Opinion
REQUIEM FOR THE QUINTESSENTIAL “OMO ISALE EKO” : ALHAJI WASIU ADEGBENRO ANJOUS
BY BOLAJI AFOLABI
Last week, was the 10th week in 2025. That over two months had gone in quick successions is surprising. For the writer, it was not a pleasant week. Characterized by shocking and fearful developments. A family friend survived a sudden health scare. Two other persons were involved in near-death road mishaps. Two painful deaths. In the early hours of Tuesday, a phone call announcing the death of a friend’s elder brother; Reverend Pius Femi Oladele did not only jolt but elicited moody mode. Questions, puzzles, and posers kept running through my heart; begging for responses. Still in a foul state of pain, and confusion, a late-night message woke me up. Professor Tunde Olusunle of the University of Abuja, who was my former boss at the Office of Public Affairs, The Presidency, broke the news of the death of Alhaji Wasiu Adegbenro Anjous.
The writer’s immediate response was that of doubt, disbelief, and disapproval. Within fast and racy minutes, the message was read numerous times. Why do good people die? Why has death taken Anjous? What may have happened? All night, through the early morning of the next day; being Saturday and usually set aside for long hours of jogging, sleep became scarce and scant. Reminiscences of the last phone call, chats, and messages with Anjous kept re-appearing, and re-echoing in one’s consciousness.
Wasiu Adegbenro Anjous, whom many preferred to call Alhaji, having fulfilled one of the foremost Islamic rights by visiting Mecca very early in life, was a perfect example of peoples man. Given his cosmopolitan upbringing; born and raised in Lagos by parents who were exposed and educated, Anjous was very friendly, extremely accessible, and genuinely loving. He was simple, charismatic, and fair-minded in his dealings and interactions with people. He was a likeable personality, very outgoing, and highly sociable. Though extremely knowledgeable and intelligent, he preferred to remain humble, unassuming, and welcoming during discussions, and exchange of ideas. His sense of humor, candour, and laughter were easily noticeable, and often times disarmingly contagious.
Fate and faith brought Anjous, the writer, and few others in our group together. How? When? Where? After his inauguration on May 29, 1999, at the beginning of the Fourth Republic as Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo gave approval to initiatives to deepen public affairs management in the new government. Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, and Prof. Tunde Olusunle; who were presidential adviser; and presidential senior assistant respectively, were said to have been the architects of the presidential benevolence. Obviously concerned and worried about how to accommodate professionals who worked in the media and publicity directorate of the Obasanjo presidential campaign organization; by the way, Ugochukwu and Olusunle were the Director, and Press Secretary respectively, and the urgent need to rejig information management, they both met, canvassed their thoughts, and got approvals thereafter. This led to the mass appointments of many people including those from the Obasanjo’s media and publicity team, and others who benefitted from the gesture that was driven by Ugochukwu and Olusunle’s far-thinking attributes and advocacy.
After being deployed to the office of Olusunle, few of the new “government pikins” including Tumo Ojelabi; Vincent Oyefeso; Ebele Aghaonu; Beatrice Edet; Taiwo Akinyemi, and the writer resumed formally on August 21, 2000; a Monday. Barely a week later, precisely August 29, which was a Tuesday, close to lunch time, a tall, handsome, broad-shouldered man clad in sky blue kaftan and trouser, well-embroidery black/white cap, and matching black sandals walked into the well-light, and air-conditioned office. After exchange of pleasantries, like a ready combatant he declared, “I am Anjous. Oga (Olusunle) told me we have new colleagues, and that is why I’m here. To formally meet with you, and introduce myself. I pray that we will enjoy working together as colleagues.”
Impressed by his simplicity and humility, the newbies took turns to appreciate the “august visitor.” Not done, Anjous ordered snacks and drinks to consummate the new relationship. As a passing shot, he said, “today is my birthday. If you don’t mind I’ll come after office hours for us all to mark the day somewhere in town.” A few hours later, we were at the popular “Tiv Joint” behind the National Library around Area 2, Garki District. We all savoured numbers of neatly spiced and fresh-from-oven chicken with “criminally cold” beverages, and other drinks. One recalls with nostalgia that few of us still did “take away” on the promptings of Anjous. The experience became a regular, and timely fixture for about seven years.
