From the entertainment industry, sports, politics, and religion, Nigeria lost many personalities in 2021.
Even though no human is more human than other humans, there were some big wigs who succumbed to the ferocious power of death and left the nation wreathing in sorrow.
Below are some dignitaries who died in the year under review.
TB. Joshua
Tsunami shockwaves were sent across the nation when the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), TB Joshua died on June 5, hours after he finished service in Lagos State.
The renowned Prophet died at the age of 57.
His Church was a major Tourist attraction in the nation for people from overseas.
Ibrahim Attahiru
Tongues were left wagging across the nation when Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and ten others died in an air crash in Kaduna State.
The death came barely five months after he was named the Chief of Army Staff.
Attahiru was en-route Kaduna from Abuja when the unfortunate incident happened, the Army said in a statement confirming the ex-COAS’ May 21st death.
In a statement, President Buhari said he was sad and sorrowful about the incident, describing the military officers as “heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land.”
Ahmed Gulak
Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was killed by gunmen in Imo State in May and his exodus raised concerns in the public domain.
He was a one-time aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Yinka Odumakin
Yinka Odumakin, who was the spokesman of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, died on April 3 after battling COVID-19 complications.
It was reported that he died at the intensive care unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where was on admission.
Records have it that Odumakin played a key role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that fought the regime of General Sani Abacha after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.
He was married to Dr Joe Odumakin who welcomed a set of twins – a boy and a girl – six months after her husband’s death.
Obadiah Mailafia
A prominent government critic, Dr Obadiah Mailafia was a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and had before his death been invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) over his comments about insecurity in the country.
He passed on at the age of 64 on September 19th in Abuja after a brief illness. Mailafia, a public affairs analyst, was the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2019 presidential election.
Ndubuisi Kanu
Ndubuisi Kanu who was a former military administrator in Imo State died on January 13th after a brief ailment. He was 77.
He was also a former military administrator of Lagos State and a prominent name in the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), an organisation dedicated to the revalidation of the June 12, 1993, election of MKO Abiola annulled by the military administration of General Babangida.
Chike Akunyili
Chike Akunyili, who was until his death, was a former Information minister and the husband to the late Dora Akunyili – an ex-Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was shot by gunmen on September 29th alongside his driver and a police escort around the Nkpor junction in Idemili North, Anambra State.
It was gathered that he was coming back from an event to receive an award for his late wife.
Lateef Jakande
Lateef Jakande was the first civilian governor of Lagos State who emerged under the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) founded by a former Premier of the Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo.
Dubbed as Baba Kekere, the Jakande died on February 11 at the age of 91.
Mama Taraba
Aisha Alhassan, a former Minister of Women Affairs, passed away on May 7th at an undisclosed hospital in Cairo, Egypt. She was 61 years.
Aisha, who is best known as Mama Taraba, was in 2015, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Minister of Women Affairs. But she resigned from the post on July 27, 2018.
She also left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the United Democratic Party (UDP) where she became the party’s governorship flagbearer in the 2019 general elections in Taraba State. She lost the election to Governor Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
She had also served as a Senator representing Taraba North under the PDP.
Dare Adeboye
Pastor Dare Adeboye, the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Worldwide, Enoch Adeboye, died in May at the age of 42.
It was reported that Dare Adeboye died in his sleep shortly after a ministration. The late preacher had a wife and three children.
Baba Suwe
Babatunde Omidina, a Nollywood’s comic and veteran actor, died on November 22nd aged 63.
Best known as Baba Suwe, the actor hailed from Lagos State and featured in movies like Iru Esin, Ebi Olokada, Baba Londoner, Obelomo, Elebolo, Larinloodu, and Baba Jaiye Jaiye.
Tony Momoh
Tony Momoh, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Minister of Information and Culture minister, died in February.
Reports had it that he was a longtime ally and friend to President Muhammadu Buhari and had served as the chairman, Media and Publicity of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections as well as Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
Victor Uwaifo
Best remembered by his hit songs, ‘Mami Water’, ‘Joromi’ and ‘Guitar Boy,’ the multi-talented musician, songwriter, sculptor and professor, Sir Victor Uwaifo died on August 28 at the age of 80.
He was renowned for his mastery of the guitar and the flute. Between 2001 and 2003, he served as the Commissioner for Arts and Culture in Edo State.
