BY GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR
FLASHBACK to September 30,1960, when the British flag, Union Jack, was lowered in the night for the green and white flag of Nigeria: the thunderous applause and whistles that greeted the event, as Nigeria stepped into nationhood in the morning.
The ovation soared louder, when Nigeria was the second British colony in Africa, after Ghana, to gain its independence in 1960.
That year, like every other one, was serenaded with birth of figures, who would
add to shape the history of the country.
And like you could say of the Ohio baby, Ella Rose's birth being right on time —
she was born on 8/9/10 at 11:12 pm, she weighed almost 6 pounds, 7 ounces — sure enough, these celebrities chose to be born in the same year as Nigeria.
Many of these celebrities have seemingly exceeded their own limits and played
beyond their own expectations and that of others around them. That they deserve to be among 1960 gladiators is not the issue, but that they have worked hard to carve out results many thought were impossible. They have, in their 50 years, posted, what could be considered excellent accomplishments.
Dr. ABC (Bryant) Orjiakor
AMBROSE Bryant Chukwueloka Orjiako (ABC) was born on October 2, 1960, in
Calabar to the family of the late Chief Daniel Obiesie Orjiako and late Mrs.
Rebecca Orjiako of Umuchima, Uli, Anambra State.
ABC, as he is fondly called by admirers, had his secondary education at Uli High
School, Uli between 1972 and 1978 and made grade 1, majoring in Sciences.
He qualified as a medical doctor from the University of Calabar in 1985. He was
the best graduating student in his final MBBCH.
A fellow of the West African College of Medicine and Nigeria Post-Graduate
Medicine College, he had a distinguished career in medical practice and rose to
become a Specialist Orthopedic and Trauma Surgeon.
In 1996, he decided to go into full time business and has business interests in
both the upstream and downstream sectors of the Oil Industry, Shipping, Banking, Insurance, and Pharmaceuticals.
He is currently Chairman/CEO of a number of companies including the Ordrec
Group, Zebbra Energy Ltd, Abbeycourt Companies, Shebah Exploration and
Production Co. Ltd, Helko Marine Services, etc.
He is also the Chairman of Neimeth Pharmaceuticals International PLC and sits on the Board of several other companies. He is a board member of the Nigerian
Chamber of Shipping. He has recently invested and sits on the board of a
Norwegian Company; Green Resources ASA with huge interest in Tree Farms in East Africa.
A devout Catholic and a philanthropist, he was awarded the Papal Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory.
In 1998/99, Orjiakor was the deep pocket that bankrolled efforts made by Dr.
Chinwoke Mbadinuju to win the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket
- in a field populated by aspirants with better name — recognition.
He also backed Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, PDP governorship candidate in the February 6 election because he felt Soludo “would go beyond the mundane issues of the day to providing strong transformational leadership and solid socio-economic base for the state.”
Nuhu Ribadu
BORN on November 21, 1960, Ribadu graduated from the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 1984, before joining the Nigeria Police, where he rose to become head of the Legal and Prosecution department, Police Headquarters, Abuja.
His 18-year service in the Nigeria Police culminated in his appointment as
pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) in April, 2003. He was a key member of the Economic Management Team, from 2003 to 2008 that initiated and drove the wide-ranging public sector reforms, which laid the foundations for the socio-economic rejuvenation of Nigeria.
Ribadu's great achievements in EFCC include the delisting of Nigeria from the
FATF List of Non-Cooperative Countries & Territories, admission into the
prestigious Egmont Group and the withdrawal of the US Treasury advisory on
Nigeria by the FINCEN; and helped make the EFCC a reference Law Enforcement
Agency on the continent. The bold investigation, prosecution, and conviction of
Nigeria's hitherto untouchable politicians and businessmen earned him the
reputation of being a foremost and respected anti-corruption crusader in the
world.
He recently completed an LLM degree thesis on the jurisprudence of corruption in Nigeria from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, in fulfillment of the
requirements for the award of a Master of Law.
He was also at the Harvard Business School where he did a programme in the
strategic management of law enforcement agencies. He was a visiting fellow at
Oxford University when he went on self exile before returning home early this
year.
And ahead of the 2011 general elections, Ribadu has signalled his intention to
contest the presidency of the country on the platform of the Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN)
Dele Momodu
BORN on May 16, 1960, Momodu rose from grass to grace. He obtained his first
degree in Yoruba from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, in 1982, and earned a Master's degree in Literature in English in 1988.
During his 1982-83 NYSC service, he taught A-Level Yoruba at the Oyo State
College of Arts and Science in Ile-Ife. Thereafter, he became private secretary
to the then deputy governor of Ondo State, Chief Akin Omoboriowo.
