EVERY society has its heroes, its change makers, and till the end of time Nigerians will be talking of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, unmatched in his genius. Today, I pay homage to three men who, in their private space, have exerted themselves to make life easy for Nigerians. I do so, fully conscious of my name and my integrity as a writer. As my mum used to say, those who want a better world won’t be the only ones to enjoy it once it comes. In this regard, it is my sincere view that since the return to civil rule in 1999, no Nigerian outside of government has invested so heavily in the happiness of ordinary Nigerians like the Globacom founder, Dr. Mike Adenuga. Adenuga’s deep attachment to the downtrodden isn’t just because he actually once worked as a taxi driver to help fund his university education at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University; it is because he deeply cares about people, the way Chief Awolowo used to do.
When GSM telephony came to Nigeria following the return to civil rule in 1999, it was an elitist symbol. But then Adenuga changed the story. SIM cards cost above N30,000 at the time, but Adenuga crashed the price to less than N1,000. If SIM cards are virtually free today, it is because of Adenuga’s influence. It was after Adenuga crashed SIM card prices that phones became common items. Adenuga could have joined our oppressors and made a fortune for himself, but he did not. Rather, he chose to identify with the people. Adenuga it was who made us realize that per second billing was possible. That wasn’t just business sense; it was an investment in the happiness of the downtrodden. Adenuga’s mantra is people, power and possibilities, and it is no wonder that he was the first to offer us 2.5 G and 3G networks; 4 G LTE and Blackberry solutions, and launch the submarine cable (GLO 1) providing broadband internet services.
In gifting Nigerians data, Adenuga isn’t just doing business. No. He is communicating a message of empowerment and hope. He is letting Nigerians relate with the rest of the world without asking for their blood and bones like some companies, run like cemeteries of the poor, do. He has rewarded many in the performance arts beyond their creative remit. He has empowered the practice of journalism through constant digital support. Globacom has now become our national pride. Some GSM companies merely provide services: Glo, as it is fondly called, invests in people and enables developmental conversations.
Next, we come to Aare Afe Babalola, a change-maker par excellence. I had heard of the chief for years, but it was when he won the Obafemi Awolowo Leadership Prize in 2019 that I discovered his true essence. On a visit to Ekiti with some colleagues, I discovered a man that had literally prospered his environment, using farming, education and health services as a tool. As I discovered, the founder of Afe Babalola University, through his farm that is actually larger than the university, had set up a technical committee handling agricultural exposition services across the state. As of 2019, he gave a cash donation of N1 million to the overall best farmer in Ekiti State, and also gave cash awards to the three best farmers in each LG.
At the ABUAD Multi-Purpose Teaching Hospital, I saw 3D digital mammogram, MRI machine/1.5 Tesla; digital x-ray room, digital fluoroscopy, bone densitometer, etc, but then what caught my attention was the okada riders receiving treatment at the hospital. The CMD of the hospital at the time, Dr. Akinola Akinmade, revealed its status as a humanitarian centre offering cheaper services than government hospitals! Women putting to bed in the world class hospital paid N20,000. A pregnant patient who had eclampsia and needed emergency surgery had just N200. The hospital did the surgery, delivered the baby, and rescued the mother.
Later, the Aare told us his ABUAD story: “I had investments in all the banks; shares and so on worth several millions. I decided to sell everything, except one property left in Lagos and my house in lbadan. I liquidated my companies, sold my shares in all the banks and so on, to build this university. That was the genesis of ABUAD.” Then he made an unforgettable pronouncement: “ABUAD was registered, and still is registered, as a non-profit university. What it means is that if at all we break even, the money we make will be ploughed back into the university, so it will continue to grow the way Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Oxford and the others are growing… I can assure you, maybe not in my lifetime, in another 20 -30 years, this university will make so much that it will be able to train people free.” To think that a man sold nearly all his properties to found a university, and yet is pouring all the profits into the same university in the hope that it might even be tuition-free in the future!
The third man on my list is the Air Peace founder, Mr Allen Onyema, a businessman who cares deeply about people and spreads joy through his businesses. When the bloodthirsty, xenophobic hounds of South Africa struck in September 2019, Onyema it was who evacuated Nigerians from South Africa for free. He repeated the feat in April 2023 when he evacuated some 277 Nigerians from war-torn Sudan . In July 2023, he gave members of the Montreal Olympics team and the 1980 Green Eagles 12 return tickets for travel within the country for their lifetime, and one international return ticket every year to fly to any country on the airline’s coverage for the rest of their lives. Again, as foreign airlines were exploiting Nigerians recently, Onyema it was who crashed the Nigeria-London fares. I am fully persuaded that he deeply cares about Nigerians. Bravo!
Re: Castrated Kano and Emir Sanusi’s story of sleaze
I just finished reading your piece on Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the Kano emirship ding-dong online in Chicago, USA. Nigeria suffers from a “Luguardian affliction,” which had its roots in the amalgamation of the country in 1914. The affliction still subsists to date and, unfortunately, getting worse. The Kano matter will remain a ding-dong as you imply in your article. The Emirship in Kano has been divisively politicized, leading to unnecessary instability in terms of succession to the throne. With the current situation, the precedent has been laid. It is a new emir per one administration. There is no guarantee that if the current administration loses the next governorship election to APC in that state, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi would ever retain his Emirship. Mark my words.
Yacoob Abiodun (Chicago, IL, USA).
In the article Castrated Kano and Emir Sanusi’s story of sleaze, you are spot on with your submission on the character of most of our royal fathers of today. What is however more disturbing is the supposed conspiracy of silence by the media, especially on their reporting on the Sanusi reinstatement about the corruption allegations again him pre and post his first coming as Emir of Kano. Thank you for highlighting this issue since unfortunately most of us Nigerians have very short memories or just love to forget such anomaly. No wonder it’s ‘Nigeria we hail thee’. Keep up the spirit sir!
Michael Olaotan ([email protected])
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