By EMEKA UGWU-OJU

On Friday, 2nd May, 2025, Mr. Pascal Gabriel Dozie, CON, KSS, a Nigerian Corporate and NESH Titan, was laid to rest in his compound at Egbu, Owerri, Imo State, and today, 3rd May, 2025, Chief Samuel Ayodele Adebanjo, the Leader of Afenifere and the Last of Nigeria First Republic Political Titans will be buried in his compound at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, after a Funeral Service at St. Phillips Anglican Church, Isanya Ogbo. I am now commencing this short tribute while in a car from Lagos to Isanya Ogbo with my friend and brother, Mr. Chidi Ejikeme, to pay my last respects to a Great Man. It is indeed truly an honor and a special privilege to have been closely associated with both Great Nigerians during their lifetime.

On Wednesday, 30th April, 2025, a Night of Tributes & Service of Songs for Chief Ayo Adebanjo was held at Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Many Family, Friends, Associates and Admirers of Chief Adebanjo were in attendance to pay tribute to the Great Man. There was also a special publication of collections of Tributes for Chief Adebanjo which was distributed at the Event. A lot was said about Chief Adebanjo but I could say that what stood out most was his Dependability and Reliability. According to Prof Anya O. Anya, who presented a tribute on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Adebanjo was an exceptional Nigerian politician, whose word was his bond. As he put it, ?You can take his words to the bank.?

My short tribute will focus on the private side of Chief Adebanjo which was not adequately captured in the various tributes - His personal Relationship with Non-Yorubas. As a member of Afenifere, an organization perceived by many non Yorubas as a group that caters only for the interest of Yorubas, many non Yorubas wrongly saw him as a ?Yoruba Champion?. However the real Chief Adebanjo that I have known for about 40 years was a true ?Nigerian Champion? both in private and public. He didn?t care about which tribe you belong to once you are a person of character and principle. I first knew Chief Ayo Adebanjo in the late 1980s when a good friend of mine, Mr. Faramade Ogunsanya, got engaged to a young lady under his care. It was however during the Abacha era that I became very close to Chief Adebanjo. As an active member of NADECO, I usually accompanied my late leader, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu(Rtd), to NADECO meetings which sometimes took place at Late Pa Ajasin Residence in Owo, Ondo State. Chief Adebanjo took notice that I was the only young person that attended the meetings at Owo and our relationship grew closer. Although I was Igbo, he treated me like his son. I was one of the few people who had the privilege of meeting and ?jisting? with him in his bedroom at Lekki. Pa Ayo Adebanjo was a Speaker at my 50th Birthday Dinner in 2009 which he attended with his dear wife, Christie. He was always there for me. It was an emotional moment for me at the graveside when his daughter, Mrs Adeola Azeez, said that as ?Papa?s Son?, I should also pour some sand into the grave before the sealing of the grave, which I accepted with gratitude.

My dear wife, Nkechi, and I will miss him a lot. Our dear Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the Fearless Voice of the Voiceless Nigerians, Rest in Perfect Peace.

? Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju is Chairman, Board of Trustees, South East-South South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN).

? PHOTO: 2018; at Enugu for an event ? ?Hand Shake Across the Niger? ? organized by Nzuko Umunna. L to R: Late Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Publicity Secretary, Afenifere; Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, Member, Imeobi, Ohanaeze; Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader, Afenifere Delegation; H.E. Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, former Governor of Ondo State, and member of Afenifere Delegation; Late Architect Ferdinand Agu, Secretary, Planning and Strategy Committee, Ohanaeze.

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