Innocent Chukwuma
A stakeholder in Nigeria’s civil society space and the founder of the CLEEN Foundation, Innocent Chukwuma died on April 4 and was one of the students within the National Union of Nigerian Students (NANS) platform that opposed the arbitrary powers of military rule in the 1980s.
He established the Centre for Law Enforcement of Education in Nigeria registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as CLEEN Foundation in 1989. He was 55.
Ibrahim Mantu
The former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu died in Abuja on August 17th after falling ill.
He was elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and represented Plateau Central Senatorial District.
Mantu, a National Chairman, defunct Peoples Democratic Alliance, and National Publicity Secretary defunct United Nigeria Congress Party was the Deputy Senate President in 1999, a position he held for eight years and was until his death, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees.
Sound Sultan
The entertainment industry was thrown into mourning when the news of the passing of the 44-year-old singer who died from “a hard-fought battle with Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma” on July 12, hit the airwaves.
Sound Sultan, whose real name is Olanrewaju Fasasi, was reputed for singing social-conscious songs. He was buried the day he died in the US.
Sultan, who came to limelight in the 2000s, had a wife and three children.
Ahmed Joda
Joda, who was reputed as an icon of public service, died on Friday 13, August 2021, aged 91.
He was the permanent secretary and chairman of Buhari’s transition team in 2015.
Sadiq Daba
The veteran broadcaster and actor died in March following a long battle with leukemia and prostate cancer.
He featured in series and movies, with ‘Cock Crow at Dawn’ and ‘October 1st’ as notable mentions. Daba had in the 1980s made waves working with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Sani Dangote
Sani Dangote, who was the vice president of the Dangote Group and brother to Aliko Dangote died in November.
Until his death, he was an established businessman with investments in manufacturing, agriculture, banking, and oil services.
Records have it that he was also on the Board of companies including Nigerian Textile Mills Plc, Nutra Sweet Limited, Gum Arabic Limited, Dangote Textile Mills Limited, Alsan Insurance Brokers, Dan-Hydro Company Limited, Dansa Food Processing Company Limited, and Dangote Farms Limited.
Junaid Mohammed
The second republic lawmaker was a staunch government critic who always voiced his concerns about key national issues.
Mohammed died at 73 after a sickness that lasted for three days.
The former member of the House of Representatives was the Social Democratic Party (SDP) party’s Vice Presidential candidate in the 2019 election.
Records also have it that he was one of the founding members of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in 1976 under the leadership of the late Aminu Kano.
Also, Mohammed was the National Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the northwest.
Rachel Oniga
The veteran Nollywood actress, Rachel Oniga, died on July 30, 2021, at the age of 64.
Rachel, who hails from Delta State, made her major acting debut in Nollywood with “Onome”.
She had three children and several grandchildren.
Ada Jesus
The death of Mmesoma Mercy Obi better known as Ada Jesus raised controversies across the nation.
The comedienne died on April 21, two days after she celebrated her 21st birthday.
It was gathered that her death followed a fight with kidney disease. She had before then had a battle with a clergyman and the Founder of the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention Deliverance Ministry, Chukwuemeka Odumeje, also called Indaboski.
Hosa Okunbo
Multiple reports suggested that the Edo-born business mogul who died on August 8 in London, passed on after a one-year fight with pancreatic cancer.
Captain Okunbo was 63 at the time he died. Remarkably, his daughter is married to the Olu of Warri Tsola Emiko.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State in a tribute, said “A man of unparalleled energy and accomplishments, Captain Okunbo saw opportunities in adversity and from an early age in life, carved a niche for himself to become one of Nigeria’s most outstanding businessmen”.
Folake Aremu ‘Orisabunmi’
Folake was reputed for playing the role of an Ifa priestess.
The veteran Yoruba Actress died in Ibadan, Oyo State at 60. The development came a few months after the death of her ex-husband, Jimoh Aliu, better known as Aworo.
Ernest Asuzu
The actor, who rose to fame in the 90s, died aged 37.
President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, who confirmed the development, said Asuzu was rushed to the hospital after he slumped but died before they got there.
Asuzu started his acting career in the ’90s, rising to prominence after he starred in the 1997 Nollywood classic, “Rituals”.
He was also reputed as one of the “bad boys” of Nollywood for playing the roles of a bad boy in the industry.
As highlighted above, this is just a compilation of some of the big wigs who passed on in 2021. There were many others who died and this compilation is not in anyway giving preferential treatment because we believe that no one is more human than other humans.
