Birthdays

Donaldson Oladipo Diya, retired lieutenant-general and former chief of general staff, 67, April 13. Born in Odogbolu, Ogun State, he was educated at Yaba Methodist Primary School, Lagos; Odogbolu Grammar School, Odogbolu; Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna; United States Army School of Infantry, Fort Genning, Georgia; Command and Staff College, Jaji; National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPPS, Kuru, 1983, and University of Lagos. He started his military career as a cadet at the Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, and was commissioned second lieutenant in March 1967. He was commander, Nigerian contingent to Lebanon and chief military personnel officer, UN Interim Forces in Lebanon, 1979-1985; commandant, National War College, 1992, and chief of defence staff, 1993; chief of general staff and vice-chairman, Provisional Ruling Council, PRC, 1993-1997. He was implicated in a phantom coup and was sentenced to death in 1998, but was pardoned by Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, in March 1999.

Aliko Dangote, businessman, industrialist,54, April 10. Born in Kano State, he was educated at the Kano Capital School, Kano; Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State;  Alzabal University, Cairo, Egypt. He was appointed business associate, Alhassan  Dantata and sons, 1970-1977. He has been managing director/chief executive, Dangote Group of Companies since 1977. He is also the managing director of Blue-Star Shipping Company; Blue-Star Investment, United Kingdom; Blue Star Services Company Limited and Greenview International Company, Ghana. He is a member, Nigerian British Chambers of Commerce and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN.

Uffot Ekaette, economist and former minister of Niger Delta Ministry, 72, April 17. Born in Ikot Edor, Onna local government area of Akwa Ibom State, he was educated at Qua Iboe  Mission Secondary School, Etinan; Kings College, Lagos; University  College, Ibadan, where he graduated in economics. He joined the Federal Civil Service in 1964, and was principal private secretary to the then head of state, commander –in-chief of Armed Forces in 1975, and later permanent secretary, federal ministry of industries. He was also director-general, Directorate of Foods, Road and Rural Infrastructure, DFRRI; director-general, Federal Ministry of Social Development, Youths and Sport, and director-general, planning, 1990. He was deputy governor,  Akwa Ibom State, and a non-executive director, First Bank PLC, a position he held before becoming the secretary to the government of the federation.  He holds the traditional titles of Attah of Akwa Ibom and Adaidaha  ke  Efik  Ebrutu.

Fatimah Abubakar, justice and wife of Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, 60, April 12. Born in Minna, Niger State, she was educated at the Federal Government College, Sokoto, Sokoto State, 1970-1971; University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, 1972-1974; Nigeria Law School, Lagos, 1975-1976. She started her legal career as inspector of area courts, Niger Ministry of Justice, in 1977. She later became principal state counsel, Niger State Ministry of Justice in 1977; solicitor-general and permanent secretary of the ministry. She was also attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Niger State; member, Constitutional Review Committee; member, National Committee on Fraud and Malpractices in Banks and other Financial Institutions; president, Defence and Police Officers Wives Association. Abubakar was founder/chairperson, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative.

Gabriel Pascal Dozie, economist and banker, 72, April 9. Born in Owerri, Imo State, he was educated at London School of Economics, UK, 1966; City University, London, UK. He was appointed Economist, National Economic Development Office, NECO, UK, 1968-1969; chairman/chief executive officer, African Development Consulting Group Limited, 1972; senior consultant and representative in Nigeria, Business International, Geneva, 1972-1978; chairman/chief executive officer, Diamond  Bank, 1991, and  retired as chairman of the bank in 2009.  Dozie was a member of Audit panel, Nigerian Airways, 1985; director, United Bank for Africa; chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group. Dozie was also the chairman of MTN.