Anjous gave true meaning to friendship and relationship. He was the rallying point of his numerous colleagues; former and present; old and young; female and male. It was almost a taboo to see him walking alone. From resumption to the close of work, the office will always have one or more people with him, or waiting to see him. A completely detribalized Nigerian, he had friends that cut across tribes, ethnicity, and geographical locations. For religion, he was totally, thoroughly, and truly tolerant. Even as a practicing Muslim, Anjous, once in a while participates in morning devotions in the office. He was that good, easy-going, simple and calm. Through him, as new intakes, we knew some staff in The Presidency; within a short time. Though one can’t recall their surnames, it includes Alhaji Bashir; Alhaji Balogun; Akpan; Chukwuma; Hajia Khaltume; Toyin aka Gashi; Jaclyn; Andoor; Ijeoma; Abubakar; Rasheed; Shola; Titi; Isong; Adigun; Yusuf; Morgan; Joshua; Kemi; Vivien; Manasseh; Ade, and numerous others.
Anjous was an experienced civil servant, very versatile with a rich knowledge and understanding of the rules, regulations, ethos, and nuances of the bureaucracy. Described as an encyclopedia of information about the service, he was the go-to person by colleagues and friends who desire to find solutions, and responses to knotty issues, and challenges in their various beats. Given his long years of experiences, and mobility in the civil service, with a massive network of friends across MDAs, Anjous, within the snap of fingers knows who to call for any inquiry, request, and information. For his reliability, delivery, and problem-solving skills, he was an unofficial advisor to some presidential appointees, colleagues, and friends. Having worked in various sensitive and powerful MDAs, and offices; particularly during the IBB and Abacha regimes where he was one of the aides to the late Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, who was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, his data base of institutional memories, sequence of events, and other necessary details did not come as a surprise.
One of the major attributes of Anjous is building and nurturing friendship. His guiding principle was, “your friend is my friend.” It is always almost possible to see him in one part of the country or the other; mostly weekends for one social event or other related functions. Given this rare, and enviable attribute, aside Yoruba and English, he could fairly speak or have passing understanding of Hausa, Igbo, and few other languages. One recalls his persistence that “we have to be there for our colleague, and show love to her,” during the traditional wedding ceremony of Ebele; whom he called EB, which took place in Ozobulu, Anambra state, in the last few days of 2002. He did not only attend but dragged two other friends to attend the traditional and marriage solemnization of my friend, and brother, DCM (then SRC) Oladele Femi, in Ilorin sometime in 2001. The writer cannot forget his solidarity, love, and gesture at the wedding ceremonies of two siblings in Kaduna, at different years. How about the writer’s wedding in Lagos, where Anjous did not only attend but also mobilized some of his friends in Abuja and Lagos.
Arguably, the writer was the closest of the “class 2000” to Anjous. Realizing that both shared few attributes; in some ways, it was naturally easy to flow together. That he was interested in anything about the writer was not an over-statement. Unknown to many people, in 2008, he was one of the first-three individuals who broached the idea of publishing to the writer. He was full of ecstasy, and excitement when “Rethinking Nigeria” was formally presented to the public in June 2015. Indeed, in the past four years, as late as January 2025, aware the writer was working on three books, Anjous always sought to know the launch-dates. Back in August 2004, at the Holiday Inn, on the outskirts of Athens, Greece; as part of the Federal Government delegation to the Olympics, facilitated by Olusunle, while savouring lunch, Anjous spoke gently; “Mr. B (his moniker for the writer), I advise you not to stay long in civil service. Your potential and gifting can find better fulfillment outside government bureaucracy.” Years later, after exiting civil service, the writer and Anjous had breakfast together somewhere in Garki, and he stretched his hands, saying, “I congratulate you for the wise, and bold decision.” That is vintage Anjous; no inhibitions, straight from the heart.
Reactions and comments about the sudden and shocking demise of Anjous have been tearful, encouraging, and inspiring. Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, pioneer Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) said, “it is unbelievable that we have lost a man that was so committed in all he was doing. He was such a hardworking and dedicated staff member who contributed his quota while at The Presidency.” Olusunle wondered why, “Anjous died at this period of time. He was a very reliable, dutiful, and multi-tasking staff whose knowledge of the civil service proved very useful.” For Chief Dickie Ulu, “what a shame! Anjous dead? Why? What is this? I’m lost for words.” DCM Oladele Femi of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, (FRSC) described him as, “a very friendly, helpful, and humble person. He was very open, and a peaceful man.” Ojelabi, a retired Director in the federal civil service, and one of the “class 2000” reasoned that, “only God gives and takes when He wills. Anjous touched many lives, he positively impacted on the lives of people. He was a friend to all, with no form or shade of discrimination.” Ebele, a serving Federal Director, and former colleague of Alhaji quipped, “it is unbelievable that he is dead. Somebody who was always full of life, accessible, and committed to friendship….it is a sad development.” Yes, we are hurting and grieving. Perhaps, the timeless words of departed legends may be trite at this moment. Abraham Lincoln said, “in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count…it’s the life in your years,” and Irving Berlin added that, “the song is ended, but the melody lingers on.”
