Birthdays

Patrick Aziza, retired major general, 64, December 23. Born in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, he was educated at  Mortar Platoon Course 1971; Advanced Infantry Course, USA, 1974; Army Command and Staff College,1979; Defence Services Staff College, 1980; National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, 1992. Aziza was appointed commanding officer, 17th Infantry Battalion, 1970-1971; aide-de-camp to chief of army staff, 1972-1974; adjutant, Nigerian Defence Academy, 1977-1978, general staff officer, Grade ll, Army Headquarters, 1979-1980; directing staff,  Junior Division Command and Staff College, Jaji, 1980-1982; Colonel, administration and quartering, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, 1982-1984; commanding officer, 65, Infantry Battalion 1984-1986; director of Military Training, NDA, 1986-1987; chief of officers, United Nations Iran-Iraq military observer group, 1989-1990; commander, Lagos Garrison;  chairman, Special Military Tribunal, Jos, 1995; minister of communications, 1997; minister, commerce and tourism, 1998 and a member, Provisional Ruling Council.

Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, senator representing Lagos West, 52, December 19. He attended St. Paul’s Anglican School, Idioro, Mushin, Lagos State, before he proceeded to Oke Ona Grammar School, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for his post-primary education. Solomon later gained admission into the University of Lagos, UNILAG, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. His first election was in 1997, as member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Mushin Constituency 1. In December 1998, he became the chairman of Mushin local government area from where he was elected a senator.

John Ofeoritse Dottie, former district manager, Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, 53, December 25. He was born in Delta State, and attended Federal Government College, Warri, 1969-1973; University of Benin, 1982-1984, where he earned a Masters in Business Administration, MBA, in Finance and Marketing. He began his career in Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, in 1987 after attending the Railway Traffic Training School from 1985-1987. Since 1987, he has held several positions in the NRC including district superintendent, 1996-2002. He has been the Railway district manager since June 2006 until recently when he was appointed deputy director, Corporate Planning, NRC. He is a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management, NIM, and British Institute of Management, BIM.

Died

Simon Mamodu Musa, 98, father of Abenelu Ehikwe, staff of Newswatch Communications Limited. He was an elder in Qua Iboe Church, now United Evangelical Church, UEC, in Enelie, Ankpa local government area of Kogi State. He will be buried on December 19, at his compound in Ojoku Akunu, Ankpa, Kogi State. He is survived by five children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren.    

Godwin Ifeanyi Odunukwue, 85, a devout Catholic and businessman. Odunukwe, a successful businessman, travelled to several towns in Nigeria in search of business opportunities. The late octogenarian would be buried on January 5, 2012, with a wake at his village, Ibenabo Oraukwu, Idemili local government area of Anambra State. He is survived by Charles Odunukwue and other children.

Sunday Bada, 41, retired Nigerian sprinter with emphasis on the 400 metres event and technical director, Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN. He slumped and died at the National Stadium, Monday, December 12. Bada won silver medals at the 1993 and 1995 editions of the World Athletics Competition in Toronto and Barcelona, respectively before winning gold medal at the same tournament in 1997. He was a member of the Nigerian men team that won the silver medal in 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics where Nigeria established a national record time of 2:58.68 minutes.