In 1986, Momodu served His Royal Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, when he managed the Motel Royal Limited owned by the monarch. He later resigned to pursue his post-graduate studies in English Literature.
During this period, he was contributing articles to The Guardian, Sunday
Tribune, and others. In May 1988, he got his first job as Staff Writer with
the African Concord magazine, owned by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
He also edited Classique magazine before he founded Ovation International, a
glossy monthly publication principally of prominent personalities and their
success stories.
Momodu recently joined the presidential race on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) and says, he is in the race to change the fortunes of the mass of our
people.
"After many careful deliberations and consultations, I chose to challenge fate
and attempt what I believe would become our last attempt at achieving a
bloodless revolution in Nigeria.
“I was under no illusion that the garrison commanders in the PDP would not go
voluntarily without attempting to rig elections as usual. But I was persuaded
that the long-suffering people of Nigeria were sufficiently angered by our
retrograde status of no water, no road, no light, no jobs, no money... No normal
Nigerian would ever wish for PDP and their types in other parties to return to
power," he said.
Oluremi Tinubu
THE former First Lady of Lagos State, a fashionable woman is an Officer of the
Order of Niger (OON). Born on September 21, 1960, she is making this year’s
50th birthday a praise event to the glory of God.
One of the gifts presented to the guests was her book, The Journey of Grace, My
faith works.
Instead of giving her worldly expensive gifts such as cars, cows and so on, Remi
Tinubu said the gifts should be monetized and paid into a bank account to
support the completion of New Era Foundation Youth Camp
The lady, who is committed to the well-being of the poor, started New Era
Foundation as a way to making Nigeria a better place. The foundation was started when her husband, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was in office.
“We established NEYOCA to cater for the informal educational needs of children from age seven to 17 in home science, computer improvement, public speaking and such sporting activities as basketball, tennis and football, with the aim of enriching the lives of the young ones,” she said.
Tinubu said she was motivated to float the camp by one of Dolly Paton’s
songs, You cannot do everything but you can do something.
Tinubu said she was motivated to float the camp by one of Dolly Paton’s
songs, You cannot do everything but you can do something.
Toyin Alfred Akinoso, better known as ‘Poblisha’
BORN on May 20, 1960, Akinosho, a geologist and cultural landscapist, grew up on Vaughan Street, Apapa Road, Ebute Metta. As he recalled proudly, though he did not have formal nursery education, he was more street smart than his Montgomery Road contemporaries, who were considered more refined. “They could speak the English, but we could write it,” he said.
Indeed, he has been writing, since he could remember, more and better than many acclaimed writers are. And the following is a testimonial to that effect:
“True to his type of life, the man is so unassuming. He is the one who fits the
cliché perfectly - a bundle of talents,” Remi Raji, the writer and secretary
general of Nigeria chapter of PEN International, says of him. “If there was
someone who could define our generation of writers well, someone who knew enough about how to define and describe the literary tradition, in spite of his
grounding in the applied science of Geology, the one who was devoted to the
industry of our literature...that man was Toyin Akinosho.”
He adds, “If a book - a novel, collection of poems, memoir, or book of essays -
was declared as unavailable, Toyin was sure to have it in his massive library.
If New York Review of Books, South African Review of Books or TLS announced the publication of a new title, don't guess who to ask to give a sniper commentary on it at short notice. Toyin was, and is still dependable as a literary
connoisseur.”
For Raji, “Akinosho is one of the truly dedicated men of my generation,
dedicated to the fine art of reporting, publishing, peddling, packaging, and
doing literature in the service, not of self-promotion, but in the loftier
service of cultural revival and regeneration.”
Taiwo Obe
BORN on July16, 1960, TO’s childhood fantasy was to be a tailor or what is today
known as fashion designer, but his pet dream earned him whiplashes from his
disciplinarian father.
He trained in Mass Communication at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, which also gave him an opportunity to operate on a wide spectrum of communication
In close to three decades, Obe has been earning a living as a multi-media
communicator. He was a journalist, having passed through The Guardian, Thisweek magazine, The Week and Media Review.
Ifeanyi Mbanefo of NLNG says of the Vice Chairman of Taijo Wonukabe, a
communications’ outfit: “TO is to journalism, what Professor Ben Nwabueze is to
law – a pearl whose career, his writings and achievements have done both
scholarship and the profession proud.”
Obe was an Alfred Friendly Fellow in the United States in 1988. His style and
philosophy best explain his relative anonymity in the country. His wish is to
flag off his everything journalism social enterprise (to help restore the glory
of Nigerian journalism).
