Birthdays

Alani Ipoola Akinrinade, lieutenant-general, retired soldier, farmer, 69, October 3, Born in Yakoyo, Osun State, he was educated at Offa Grammar School, Offa, 1954-58; Nigerian Military Training College, Kaduna, 1960; Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK, 1960-62; US Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, USA, 1965-66; Staff College, Camberly, UK, 1971; Royal College of Defence Studies, UK, 1978; Command and Staff College, Jaji.

He worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, defunct Western Region, Ibadan, 1959-60; joined the Nigerian Army, 1960 and promoted Second Lieutenant, 1962; served as platoon commander, former 4 Queen’s Own Nigeria Regiment and later staff captain of chief of defence staff, Army headquarters, Lagos; one-time acting adjutant-general, Nigerian Army; rear commander, 2 Infantry Division, NA; sector commander and general staff officer, 3 Infantry Division, NA; promoted lieutenant colonel, 1968; commanding officer, Ibadan Garrison NA; promoted brigadier, 1974 and major – general 1975; former general officer commanding, 1 Infantry Division, NA, Kaduna; appointed army chief of staff, and later chief of defence staff, 1979-81.

He promoted lieutenant-general,1980; retired voluntarily from the Nigerian Army, 1981; engaged in large-scale farming, he is chairman, Niger Feeds and Agriculture Operations Limited, 1982-85;appointed minister of agriculture, water resources and Rural Development, 1985-86; minister of industries,1988 February 1989; minister of transport,1989.

Ghali Umar Na’ Abba, political graduate, businessman, administrator, politician, 50, September 29. Born in Tudun Wada, Kano, he was educated at Kano Muktar Primary School, 1964-69; Rumfa College, 1970-74; Kano School of Preliminary Studies; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; elected secretary, Peoples Redemption Party, ABU chapter; director, Umaru Na’abba Commercial Trading; member, Group of Eminent 34 Citizens, (G.34); elected member, Federal House of Representatives, Kano Municipal Constituency, 1999, and later speaker, House of Representatives.

Ebere Onwudiwe, economist, political scientist, 57, October 10. He was educated at the American College of Switzerland, 1979; University of Science and Arts, 1980; Florida State University, Tallahassee, 1983; and was back in the same university in 1986 for his Ph.D degree in Political Science. He is a senior faculty member at Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio.

He has been a visiting professor at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Antioch College, Yellow Springs and the United Nations University of Peace, Costa Rica. He is director, National Resource Centre for African Studies, CSU; executive director, Centre for International Studies, from 2001-2003; director, International Media and Democracy Project. He has written several books, and published articles in May journals. He is a member of the advisory board of the Centre for Law and Social Action, CLASA, Lagos as well as member, Consortium for Development Practitioners, Northwestern University, Evanston.

Mike Cyril Akpan, journalist, 62, September 22. He was educated at St Andrew’s School, Afaha Obong, 1953-57 St Fabians’ School, Ndukpo Ise, 1958; St. Peter’s College, Ututu, Arochukwu, 1960-61; University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos,1975-78. Appointed teacher, St Mary’s School, Nto Edino, 1966-67; assistant information officer, South Eastern State, 1968-72; senior correspondent, Daily Times 1972-75; assistant news editor, Daily Times, Nigeria Limited, 1979-80; news editor, Cross River State Newspaper Corporation, Calabar, 1979-82; news editor, Nigeria Chronicle, 1980-81; public relations manager, Dr. Pepper, 1981-82; features editor, Daily Nation, 1982, public relations manager, Imesco, 1982-83; registrar, Ime Umanah College of Law, Abak, Akwa Ibom State, 1990; senior associate editor, Newswatch, 1993-94; general editor, Newswatch Magazine, 1998; contributing editor, to date.

Humphrey Nwobu Nwosu, political scientist, 67, October 2. Born in Ajali, Orumba, Anambra State, he was educated at Government School, 1948-49; St Michael’s School, Enugu, 1950-52; Presbyterian School, Abakaliki, 1952-55; MacGregor College, Afikpo, 1958-59; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1963-66; University of California, Berkeley, USA, 1972-76. He was appointed associate dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nssuka, 1979-83; co-ordinator, Local Government Training Programme, 1982-86; appointed professor of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nssuka, 1983; head department of political science, University of Nigeria Nsukka, 1983-86; appointed commissioner, Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Matters 1988; commissioner for Health, Anambara State, 1988-89; appointed chairman, National Electoral Commission, 1989-93; member, American Political Science Association, 1973-76; member Institute of International Studies, University of California, Berkeley 1974-76.

Mike Okhai Akhigbe, retired naval officer, 62, September 29. Born in Fugar, Estako, Edo State, he was educated at Afenmai Anglican Grammar School, Igarra,1961-65; Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, 1967-69; Midshipman Naval Weapons Technology and Operations Courses in Italy, Holland, UK and Germany, 1972-73; Royal Naval School of Maritime Operations Southwick, UK, 1974; Language School, University of Poiters, Royan, France, 1978-79; Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, 1979-1980; German Naval School of Maritime Operations, Bremehaven, West Germany, 1981; command and staff college, Jaji, 1982-83; National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, 1989. He worked at the Federal Office of Statistics, Kaduna ; joined the Nigerian Navy,1967 and was commissioned, April 1970; commanding officer, NNS, Sapele, 1973-75; Navigating Officer, NNS Nigeria (now NNS Obuma), 1975; command operation officer Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command, Calabar and later executive officer (second in-command), Nigeria Naval Base, NNS Anasa, Calabar, 1975-76; executive officer, Naval Base, Akaso Port-Harcourt, 1976-78; promoted lietutenant commander, 1977. He was appointed Military Governor of Ondo State, 1986-87; military governor, Lagos State, 1987-88; director of planning, Naval Headquarters, Lagos, August 1988-89; flag officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command , Calabar, 1993; chief of naval staff, 1994-1998.

Donald Duke, former governor, Cross River State, 47, September 30. He was educated at Federal Government College Sokoto; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State; University of Pennsylvania, United States of America; Wharton Business School, U.S.A; appointed director, Volkswagen of Nigeria, 1984; commissioner of finance Cross River State, 1992; member, National Economic Intelligence Committee, 1994-98; elected governor, Cross River State, 1999, re-elected governor, Cross River State, May 2003.

Joseph Olulumuyiwa Ajayi, administrator, politician, 70, September 24. Born in Lagos, he was educated at Saint Patrick’s Catholic School, Idumagbo, Lagos, 1946-1950; Yaba Methodist School, Yaba, Lagos, 1951-1952; Oriwu College, Ikorodu, 1953-1956; Federal Government Teachers College, Surulere, 1957-1958; West London College of Commerce, London, 1962-1965; North West Polytechnic, London, 1966-1968; Harrow College of Technology, Middlesex, England, 1968-1969; Fieden House Productivity Centre, Manchester, England, 1975. He worked as a senior administrative work study officer, Lead Regional Hospital Board, Harrogate, Yorshire, 1970-1973; East Anglican Regional Health Authority, Cambridge, 1974-1975; Dunlop Nigeria Limited, 1975-1982; supervisor for works and housing, Ikorodu Local Government, 1991-1993; principal consultant, Joseph-Glads Management Consultancy from 1982-to date.

Appointed

Ignatius Hekaire Ajuru, Nigeria’s former ambassador to Ukraine as chairman, Governing Council of the Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt. Chibuike Amaechi, governor of the state said his appointment was based on his track record as a seasoned administrator and diplomat. He challenged him to use his immense experience to assist the management of the institution to further improve its academic standard.