The son of the former Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Mustapha Abacha, remains the first and only child to be given birth to in Aso Rock, the official residence of Nigeria’s Head of State” in the history of Nigeria. Mustapha Abacha, who is a graduate of his mother’s university in Niger Republic, Maryam Abacha American University of Niger, is the last son Maryam Abacha gave birth to for the former military ruler in 1994.

He was named after Abacha’s late elder brother, Mustapha Abacha. When he was born, it was headline news across the country, it was the first time a First Lady was giving birth inside Nigeria’s fortified presidential complex. On 7th December 2011, the 17-year-old Al-Mustapha was shot by armed robbers while at the home of his sister, Zainab, in Kano State. He was shot by one of the robbers who saw him making a call for help on his mobile phone and left for dead. He survived the ordeal.

According to his brother (Abdullahi) when I interviewed him, the last born’s nickname is Musty. Sani and Maryam Abacha raised ten children together. The beautiful palatial residence was completed in 1991, the same year the military junta of Ibrahim Babangida relocated the national capital from Lagos to Abuja. Aso Villa encompasses the 400-meter monolith Aso Rock, located within the Three Arms Zone of Abuja metropolis.

Aso Villa (officially The Aso Rock Presidential Villa) is the workplace and official residence of the President of Nigeria since 1991, when Nigeria moved its capital from Lagos to Abuja. It is located at Yakubu Gowon Crescent, The Three Arms Zone, Asokoro, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. Several names that are used for Aso Villa include: State House, The Rock and The Villa. The Aso Rock villa is the most protected presidential state house in Africa…

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This photograph shows a young Nnamdi Azikiwe (“Zik”), seated at a desk wearing a shirt and bow tie, pen in hand, with a copy of the West African Pilot beside him.

Launched on 22 November 1937, the West African Pilot was the newspaper through which Azikiwe waged an intellectual and cultural battle against British colonial rule. It quickly became one of Nigeria’s most influential publications, pioneering popular journalism in the country. With a circulation of about 25,000 copies, the paper reached a wide readership and skillfully intertwined news, culture, and sport, using the popularity of soccer to underscore the growing resistance to colonial domination.

The success of the Pilot laid the foundation for a chain of regional newspapers under Zik’s Press Limited, including the Eastern Nigerian Guardian (Port Harcourt, 1940), the Nigerian Spokesman (Onitsha, 1943), the Southern Defender (Warri), and the Sentinel (Enugu). These publications expanded Azikiwe’s influence and provided a powerful voice for nationalist movements across Nigeria.

The West African Pilot ceased publication in 1967 with the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War. Though there were two revival attempts after the war, including one in 1993 backed by prominent allies such as Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Chief Matthew Tawo Mbu, and Chief Duro Onabule, the paper could not overcome economic and political challenges. Rising printing costs and the turbulence of Nigeria’s disputed 1993 elections ultimately forced its final closure.

The legacy of the West African Pilot endures as a landmark in African journalism, remembered for shaping political discourse and nurturing the spirit of independence.

Image Credit: Duckworth, E. H., 1894–1972 (Photographer) / Herskovits Library of African Studies

Source: asirimagazine

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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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