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It is possible that Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II who ascended the throne of Kano in 2014 and was deposed on Monday, last week had not been reading my column before now or did not know that I am someone the Heavenly Father speaks with one – to – one. Consequently, I need to introduce myself for him and others who may not know, not to think that I am a nonentity and a fake servant of God writing this to draw attention to myself.
I am a 75 – and – a half year – old retired journalist and one who had been writing a column for 46 years (since 1974). I graduated with a B.A. (Hon) Second Class Lower division degree in History from the University of Ibadan in1968, which would be 52 years ago in June, three months from now.
In July 1971, I joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (which became Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in April 1978) as a Current Affairs officer on Grade Level 8 and left in February 1980 as acting Controller of Current Affairs, a Grade Level 13 position. I was the first Deputy Editor of the Sunday Concord from May 1980 – March 1984 and from then the second Editor of the weekly until May 29, 1989.
The Ancient of Days spoke with me one – to – one from February 1969 through December 1972 and from March 1992 to date that is in the last 28 years. From 2010 through November last year, I wrote more than four times that the Lord spoke with me and Dr. Ore Falomo the physician of late Chief Moshood Abiola on Saturday, September 24, 1994.
And that He told us that day that He caused the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by his patient to be annulled. For the reason that he sent late his thanksgiving offering to the 41 Muslim clerics He assigned to fast and pray for 41 days to make his victory possible. But instead of the June 14 deadline He gave him he did so the following day. Until he died on November 9, last year Falomo did not refute my story for nine years.
I raised the issue of destiny with the King of kings about ten years ago and from what He told me, I wrote an article in this column titled: “Destiny misconceptions. According to the Lord those who believe and say that all that happens in the life of a human being are divine or ordered by Him do so out of ignorance.
He said only a few things that happen to people are caused by Him or matters of destiny and that only He or the people He tells or reveals them to know this. He said most of what people experience, achieve or fail to accomplish are caused by each individual, their parents and others. And that what happen to people at times are matters of luck or misfortune.
There is no Head of State we have had in the last 27 years, that is from August 27, 1993 to date, that the Supreme Being did not discuss with me before or after they emerged. This is because He had since 1992 had a plan to make Nigeria a great country and I happen to be the one He had sent to three of those He wanted to be president under the project.
And of the eight Heads of State we have had since August 27, 1993 only four were brought to power by Him. But it was not because it was in their destiny rather it was because those the Lord wanted to be the country’s president ignored His message to them.
The lucky ones who became the country’s First Citizens because of this were: Chief Ernest Sonekan (August 27 – November 16, 1993), General Sani Abacha (November 17, 1993 – June 7, 1998), General Abdulsalami Abubakar (June 8, 1998 – May 28, 1999) and General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, but not for his second term of 2003 – 2007. The Lord wanted General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
To be continued next Wednesday
Dr. (Mrs.) Osofisan, Africa’s First Female Computer Science Professor (2)
Apart from being the first woman professor in Computer Science in Africa, Dr. Adenike Osofisan (nee Adedipe), was also the pioneer female to have BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in Computer Science in Nigeria, if not on the African continent. With her appointment in 1999 she was also the trial – blazing woman to be the Head of the Department of Computer Science in the University of Ibadan or any university in Nigeria and Africa.
Within three years she was able to start postgraduate programmes in the department which today has 18 members on its academic staff, seventeen of who have PhD degrees and eight of whom were supervised by Professor (Mrs.) Osofisan.
She began her working career as a lecturer at the Polytechnic Ibadan and under her as the Head of Computer Science Department (1986 – 95) the institution got full accreditation for both the Ordinary and Higher Diploma programmes from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). With this it became the first polytechnic in Nigeria to be accredited. In 1995 she became the Dean of the institution’s faculty of Science, but left in 1997 to join the staff of the University of Ibadan as a Senior Lecturer.
Professor (Mrs.) Osofisan was also the first President of the Nigeria Women in Information Technology and the pioneer female Chairman of the Council of Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria. And during her four – year tenure (2005 – 09) she added eight zonal offices to the one in Lagos. These were in Ibadan, Owerri, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Gombe, Jos, Yola and Kaduna.
Continues next week
Adieu Admiral Koshoni (3)
Those who know Admiral Patrick Seubo Koshoni are aware that he was a very brilliant person who spoke English with elocution as someone born and brought up in England. Ijare – born Rear Admiral Kehinde Komolafe (rtd), Flag Lieutenant (aide de camp) to Koshoni when he was Chief of Naval Staff recalled recently in a tribute on how he made Nigeria and Africa proud when he was on an official visit to the United Kingdom in January 1987.
The First Seal Lord and the Admiral of the Fleet (the Head of the Royal Navy in Britain), Sir William Stavele gave him ten minutes for their meeting. But Koshoni spent about one hour with him as his host was too much absorbed in what he was saying that he could not stop him. He gave kudos to his visitor as one of the most intelligent people he had ever met.
Koshoni was also with some British parliamentarians handling Royal Navy matters. He also flabbergasted the legislators that their leader said it was unusual for him to respond after a visitor’s address. But that Koshoni so much impressed him that he had to say something.
For conclusion next week