Indeed, Anjous’ life was a gift to us; his family, friends, and colleagues and we all will not only carry his sweet memories with us forever but ensuring that we sustain his service to mankind wherever we are, and in any way possible. Though we weep, we wail, we mourn but we cannot forget his good virtues, and death may have taken his body, but the love we all shared with him remains paramount.
Adieu, man of the people!
Adieu, the original “Omo Isale Eko!!!!
BOLAJI AFOLABI, a Development Communications specialist was with the Office of Public Affairs, The Presidency, Abuja.
By Sonny Aragba-Akpore
With Mobile technologies and services now generating around 5.8% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) a contribution that amounts to about $6.5 trillion of economic value, there are strong projections that by 2030, this figure will rise to almost $11 trillion, or 8.4% of GDP.
Global System of Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) says much of this will be driven by countries around the world increasingly benefiting from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by the increased take-up of mobile services and digital technologies, including 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The GSMA recently introduced the 5G Connectivity Index to provide insights into 5G performance in 39 markets in order to encourage informed decision-making.
In terms of Economic Impact,
the GSMA emphasizes the economic benefits of mobile technologies and services, including 5G, projecting that they will contribute significantly to GDP growth by 2030.
“The GSMA provides specific reports and analyses on 5G in different regions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia ,Middle East among others highlighting the progress and challenges of 5G deployment in specific areas.”
In Sub Saharan Africa for instance with particular attention on Nigeria,South Africa,Egypt,Kenya and Botswana among others some measure of progress in deployment has been recorded.
The rollout of 5G has brought immense benefits across multiple industry sectors, particularly those involving internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications in which the real-time transfer of data is crucial.
More broadly, the adoption of 5G is expected to accompany increased data use across the globe, with forecasts anticipating mobile data traffic of over 300 exabytes per month by 2030, more than twice the volume consumed in 2024 according to Statista.
And with a third of global population expected to be covered by this fifth generation (5G) networks ,a technology that has defined new ways of communication by 2025 ,GSMA
says the technology has surpassed growth projections of all times.
“5G subscriptions increased by 163 million during the third quarter 2024 to total 2.1 billion. 5G subscriptions reached close to 2.3 billion by the end of 2024 accounting for more than 25 percent of all global mobile subscriptions.
“4G subscriptions continue to decline as subscribers migrate to 5G” according to GSMA.
As of the first quarter of 2024, there were nearly two billion 5G connections worldwide, with 185 million new additions. This is expected to grow to 7.7 billion by 2028.”
Statistics show that 5G is the fastest-growing mobile broadband technology, reaching 1.5 billion connections by the end of 2023.
It only took four years to reach this number, compared to 10 years for 3G and more than five years for 4G.
“5G is more than a new generation of technologies; it denotes a new era in which connectivity will become increasingly fluid and flexible.5G Networks will adapt to applications and performance will be tailored precisely to the needs of the user” GSMA submits.
By covering one-third of the world’s population , impact on the mobile industry and its customers will be profound according to GSMA.
To deepen the spread of 5G ,GSMA is working closely with the mobile operators pioneering 5G, “by engaging with governments, vertical industries including automotive, financial services, healthcare providers, transport operators, utilities and other industry sectors to develop business cases for 5G.”
And In order to accelerate the growth and spread, many operators are said to be deploying
AI technology as part of an integral part of telecoms operators’ strategic and operational plans.
“Operators are making important advancements in the deployment of AI technology, which is serving as a transformative force shaping the telecoms industry. By deploying autonomous AI-based systems, operators can enhance operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and security, while also creating new revenue opportunities”.
China, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States are the leading countries with robust 5G coverage in the world.
Since the first commercial launches of the fifth generation of mobile networks in late 2018, these five countries have emerged as leaders because multiple companies in these countries have deployed networks and are selling compatible devices. Countries including Switzerland and Finland are up and comers in 5G development, though they have limited deployment.
In China there are three Companies leading in deployment.
The world’s largest 5G network was launched by the three largest Chinese network operators Oct 31, 2019, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua. These are China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom which all activated their networks in less than five months after they were issued 5G licenses.
Each of the network operators offered their 5G services at $18 per month in 50 Chinese cities at the beginning of the launch.
GSMA expects 36% of China’s mobile users to be using 5G by 2025. That’s about 600 million subscribers, who would also make up 40% of the entire global 5G market by this year.
