministrations from renowned gospel artistes including Buchi, Uche Etiaba, Pastor Chingtok, and choirs drawn from various denominations.