By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

On September 23, 2003, the vice-presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief William Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo, was allegedly gassed at Kano Pillars Stadium by security agents during a rally of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), led by the opposition candidate in the 2003 general elections, General Muhammadu Buhari (retired).

The ANPP and its candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, staged the opposition rally at Sani Abacha Stadium as a prelude to their court case at the Presidential Election Tribunal in Abuja, led by Justice Umaru Abdullahi.

The rally, which had thousands of Buhari’s supporters in attendance, was graced by the new Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, his late Deputy, Engineer Magaji Abdullahi, Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad, and John Nwodo Junior.

The ANPP National Chairman, Chief Donald Etiebet, also attended the rally. However, apart from Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the rest of the ANPP Governors were not in attendance, including Ahmad Sani Yerima of Zamfara, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi, the late Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno, and Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa of Sokoto.

Aware of Dr. Chuba Okadigbo’s health condition, the then Federal Government under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did not want the rally to proceed. Security personnel mounted the entrance to Kano Pillars Stadium to prevent entry into the field until the Kano Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, ordered the youth to break the gate, allowing the opposition figures to enter.

Upon entering the stadium, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau chastised his predecessor and the then Minister of Defence, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, for not visiting Kano since handing over power on May 29, 2003. He referred to Kwankwaso as “Ministan tsoro,” meaning “Minister of Fear.”

On returning to Abuja, the late William Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo died on Friday, September 25, 2003, following the alleged gassing by security agents at Kano Pillars Stadium.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was the political adviser to former President Shehu Shagari during the Second Republic. He hailed from Oyi Local Government in Anambra State.

The first professor in Nigeria was Professor Kenneth Dike (1917-1983). He was a renowned historian and academic who made significant contributions to the field of African history and culture.

Professor Dike was born in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, and received his early education in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of Aberdeen in 1950 and returned to Nigeria to teach at the University College, Ibadan (now the University of Ibadan).

In 1956, Professor Dike became the first Nigerian to be appointed as a professor, serving as the Professor of History at the University of Ibadan. He was a pioneer in the field of African history and wrote several influential books, including “Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta” and “A Hundred Years of British Rule in Nigeria”.

History of the Ajanakus Family in Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria

Professor Dike’s achievements and contributions to education and academia have been recognized and celebrated in Nigeria and beyond. He remains a celebrated figure in Nigerian history and an inspiration to generations of scholars and academics.

Modakeke is a town in Osun State, South West Nigeria, with a population of close to three hundred thousand people.

The Modakekes are also known as the Akoraye and have a history of valor at war and are prosperous farmers.

With the fall of the Oyo Empire to the Fulani, the Yoruba kingdom was thrown into confusion and the inhabitants of the Old Oyo were dispersed and started new settlements all around Yoruba land.

Fleeing southwards in search of new abodes after the fall of the Oyo Empire, the Oyos started settling among the Ifes in 1834.

As the Romans of old, they were soldier-farmers. They were hardy as soldiers and industrious as farmers.

Having lost all their possessions in their hasty flight, they started life in Ife by doing menial jobs to enable them eke out a living.

The reigning Ooni of Ife, Oba Akinmoyero was said to have received them well.

They started growing and producing different types of food crops on farmlands given to them by their hosts.

A good number of them got recruited into Ife’s weak army and it was through their gallantry that Ife had its territory extended to Alakowe, its present boundary with Ilesa.

Prior to the arrival of the Oyos, Ijesha land extended to the present location of the Palace of the Ooni of Ife.

This is why the Palace area is known as Enuwa (Enu Owa) until today.

Ooni Akinmoyero gave the displaced Oyo an expanse of land to stay outside the walls of Ife,the place given to the Modakekes was home to a species of bird called Ako (Stork), Hence the origin of the appellation AKORAYE(The stork has a place).

It was also customary for the storks at the location to chirp and sing the rhyme Mo-da-ke-ke-ke-ke which was most of the time heard by the Ifes and it was decided that the new settlement would be called MODAKEKE