This is all despite efforts made by the United States government to hamper the progress of Chinese vendors, though those efforts may affect how Chinese companies may expand into the global market.
In South Korea,SK Telecom and Korea Telecom run as the main competitors for the South Korean 5G market.
SK Telecom acquired spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 28 GHz frequencies to prepare for deploying 5G.
In April of 2019, the Enterprise claimed to be the first mobile carrier in the world to launch 5G services to work on 5G smartphones. SK Telecom asserted an edge over rival Verizon, as the former launched 5G services available at the same time as Samsung Galaxy S10 5G smartphone launched in South Korea. Verizon launched mobile 5G services in the U.S. before a 5G enabled smartphone was available to U.S. consumers.
SK Telecom also conducted tests with a 5G Standalone (SA) Core (a core not reliant on the 4G network) for their 5G network in cooperation with Samsung Electronics.
The world’s largest 5G network was launched by the three largest Chinese network operators Oct 31, 2019, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua. These are China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom which all activated their networks in less than five months after they were issued 5G licenses. Each of the network operators offered their 5G services at $18 per month in 50 Chinese cities at the beginning of the launch.
“What we are seeing is a concerted effort by the Chinese — the operators, vendors, and government regulators — to deploy 5G as quickly as possible,” Chris Nicoll, principal analyst at ACG Research, pointed this out in a November 1, 2019 SDxCentral article.
With all of these players working together, the three network operators had collectively deployed nearly 86,000 5G base stations peaked over 130,000 by the end of 2019. The latter number breaks down into China Unicom and China telecom, with each planning to install 40,000 base stations, and the market leader China Mobile to install 50,000.This was the projection by 2019 but they have since overshot this by the beginning of 2024.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), says 5G coverage reached 40% of the world’s population in 2023 with an uneven coverage and distribution with developed countries having more coverage than low-income countries:
In Europe ,68% of the population is covered and
Americas had 59% of the population covered while
Asia-Pacific has 42% of the population covered as at 2023.
Arab States have 12% of the population covered.
Commonwealth Independent of States (CIS) had 8% of the population covered.
ITU figures show Africa,s coverage rose to 10 % of the population by 2023 .
The ITU also notes that 90% of the world’s population is covered by 4G, but 55% of people without access to 4G live in low-income countries because In low-income countries, 3G is often the only technology available to connect to the Internet.
The ITU develops and adopts international regulations and global standards to enable the harmonization and implementation of broadband mobile networks.
In Africa, around a dozen nations have launched services including Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Madagascar, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia but Africa is a patchwork of 54 countries.
And penetration is predicted to be slow.
By 2027, Ericsson predicts that 80 percent of phone users in Europe will have 5G service.
At the same time, 5G subscriptions in Africa, home to 1.4 billion people, May stagnate at a little over 10 percent. Why will so few people in Africa get access to 5G services?
China, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States remain the leading countries with robust 5G coverage in the world.
While many countries are already providing robust services,Africa remains on the outskirts of 5G services.
The countries in Africa that have launched 5G networks, include South Africa with its roll out
In March 2022, when the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) sold spectrum across several bands.
In Nigeria,MTN rolled out commercial 5G services in Lagos in 2022, with other roll out in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri among others.
MTN Congo announced that it was the first country in Central Africa to deploy 5G.
In Botswana Orange deployed 5G technology to provide new services in the Gaborone and Francistown regions.
Other countries in Africa that have launched 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services include: Angola, Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Analysts say “5G’s potential is growing due to its ability to deliver fiber-like speeds. However, there are still challenges in the region, such as:
Urban areas are reaching their maximum capacity whereas a large portion of the population lives in rural areas.
This explains why 5G adoption in the sub-Saharan region is currently below six percent “
Analysts report that 5G deployment in Africa faces many challenges, including Spectrum assignment,regulatory issues,infrastructure,security,financial resources among others.
“Spectrum is a limited resource that is already in use by other services, such as TV broadcasters and satellite operators. Governments need to open up frequencies and grant 5G licenses at reasonable prices. “
Infrastructure is another major challenge.
“5G networks require a large initial investment, including expensive devices, antennas, and Radio Access Network (RAN) hardware. The infrastructure needs to be fiberized to support 5G services.
Regulatory conditions also serve as challenges to deployment.
For instance “regulatory authorities may not have started the process for licensing and granting frequencies in the right portion “
“Most of the equipment and devices required for 5G deployment need to be imported.”
There are also security challenges that make
5G technology vulnerable to cyber security threats, such as tracking calls and exposing user locations.
