James Ajibola Idowu Ige, popularly known as Bola Ige, was born on 13 September 1930 in Esa-Oke, Osun State. A brilliant lawyer, politician, and writer, he carved his place in Nigerian history as one of the most outspoken voices of his generation, earning the nickname “Cicero of Esa-Oke” for his sharp intellect and fearless oratory.

Educated at Ibadan Grammar School, Ige later studied Classics at University College, Ibadan, before qualifying as a lawyer in London. His legal and political careers were deeply intertwined with the struggle for democracy in Nigeria. A member of the Action Group and later the Unity Party of Nigeria, he stood firmly for progressive politics, advocating education and social justice.

In 1979, he became Governor of old Oyo State, where he introduced the Free Education Programme, a landmark policy that broadened access to schooling for thousands of children. His political journey continued with his appointment as Minister of Power and Steel under President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, later serving as Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

Tragically, Bola Ige’s life was cut short on 23 December 2001 when he was assassinated in his Ibadan home—a murder that remains unresolved. His death shocked the nation, silencing a voice that had consistently spoken truth to power.

Bola Ige’s legacy lives on in his writings, his bold politics, and his vision for a just Nigeria.

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Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo remains one of Nigeria’s most influential leaders, credited with major national developments.

Infrastructure: In March 1979, he inaugurated the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, which today stands as Nigeria’s busiest gateway to the world.

Education:

He introduced the Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme in 1976, which expanded free access to schooling across the country.

Agriculture:

Through Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), he encouraged food production and self-reliance.

Democracy:

He made history by becoming the first Nigerian military leader to hand over power to a civilian government (1979).

Telecommunications:

As civilian president, Obasanjo liberalized the telecom sector in 2001, bringing Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) into Nigeria. This revolutionized communication, connecting millions of Nigerians and boosting the economy.

International Role:

He positioned Nigeria as a respected African voice in global affairs, mediating in regional conflicts and strengthening the ECOWAS bloc.

From infrastructure to education, agriculture, telecoms, and democratic transitions, Obasanjo’s leadership left a lasting mark on Nigeria’s history.

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1965: Joseph Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Congo, rolls up sleeves in a pose that seemed he was passionate about his country.

However, the man turned out one of Africa’s worst dictators ruling from 1965 to 1997 a period he changed the country’s name from Congo to Zaire.

He also served as the fifth chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity from 1967 to 1968. During the Congo Crisis in 1960, Mobutu, then serving as Chief of Staff of the Congolese Army, deposed the nation’s democratically elected government of Patrice Lumumba. Mobutu installed a government that arranged for Lumumba’s execution in 1961, and continued to lead the country’s armed forces until he took power directly in a second coup in 1965.

In 1997, when tension in his country got worse, Mobutu went into temporary exile in Togo, until President Gnassingbé Eyadéma insisted that Mobutu leave the country a few days later.

From 23 May 1997, he lived mostly in Rabat, Morocco. He died there on 7 September 1997 from prostate cancer at the age of 66. He is interred in an above ground mausoleum at Rabat, in the Christian cemetery known as Cimetière Européen.

In December 2007, the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo recommended returning his remains, and interring them in a mausoleum in the DRC, which has not yet taken place. Mobutu remains interred in Morocco.

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