Kingsley Osayande Osadolor
POPULARLY called ‘Grand Master’ by junior colleagues and admirers, KO is one of the brightest journalists produced in the country.
Born on August 15, in Benin City, hehad his education at the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Mass Communication,
graduating in 1984 at the top of his class with First Class Honours and
delivered the Valedictory Address at the Convocation in February 1985. He also
won the Vice-Chancellor’s Book Prize for best overall graduating student.
A qualified lawyer and Senior Special Assistant (General Duties) to the
Honourable Minister of Special Duties (who recently resigned his portfolio);
Osadolor was Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Edo State.
At various times, he was Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Legal Adviser, Columnist and Member of the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspapers.
He is married with four children.
Muyiwa Akintunde
BORN on September 20, 1960, in over two decades, Muyiwa has held top management positions as a brand communications professional and editor of leading Nigerian and international publications.
Starting from The Guardian in 1986, he was at Newswatch, Daily Times, The Post Express and at the UK-based pan-African monthly, Africa Today as Managing Editor (West Africa) and others.
Earning a Post Graduate Diploma in Communications Studies from Lagos State
University, he ventured into the marketing communications consultancy first on a part-time basis and later took it as a carrier.
He had worked with one of Nigeria's leading marketing communications firms, C&F Porter Novelli (formerly Corporate and Financial), acquiring immense experience in media/influencer relations, public affairs, reputation management, issues management and stakeholder relations.
Akintunde decided to celebrate his 50th birthday with the less-privileged,
motherless, orphans, blind, hungry and the sick.
In his words, “I would like to share my 50th birthday with you all and the less
fortunate members of our society. As you might know, SOS Villages offers
orphaned, abandoned and children otherwise in need a long term family-based care regardless of race or religion. On its part, the Vocational Training Centre for
the Blind provides for the visually impaired a comprehensive two-year
residential programme in Braille reading and writing, mobility, typewriting,
computer use, tie and dye, cane and raffia work, soap making, chair and stool
making, etc.
“The SOS Village is in continuous need of food and basic home items (fans, gas
cookers, TV, etc) for the over 100 children in the community. At the VCTB where
there are 44 virtually impaired students, the basic requirements include guide
sticks, Perkin’s Braille machines, music sets (guitar, keyboards) and volunteer
readers.”
On September 19, he was at the SOS Children’s Village, Isolo and on September
25, he was at the Vocational Training Centre for the Blind (VTCB), Off Cappa Bus
Stop, Oshodi, Lagos.
Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
BORN on December 22 in Umuchu, Nigeria, he holds a B.A. in Dramatic Arts from
the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and an M.A. in Literature from the University of Lagos.
Popularly called ‘God of Poetry’, a name taken from his collection of poems,
Uzoatu started out as a rural peasant theatre director before venturing into
journalism.
He was the 1989 Distinguished Visitor at the Graduate School of Journalism,
University of Western Ontario, Canada and was nominated for the Caine Prize for
African Writing in 2008 for his short story Cemetery of Life published
in Wasafiri magazine, London.
Some of his published works include Satan’s Story, A Play of Ghosts, Doctor of
Football, Day of Blood and Fire, The Missing Link, God of Poetry and The Way We
Are.
Uzoatu, chairman of the editorial board of News Star newspaper, lives in Lagos,
with his wife, Chidimma, and their four children.
BORN on May 20, 1960, Akinosho, a geologist and cultural landscapist, grew up on Vaughan Street, Apapa Road, Ebute Metta. As he recalled proudly, though he did not have formal nursery education, he was more street smart than his Montgomery Road contemporaries, who were considered more refined. “They could speak the English, but we could write it,” he said.
Indeed, he has been writing, since he could remember, more and better than many acclaimed writers are. And the following is a testimonial to that effect:
“True to his type of life, the man is so unassuming. He is the one who fits the
cliché perfectly - a bundle of talents,” Remi Raji, the writer and secretary
general of Nigeria chapter of PEN International, says of him. “If there was
someone who could define our generation of writers well, someone who knew enough about how to define and describe the literary tradition, in spite of his
grounding in the applied science of Geology, the one who was devoted to the
industry of our literature...that man was Toyin Akinosho.”
He adds, “If a book - a novel, collection of poems, memoir, or book of essays -
was declared as unavailable, Toyin was sure to have it in his massive library.
If New York Review of Books, South African Review of Books or TLS announced the publication of a new title, don't guess who to ask to give a sniper commentary on it at short notice. Toyin was, and is still dependable as a literary
connoisseur.”
