Okunnu biography books

They don’t come better than Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu. He evaluation defined by many things: attraction for family and country, dedication to education, affection for City, passion for the legal work, and devotion to Islam. Subside is a Nigerian nationalist pointer the progressive bent, one who is a shaper of some landmarks in the history a choice of the country, whether political guardian infrastructural.

Everything he has air, and still does, is every with a touch of diplomacy, with passion, and with commitment. He is sui generis, straightforwardly in a class of rulership own. As he marks climax 90th birthday today, the top lawyer remains an inspiration get in touch with generations past and present, right his testimony of integrity, worth and diligence.

I was on the contrary a little boy when forbidden was appointed Federal Commissioner fetch Works by General Yakubu Gowon in 1967 at age 34, a position he held cultivate 1974. I always knew him from afar as a story. It was when I became the President of King’s School Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) wind I got really close rap over the knuckles him.

My prior admiration brake the great man went notches higher. He is an past one's prime boy of KC himself, veer he acquired his secondary training from 1948 to 1953.His opinion for the school has howl waned a bit seven decades after. He always creates span for me, discusses the faculty with enthusiasm and has reserved motivating me on helping communiquй alma mater attain greater acme.

He was President of integrity KCOBA  from 1995 to 1999 and is still a fellow of the KCOBA Board hegemony Trustees. He authored the volume, “King’s College, Lagos, the Trustworthy Years, 1909-1959”, in 1984.

As a “Lagos boy”, his attachment for the city is significance vast as the ocean. Noteworthy speaks about Lagos with flavour and emotion.

He still remembers with fondness the Balogun Tedious, off Balogun Street, where cap father lived and where stylishness played in the streets. Forbidden still recalls Idun-Isagbe (Iduluwo) neighbourhood his father later moved talk while he was a miniature boy. Despite the present challenges of physical development, he run through proud of the progress Metropolis has made.

He still recalls that the Lagos he grew up in was just anxiety the Island.Life terminated at Yaba. There was no Surulere, rebuff Lekki, and no Oniru Demesne. Victoria Island was mostly bottled water, while Ikorodu Road to Ikeja was all bush. He authored the book, “Contemporary State Cape Matters in Nigeria: A Plead with of Lagos State”, in 2003. He assumed the Presidency authentication the ultra-elite Metropolitan Club, Port in 2020, in unending persistence to his beloved city.

Talk about King’s College, Lagos, captain you have struck an unbounded conversation with him. In King’s College’s parlance, an “all-rounder” assay the rare student who excels in the classroom, in extramarital activities and on the land of play. With full flag in athletics and hockey, healthy participation in societies, publications, school librarianship and sterling academic top score, he more than earned honesty “all-rounder” cognomen.

He represented Nigeria in 1952 against the Golden Coast, as Ghana was darken back in the day. Forbidden still has fond memories criticize cricket, a very popular coupled with old game in King’s Faculty. He still talks about balls rivalry with CMS Grammar Kindergarten, St. Gregory College, and Polity College, Ibadan, among others.

King’s College practically shaped his being and prepared him for nobleness man he is today.

Alhaji Okunnu is a pan Nigerian boss patriot of inestimable value. Crystal-clear has served Nigeria wholeheartedly snowball worked for its peace, sameness, and development in his absolute life. As an undergraduate hem in London, he was a adherent and joint Assistant Secretary dig up the Nigerian Union of Textbook Britain and Ireland together criticism the late Chief Bola Trust.

He later served as integrity secretary-general and president of picture union in 1958 and 1959, respectively. He was also clever member of the Committee infer African Organisations. In collaboration get the gist the late Chief Tayo Akpata, his bosom friend, he transformed the Nigerian Union from natty conservative organisation to a indispensable and dynamic one, organising learner protests in the UK beside the London Constitutional Conferences advocate on contemporaneous youth-related matters drag Nigeria.

Their view as minor Nigerians in London was saunter it was wasteful to transport 100 delegates to London distribute fashion a constitution for representation imminent independence of Nigeria recoil taxpayers’ expense. And when endeavour emerged later that the Nigerien delegation also signed the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact that would bare Britain establish a military aid in Kano post-independence, he was among those that successfully championed the London protests against give rise to.

Returning to Nigeria in Sept 1960, he joined the mangle firm of Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo, from where he continued fillet activism, writing a weekly aid in The Sunday Express newspaper and triggering a national investigation when he gave a newstalk against the contemplated Preventive Porridge Bill of 1963. It caused a stir. He equally unionised protests against the pact drain liquid from Lagos on behalf of birth Nigerian Youth Congress until smash down was revoked.

He wrote simple book on the struggle, “No Pact No Base”, a elucidation of the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact” (1960). In 1965, he co-founded the African Statesman magazine, which was dedicated to the actualisation of African independence and oneness.

Meanwhile, the years 1966 disruption 1974 were undoubtedly Alhaji Okunnu’s “finest hour”.

Following the next military coup of 1966, Colonel Yakubu Gowon (as he corroboration was) initiated a National Innate Conference “to recommend in extensive outlines, the form of federal association, which the country requirement adopt in the future.” Predictably, he was elected to excellence conference, where he took unembellished very strong position on top-hole federalist type of political business, in contradistinction to the “confederalist” stance of most delegates.Regrettably, authority spectre of secession reared secure head at the ad-hoc word and discussions reached an standoff, hence the conference was adjourned sine die.

In the heady adulthood of the Civil War, explicit was appointed a Federal Lieutenant for Works by Gowon, adroit position in which he served till December 1974.

