Category: People
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LIPEDE Mofolorunsho Oyebade, ninth Alake of Egbaland who reigned from August 1972 till his demise in 2005, one week after his 90th birthday. As the Alake, Lipede was part of the lobbying for the creation of Ogun State, and the designation of Abeokuta as the state capital. He is remarked to have demystified the palace…
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Hakeem Olajuwon; Nigerian born American basketballer who holds the record as the NBA All-time Rebounds Leader. Hakeem Olajuwon is ranked as number seven overall in the All-time Points Leaders. In the citation of Less Alexander, Houston Rocket’s owner, Olajuwon was described as the greatest player in the club’s history. Childhood Seven-feet tall Olajuwon never…
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Elemure Ogunyemi; Ekiti-centric traditional musician from Nigeria. Elemure made more than 50 records, with Seramo in which he talked about petrol scarcity, shooting him into stardom. Because of this, he was invited to USA, Poland and Germany by the Ekiti indigenes living there. He passed on at the age of 70 in 2014. Travels…
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Samuel Okwaraji, Nigerian midfielder who slumped and died on August 12, 1989 while playing for the Super Eagles in a crucial 1990 World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Angola at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Lagos. Okwaraji who had a Masters Degree in International Law (LLM) from the University of Rome, was…
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Olubunmi Okogie; Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of the Lagos Archdiocese. In the home front, Okogie played the role of a Christian leader and activist. In May 1990, he raised the alarm over moves by the government of Ibrahim Babangida committing Nigeria, a secular state into joining the controversial Organization of Islamic…
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IKOKU Samuel Goomsu; Socialist and first republic opposition leader in the Eastern House of Assembly. Samuel Goomsu Ikoku, together with intellectuals like Rotimi Williams, Anthony Enahoro, and J.S. Tarka formed the radical wing of the Action Group party which on the mandate of Obafemi Awolowo, sought to remove the ethnic colouration which it wore and…
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Jimoh Aliu; Actor and producer. In 1991, Aliu was the first Nigerian to present a Yoruba film at the Rio Cinema, London. Following this, he also released Arelu and Yanponyanrin. Arelu was such a success that the streets would be deserted when it was time to air it. Born November 11, 1936, Aliu was just…
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Tunde Kelani; Nigerian cinematographer. Using the vehicle of films and home video movies with Ti Oluwa. Nile 1 & 2, Kosegbe, Ote ku I & 2 and others, Kelani’s Mainframe began a renaissance in the promotion of Yoruba culture at more elevated rather than a pedestrian level, usually informed by crass commercialisation evidenced In the…
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Kayode Eso; Celebrated Nigerian jurist who made history in handling one of the most complicated criminal trials in history. Eso was part of the body which shaped the laws and the policies of the old Western Region. He was legal drafts man in 1961, principal state council in 1963, and principal crown counsel in 1962.…
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MBADIWE Kinsley Ozuomba; One of the fathers of independent Nigeria, who as leader of the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon NCNC in the nation’s first House of Representatives, joined forces with the Northern People’s Congress NPC to create the office of the Prime Minister, an action leading up to Nigeria’s independence. Mbadiwe was second…