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Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe, the mostly unseen ‘Vice President’ to Aguiyi-Ironsi

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Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe, the mostly unseen ‘Vice President’ to Aguiyi-Ironsi, refused to take the seat of power after his supreme leader was taken out in 1966.

Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi’s name rings a strong bell as a head of State in 1966, but many do not know that he had a close ally who was a Yoruba man. Brigadier Ogundipe, was Aguiyi-Ironsi’s Chief of Staff, but more closely, he was the defacto ‘Vice President’ in that administration that lasted only between January and July 1966.

Born on September 6, 1924 to Yoruba parents from Ago-Iwoye, in present-day Ogun State in western Nigeria, he joined the Royal West African Frontier Force in 1941, serving in Burma between 1942 and 1945.

He re-enlisted after the second World War, and rose to the rank of Brigadier in May 1964.

He survived the coup that led the Aguiyi-Ironsi’s demise and still served till August 1966. Following an agreement with the new military government led by Yakubu Gowon, Ogundipe travelled to the United Kingdom, where he attended the 1966 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting as Nigeria’s representative in September that year.

He later took up appointment as Nigeria’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, a post he held until August 1970, when he left public service.

While alive, he was criticized in some quarters for his refusal to take up the position of his supreme commander, who had been unalived in the August 1966 coup, with the critics saying this inaction on his part aggravated the pogroms that eventually followed.

He was the most senior military officer after the death of Ironsi, and the thinking was that he ought to have taken power himself, but the fact is that this was not a viable thing for him to have done. It was certain that he would have been taken out too. He had no troops and was unable to rely on the few individuals available to him, many of whom were northerners and were unwilling to take orders from a Christian southerner.

Furthermore, he was basically a soldier and had no personal political ambitions. He understood that the preservation of Nigeria as one country meant that a southern Christian would be unable to hold the country together, and he took himself out of the power equation by accepting Yakubu Gowon, who was several years his junior, as the head of the new military government.

He passed away in London on November 20, 1971. Yesterday, September 6, was his posthumous birthday (101 years old since he was born).

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TikToker Jarvis reveals why she’s not married to Peller

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A popular Nigerian TikTok creator, Amadou  Aminata, widely known as Jarvis recently shared insights into her relationship with her boyfriend and creative partner, Peller.

During a candid TikTok live session sighted on Monday, she expressed her readiness to settle down but noted that Peller’s younger age is a key reason they haven’t yet taken the step toward marriage.

Recently, speculation has been growing among fans about when the couple might get married. Many of their followers have noticed their strong chemistry and assumed that marriage might be on the horizon. The two have built a strong online following, with fans closely following both their content and personal relationship.

In the viral conversation, Jarvis looked at Peller and stated, “Let us not lie, the age difference is there because I am older and I accept that and I don’t want it to look like since I am older, I am pressurising him to get married at the wrong time and of course, this is a wrong time for him. Let us be real and logical.

“I am not pushing you, and I am after your happiness, and I don’t want you to get married and start to regret rushing into marriage,” she added.

Her remarks quickly gained traction online, sparking widespread discussions about relationships with age differences and capturing the attention of their large fanbase.

During the conversation, Jarvis looked directly at Peller and said, “By now, I would have gotten married, but your age is the one slowing me down. If you were older than me, we would have gotten married.

“Her statement quickly drew attention online and has since gone viral, with many people sharing their views about relationships where one partner is younger.

Jarvis, who is 23 years old and from Benin City in Edo State, first became famous for her unique style of acting like a robot in her videos.

She started creating content during a period of university strike when a friend encouraged her to try out TikTok

What began as a casual activity soon grew into something much bigger, as people across Nigeria and beyond became attracted to her creative content.

Later, Jarvis teamed up with Peller, who is now her romantic partner as well as her creative partner.

In the early days, she revealed that she was the one supporting him financially while he tried to build his presence online.

With time, Peller also grew in popularity and became more established as a creator. Their teamwork and chemistry made them a well-known pair among young people who follow them on social media.

Today, Jarvis has more than seven million followers on TikTok, making her one of Nigeria’s most successful and easily recognised online personalities. Despite her fame, she continues to face questions from fans about her personal life, especially her relationship with Peller.

Her recent comments about marriage and age have once again placed her in the spotlight, sparking discussions about love, maturity, and the expectations placed on young couple.

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Jonathan Adagogo Green: Nigeria’s First Indigenous Professional Photographer

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Jonathan Adagogo Green (1873–1905) occupies a unique place in Nigerian cultural history as the country’s first indigenous professional photographer. At a time when the camera was still a rare and foreign tool, Green used it to document the Niger Delta during an era of social transformation, leaving behind an invaluable visual record of both tradition and colonial encounter.