For Raji, “Akinosho is one of the truly dedicated men of my generation,
dedicated to the fine art of reporting, publishing, peddling, packaging, and
doing literature in the service, not of self-promotion, but in the loftier
service of cultural revival and regeneration.”
Taiwo Obe
BORN on July16, 1960, TO’s childhood fantasy was to be a tailor or what is today
known as fashion designer, but his pet dream earned him whiplashes from his
disciplinarian father.
He trained in Mass Communication at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, which also gave him an opportunity to operate on a wide spectrum of communication
In close to three decades, Obe has been earning a living as a multi-media
communicator. He was a journalist, having passed through The Guardian, Thisweek magazine, The Week and Media Review.
Ifeanyi Mbanefo of NLNG says of the Vice Chairman of Taijo Wonukabe, a
communications’ outfit: “TO is to journalism, what Professor Ben Nwabueze is to
law – a pearl whose career, his writings and achievements have done both
scholarship and the profession proud.”
Obe was an Alfred Friendly Fellow in the United States in 1988. His style and
philosophy best explain his relative anonymity in the country. His wish is to
flag off his everything journalism social enterprise (to help restore the glory
of Nigerian journalism).
Kingsley Osayande Osadolor
POPULARLY called ‘Grand Master’ by junior colleagues and admirers, KO is one of the brightest journalists produced in the country.
Born on August 15, in Benin City, hehad his education at the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Mass Communication,
graduating in 1984 at the top of his class with First Class Honours and
delivered the Valedictory Address at the Convocation in February 1985. He also
won the Vice-Chancellor’s Book Prize for best overall graduating student.
A qualified lawyer and Senior Special Assistant (General Duties) to the
Honourable Minister of Special Duties (who recently resigned his portfolio);
Osadolor was Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Edo State.
At various times, he was Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Legal Adviser, Columnist and Member of the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspapers.
He is married with four children.
Muyiwa Akintunde
BORN on September 20, 1960, in over two decades, Muyiwa has held top management positions as a brand communications professional and editor of leading Nigerian and international publications.
Starting from The Guardian in 1986, he was at Newswatch, Daily Times, The Post Express and at the UK-based pan-African monthly, Africa Today as Managing Editor (West Africa) and others.
Earning a Post Graduate Diploma in Communications Studies from Lagos State
University, he ventured into the marketing communications consultancy first on a part-time basis and later took it as a carrier.
He had worked with one of Nigeria's leading marketing communications firms, C&F Porter Novelli (formerly Corporate and Financial), acquiring immense experience in media/influencer relations, public affairs, reputation management, issues management and stakeholder relations.
Akintunde decided to celebrate his 50th birthday with the less-privileged,
motherless, orphans, blind, hungry and the sick.
In his words, “I would like to share my 50th birthday with you all and the less
fortunate members of our society. As you might know, SOS Villages offers
orphaned, abandoned and children otherwise in need a long term family-based care regardless of race or religion. On its part, the Vocational Training Centre for
the Blind provides for the visually impaired a comprehensive two-year
residential programme in Braille reading and writing, mobility, typewriting,
computer use, tie and dye, cane and raffia work, soap making, chair and stool
making, etc.
“The SOS Village is in continuous need of food and basic home items (fans, gas
cookers, TV, etc) for the over 100 children in the community. At the VCTB where
there are 44 virtually impaired students, the basic requirements include guide
sticks, Perkin’s Braille machines, music sets (guitar, keyboards) and volunteer
readers.”
On September 19, he was at the SOS Children’s Village, Isolo and on September
25, he was at the Vocational Training Centre for the Blind (VTCB), Off Cappa Bus
Stop, Oshodi, Lagos.
Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
BORN on December 22 in Umuchu, Nigeria, he holds a B.A. in Dramatic Arts from
the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and an M.A. in Literature from the University of Lagos.
Popularly called ‘God of Poetry’, a name taken from his collection of poems,
Uzoatu started out as a rural peasant theatre director before venturing into
journalism.
He was the 1989 Distinguished Visitor at the Graduate School of Journalism,
University of Western Ontario, Canada and was nominated for the Caine Prize for
African Writing in 2008 for his short story Cemetery of Life published
in Wasafiri magazine, London.
Some of his published works include Satan’s Story, A Play of Ghosts, Doctor of
Football, Day of Blood and Fire, The Missing Link, God of Poetry and The Way We
Are.
Uzoatu, chairman of the editorial board of News Star newspaper, lives in Lagos,
with his wife, Chidimma, and their four children.
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