The recent declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State has triggered diverse commentaries from a wide range of Nigerians.
Almost everyone hailed the presidential proclamation because of the visible threat to law and order in the state at the time the action was taken. Of course, there were a few naysayers who read political meanings into an otherwise sincere and prompt intervention.
One such negative interpretation is the position taken by the Editorial Board of The Punch newspaper. In one of its editorials published on the matter, the national daily claimed that the entire crisis was caused by what it described as “the needless meddlesomeness in the governance of the state by its former governor and Tinubu’s Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike….” It is unfortunate that this narrative and others like it have become commonplace in the media space.
How did the Editorial Board of a reputable newspaper arrive at such a conclusion? Their claim that the Sole Administrator, Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (rtd), has been acting a script purportedly written by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is also faulty and has no iota of truth.
They also faulted the sacking of all political appointees who served in Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration, insinuating that their replacements were drawn from Wike’s political camp. Again, nothing can be further from the truth.
Since his appointment as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas has been running the state with the abundant human resources available in the state and has not imported anybody from outside the state. Did the Editors of The Punch really expect him to run the administration with the politicians loyal to the suspended governor?
Do they not know that the crop of political appointees who served Fubara would have found it difficult to work with the Sole Administrator?
Certainly, they know the truth, but they have chosen to stoke the fire to generate more tensions in Rivers State.
Certain interests might have commissioned this editorial to cast aspersions on the Sole Administrator and raise doubts about his capacity to run the state.
It may also have been the handiwork of Wike’s political detractors, the man whom many politicians love to hate for no other reason than envy and jealousy.
We urge the Punch newspapers to seek a better mode of intervention in the political situation and not dwell on innuendos and unsubstantiated allegations against certain political actors in order to blackmail them.
Dr Ike Odogwu
In a life of achievement, Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete popularly called the Duke by his contemporaries in the UK was an assessment clerk, post office clerk, a court interpreter, an educationist, a business man, a political party chieftain, a Barrister and Solicitor, a Magistrate, the Otota (the Prime Minister) of Ughelli kingdom which is the highest traditional chieftaincy office that underpin the royal office of the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom.
He was a trail blazer, a strict disciplinarian, a lover of people, and a philantropist. He saw to it that people lived in peace and happiness.
Born on the 4th of April, 1924, to parents cut from an industrious mould, Chief Ekuogbe Rowland Gregory Akpodiete took zealously to education that neither his mother Ughweriaka who was a trader, nor his father Akpodiete who was a farmer had.
He attended the Native Authority Primary School, Ughelli, and Enitona High School, Port Harcourt, for his secondary school education.
He thereafter had a brief teaching career in primary schools in Ofuoma near Ughelli, he worked as a process clerk in the then Sapele Township Department between 1950 and 1953, serving at the same time as an interpreter in the local courts.
He proceeded to the United Kingdom to seek the proverbial Golden Fleece where he worked and paid his way through, studying Law. He was admitted into the Honourable society of Gray’s Inn, England, in 1965, and shortly after, he returned home to Nigeria and attended the Nigerian Law School. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1966. He immediately started practice in Lagos. However, his practice in Lagos was regrettably abridged by the Nigerian Civil War, which drove him to his hometown Ughelli in 1967, where he continued to practise among his kith and kin as the first Legal Practitioner.
Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete established himself in Ughelli. After the civil war, he served in the now defunct Mid-western State Judiciary from 1972 to 1975 as a Magistrate.
He was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Urhukperovie of Ughelli kingdom (the light of the King) by the then reigning Ovie of Ughelli, His Royal Highness Oharisi II of blessed memory in 1977.
In the quest for more knowledge, he went back to England for his Master’s degree in law (LL.M) and later a Ph.D. at the University of Warwick.
He was awarded an honourary doctorate degree (Ph.D) by Tenesse Christian University from the United States of America in 1991.
He became the Otota (the Prime Minister) of Ughelli Kingdom in 1986, an office he occupied until his demise on 9th April 1995.
Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete was also politically involved. In the heady days of the Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria, he was the party’s legal adviser in Ughelli and was on hand to assist during Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s campaign hosting in Ughelli and its environs.
In view of his love for people and entertainment, he established a popular cinema house, one of the first in Ughelli, known as REGA cinema, coined from his names, alongside an entertainment place called Unutakunu (people talk to people).
Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete was blessed with wives and many children, grandchildren, and great grand children.
Mr. Olotu Akpodiete, PhD
Executive Director
Olotu & Ekuogbe Rowland Akpodiete foundation
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