Early Life and Education

Born in Bonny, Rivers State, Green was of Ibani (Ijaw) heritage. His upbringing placed him at the heart of a cosmopolitan trading hub, where encounters with Europeans, missionaries, and local aristocracy shaped his worldview. Photography was still an emerging craft in West Africa when Green showed interest. He pursued formal training in Sierra Leone, where he studied the technical aspects of photography, though some scholars suggest he may also have apprenticed with European photographers in Nigeria before traveling.

By the time he returned home, Green had mastered his craft and set up his own studio in Bonny, a groundbreaking step that made him one of the first Nigerians to establish a professional career in photography.

Career and Artistic Vision

Green’s portfolio was as diverse as it was culturally rich. His subjects included:

Local chiefs and dignitaries, often portrayed in elaborate regalia that emphasized traditional authority.
British colonial officials, reflecting the growing imperial influence in the Niger Delta.

Everyday life, trade, and rituals, which provided an intimate glimpse into the rhythms of a society navigating both continuity and change.

His work was widely distributed in postcards and albums, circulating within Nigeria and beyond. This not only shaped local identity but also framed how outsiders perceived the Niger Delta.

Green had a distinctive eye for balance. His portraits often juxtaposed tradition and modernity—capturing chiefs in ceremonial attire alongside colonial officers in uniform, or Nigerian elites in European suits still rooted in indigenous culture. His photography, therefore, was not merely aesthetic but interpretive, offering commentary on the hybrid realities of colonial-era Nigeria.

Challenges of Recognition
For decades, Green’s identity was obscured by his English surname. Many early historians mistakenly assumed he was a European photographer, which delayed the recognition of his role as a Nigerian pioneer. It was only through scholarly research that his Ibani (Ijaw) heritage and indigenous identity were firmly established.

Legacy

Though his career was cut short by his untimely death in 1905 at just 32 years old, Jonathan Adagogo Green left behind a powerful archive of images that remain central to Nigeria’s visual history. Many of his works are preserved in the National Museum, Lagos, as well as in international collections.

In 2003, the National Gallery of Art in Abuja curated an exhibition of his works, reaffirming his status as the “father of Nigerian photography.” Scholars like S. O. Ikpakronyi have since helped cement his rightful place in the narrative of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

Today, Green is celebrated not just as a photographer but as a visionary who understood the power of the image in defining identity, culture, and history. His work bridged the gap between tradition and modernity, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations of Nigerian photographers and visual storytellers.

Source: Ikpakronyi, S. O. Jonathan Adagogo Green: Pioneer Nigerian Photographer. National Gallery of Art, Abuja, 2003.

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Barbara Soky: The Screen Icon Who Defined Nigerian Television Drama

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Barbara Soky is a veteran Nigerian actress and singer whose performances in the 1980s and 1990s made her a household name. She remains one of the defining faces of the golden era of Nigerian television drama.

Early Career and Breakthrough

Barbara Soky first attracted public attention as Rosemary Hart in Inside Out, an NTA drama that gave her an early platform. While often described as her “first major role,” records suggest she had appeared in smaller productions before this breakthrough, making Inside Out one of her earliest but not necessarily her debut television appearance. Her natural charm and screen presence quickly set her apart and prepared the stage for the iconic roles that followed.

Rise to Stardom

Her portrayal of Yinka Fawole in Mirror in the Sun, one of Nigeria’s most beloved soap operas of the 1980s, established her as a national star. Alongside actors such as Funsho Adeolu and Clarion Chukwura, Soky brought life to family drama that resonated across Nigerian households.

She went on to play Daphne Wellington-Cole in Ripples (1988–1993), another landmark NTA production created by Zeb Ejiro. The series became a staple of evening television, and Soky’s sophisticated performance helped shape its enduring popularity.

Music Career

In 1986, at the height of her acting fame, Soky explored a different side of her artistry by releasing the album Going Places. The project leaned into pop and highlife influences, reflecting the musical tastes of urban Nigeria at the time. While not as commercially enduring as her acting career, the record added to her reputation as a multi-talented entertainer.

Hiatus and Return

After years of success, Soky took a step back from the limelight in the late 1990s. Her extended hiatus left fans nostalgic for her screen presence. Reports suggest her return began gradually in the 2000s with roles in Nollywood films, though her high-profile re-entry was much later, with the reboot Ripples: The New Generation, which premiered in 2023. Her reappearance connected a new generation of viewers with the legacy of Nigerian television drama.

Legacy

Barbara Soky’s career reflects the golden era of Nigerian soap operas, when family dramas like Mirror in the Sun and Ripples defined evening entertainment. She stands as a bridge between early television drama and modern Nollywood, remembered for her elegance, versatility, and pioneering contributions to Nigeria’s screen culture.

Her story is one of reinvention: a star who dominated television in the 1980s, explored music in the mid-1980s, stepped away at her peak, and later returned to reconnect with audiences who never forgot her.

Sources:
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) archives (Mirror in the Sun, Ripples)
Daily Times of Nigeria (1980s

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