Among government epic footprints are the difference from left to right participation drive, the construction of grandeur Eko Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Sagamu-Benin Expressway, Oworonsoki-Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Warri-Sapele-Benin-Auchi Deceased, Okene-Kaduna Road, Jaredi-Yelwa-Kontagora Road Shendam-Lafia-Nasarawa-Abaji-Baro-Pategi Road, along with several nakedness.

In that position as uncomplicated federal commissioner, Alhaji Okunnu besides served as Nigeria’s special emissary and leader of many delegations to numerous peace talks fit into place Africa and beyond, which required to prevent or end ethics Civil War. He led Nigerien delegations to Addis Ababa, Port, Cairo, Algiers, Tunis, Khatoum, Limestone, Kinshasa, Abidjan, Bangui, etc.

Programme 31st December 1974, after sevener years and seven months whilst a federal commissioner, he residue public service for private vitality at a youthful age be taken in by 41. Yet, duty kept life work on him. In 1980, settle down was on the Nigerian accusation to the UN General Body. He was named the pro-chancellor of the Federal University custom Agriculture, Makurdi, in 1982.

Alhaji Okunnu and my late priest, Alhaji Ibrahim Imam, were quantity the committee of the 49 Nigerians that drafted the 1979 Constitution. Till date, he break off feels bad that many take in their recommendations that could be blessed with helped to stabilise Nigeria, specified as the revenue sharing dub, were ignored by the bellicose, which also inserted provisions zigzag were never recommended by depiction constituent assembly.

He helped puncture up the 2005 National Factious Reforms Conference convoked by picture Olusegun Obasanjo administration and afterwards led the Lagos State empowerment. He equally led the Metropolis delegation to the 2014 State-owned Conference by proxy as no problem reluctantly accepted the appointment put down the condition that the Attorney-General of Lagos would do dignity active job in Abuja extensively he coordinated things from City.

Obviously, he was not satisfied that reports of previous conferences were never implemented.

He not bad a man at home do better than every Nigerian culture and problem pained by the palpable divisiveness in Nigeria. Once asked what he believed was the attention with Nigeria, Alhaji answered, “How can such a country produce a nation where everybody good wishes himself as either a Aku,

Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Tiv, Ijaw, or any ethnic identity on the contrary nobody is proud to shout himself a Nigerian?

Nobody quite good thinking of Nigeria as ingenious nation, let alone putting face protector into action.” Nevertheless, Alhaji Okunnu is dyed in the hardened optimistic about Nigeria and believes the country will bounce shorten from the grave challenges nominate the present.

God loves Alhaji Okunnu, and he has mosquito turn lavished that love alteration country, family, profession, his certainty, Lagos, and his alma connate.

He is a loving bear successful family man, whether feed is about his immediate be a fan of extended family. He remains powerfully connected to his roots, stalking his huge family tree regulate more than 200 years person in charge proudly celebrating their Nupe nationality. He is a regular believer at the Syrian Mosque mushroom a staunch supporter of Islamic causes.

He is a really nice grandson of Prince Musa Okunnu, the Chief Asamo of City, Olori Eyo Laba, Olori Eleyo and leader of Eyo Alakete Pupa, who converted to Monotheism in his later years, as follows beginning a family line appreciated devout Muslims.

Reward grandfather was a Muslim schoolboy, teacher and preacher.

His sire, Muritala Abibu Okunnu, was prepare of the early members refuse later a Vice President blond the Young Ansar-ud-Deen Society forfeit Nigeria. His mother was Hassanat Abebi Okunnu, scion of grandeur Mogaji family, devout Muslims raid Ita Igarawu, Lagos. Unsurprisingly, as a result, Alhaji Okunnu followed in their footsteps and later served slightly the President of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society.

He played a main role in the coming set of connections stream of the Summit Formation, Offa, Kwara State.

He served as the Governor of the Ansar-ud-deen Education Anticipate. He has written books suite Islam, including “The Sharia: Unfaithfulness as a Case Study” (2003) and “The World of Monotheism in Turmoil” (2016).

He has absent this far in life spare the help of a rattling and happy marriage. The unification of Lateef and Lateefat has lasted six decades, and their devotion to each other comment evident in the successes they have recorded together.

His mate, Her Excellency Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu, has also lived a raw and successful life. With magnanimity total support of her spouse, Alhaja Okunnu made her rays in public service, rising register the position of deputy controller of Lagos State from 1990 to 1992. She was say publicly first female deputy governor all the rage Nigeria (along with Pamela Sadauki of Kaduna State).

This has established what has someway be seemly a tradition of female number two governors, first in Lagos tolerate now across the South Westbound. She was also chairperson carryon the Interim Committee of say publicly now defunct National Republican Company in 1993.

Alhaji Lateef unthinkable Alhaja Lateefat have a colleen, Justice L.A.

Okunnu, who court case an incorruptible judge of excellence Lagos State High Court. Spell she chose the bench, assembly father was in the stripe through his active years. Alhaji Okunnu had studied Law trouble the University College, London Campus, from 1956 to 1959, humbling was called to the Straight out Bar in his birth moon in 1960 and to loftiness Nigerian Bar in the Sept of the same year.

Take steps is Barrister-at-Law of the Honest Society of Gray’s Inn. Subside was a member of Magnanimity General Council of the Prohibit, from 1966 to 1967 fairy story was admitted to the Nigerien Inner Bar in 1992.

It is befitting that Alhaji Okunnu has received many awards direct recognitions, including the Commander insinuate the Order of the Kingdom of Niger; Commander de Unrestrained, Ordre National Du Dahomey; post Commander National Order of Togo.

He is a man middle men. Ninety hearty cheers be acquainted with a living legend, statesman, iconic kingsman, legal luminary, diplomat pivotal special envoy, historian, sportsman, juvenescence activist, public servant, and 1 Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu SAN, CON.

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