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LETS HAVE A SENSE OF HISTORY

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When Awolowo was sentenced to prison, a lot of Progressives were shocked, some died instantly and some became sickly! Some people(Bishops and Statesmen) went to beg the Central Government of Zik and Balewa. The Government agreed to free Awolowo but, knowing fully well that Awolowo would not agree, they said his wife HID must come to beg the government and after that, Awolowo would be freed. The aim was to put Awolowo’s wife pictures begging the government on front pages of major newspapers.

The ‘Eminent’ men went to meet HID and persuaded her to beg the government. HID thanked them all but said she could only do that if her husband permitted her, if not, she would not. Recall in 1986, similar offer was made to GMB’s former wife but she fell for it, Buhari later divorced her.

The eminent men went to meet Awolowo in prison and begged him to allow his wife beg the government, they cited many verses from the Bible(Read My March through Prisons or Travails of Democracy and the Rule of Law by Chief Obafemi Awolowo). Awolowo, in reply, thanked them very well but declined. He said “my wife beg who exactly? Will she kneel down or prostrate? Beg for what offence exactly? That I plotted a Coup? That’s ridiculous! You’re men of God, you should know that God does not not encourage people to bow to injustice….”….

Awolowo allegedly said and I quote ” I believe I should not be in prison but here I am, the only Premier that ended up in prison for no reason. If we are confused about my innocence, let God be the Judge. If truly I did what they accused me of, I will not come out of this prison alive but if I am innocent, I will not spend my life here in prison, I will come out and as the Lord lives, I won’t meet any of those who conspired against me alive…… Thank you gentlemen for your visit, I wish you journey mercies…. “

You live on the earth, you eat rat, you live on the earth you eat fish, you live on the earth you do evil, the judgement is in the earth…. Earth the killer!

The rest is history!

Ayekooto Akindele

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TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR With a deeply heavy heart and profound sense of personal loss, I join millions of Nigerians and friends around the world to mourn the passing of our former President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, his children, and his entire extended family. I also condole with the government and people of Katsina State, especially the Daura Emirate, where President Buhari’s journey in life began — a town whose name has become inextricably linked with his legacy. President Buhari’s record of service to Nigeria is almost unparalleled. From the battlefield to the ballot box, he stood as a sentinel of duty. As a military officer, Head of State, and twice-elected President, he offered over five decades of his life to the service of our nation in times of strife and in peaceful times — guided always by a belief in discipline, integrity, and nationhood. What often went unnoticed in public commentary was his unwavering commitment to the core values that bind any serious society: order, punctuality, and accountability. He did not just talk about these values; he lived them. He was perhaps the most punctual public servant I ever encountered — never late to cabinet meetings, always respecting the time of others. It may seem a small thing, but in governance, it is everything. It sets a tone. He had a deep yearning for a society governed by rules, not by impulse. This found early expression in his War Against Indiscipline, a campaign often misread as rigid but rooted in a desire to rebuild a citizenry of order, courtesy, and civic responsibility. I feel privileged to have served in his cabinet — first in the consolidated Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and later in the restructured Ministry of Works and Housing. President Buhari was not a man to micromanage; instead, he gave you the space and the trust to deliver. With that trust, however, came the highest expectations of discipline, results, and honesty. He had a quiet strength. Yet, within and outside the cabinet, I witnessed his compassion — his deep concern for the poor, the pensioner, the soldier in the trenches, the almajiri child, and the underserved in every part of this country. Under his leadership, the nation confronted formidable challenges: insurgency, economic volatility, a global pandemic, and deep political tension. Yet he remained consistent — never ruled by noise or poll ratings, only by the burden of responsibility and his belief in posterity’s judgment. His death marks the end of a defining chapter in Nigeria’s journey — one marked by sacrifice, moral authority, and patriotic resolve. But even in death, President Muhammadu Buhari leaves behind a living legacy: one of service above self, of discipline without drama, of truth without theatrics. May the Almighty Allah (SWT), whom he served with devotion and humility, forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus. Adieu, Mai Gaskiya as you were fondly referred to. Nigeria salutes you. Signed, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN CON

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TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR With a deeply heavy heart and profound sense of personal loss, I join millions of Nigerians and friends around the world to mourn the passing of our former President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, his children, and his entire extended family. I also condole with the government and people of Katsina State, especially the Daura Emirate, where President Buhari’s journey in life began — a town whose name has become inextricably linked with his legacy. President Buhari’s record of service to Nigeria is almost unparalleled. From the battlefield to the ballot box, he stood as a sentinel of duty. As a military officer, Head of State, and twice-elected President, he offered over five decades of his life to the service of our nation in times of strife and in peaceful times — guided always by a belief in discipline, integrity, and nationhood. What often went unnoticed in public commentary was his unwavering commitment to the core values that bind any serious society: order, punctuality, and accountability. He did not just talk about these values; he lived them. He was perhaps the most punctual public servant I ever encountered — never late to cabinet meetings, always respecting the time of others. It may seem a small thing, but in governance, it is everything. It sets a tone. He had a deep yearning for a society governed by rules, not by impulse. This found early expression in his War Against Indiscipline, a campaign often misread as rigid but rooted in a desire to rebuild a citizenry of order, courtesy, and civic responsibility. I feel privileged to have served in his cabinet — first in the consolidated Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and later in the restructured Ministry of Works and Housing. President Buhari was not a man to micromanage; instead, he gave you the space and the trust to deliver. With that trust, however, came the highest expectations of discipline, results, and honesty. He had a quiet strength. Yet, within and outside the cabinet, I witnessed his compassion — his deep concern for the poor, the pensioner, the soldier in the trenches, the almajiri child, and the underserved in every part of this country. Under his leadership, the nation confronted formidable challenges: insurgency, economic volatility, a global pandemic, and deep political tension. Yet he remained consistent — never ruled by noise or poll ratings, only by the burden of responsibility and his belief in posterity’s judgment. His death marks the end of a defining chapter in Nigeria’s journey — one marked by sacrifice, moral authority, and patriotic resolve. But even in death, President Muhammadu Buhari leaves behind a living legacy: one of service above self, of discipline without drama, of truth without theatrics. May the Almighty Allah (SWT), whom he served with devotion and humility, forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus. Adieu, Mai Gaskiya as you were fondly referred to. Nigeria salutes you. Signed, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN CON