Humphrey Nwosu, Hassan Adamu: Where are they now?

At various times in the history of Nigeria, they served the country meritoriously in different capacities, but long after their times in public service, nothing seems to have been heard about them again. ELEOJO IDACHABA asks where they could be now.

Humphrey Nwosu

Professor Humphrey Nwosu was the chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), but for elders and students of political history, anyone born after 1993 would never know that this man was the one who conducted what was (and is still) credited as the freest and fairest election in the political history of Nigeria. It was, however, annulled by the military regime. And it was not until President Muhammadu Buhari, after 25 years, decided to re-write history by honouring the supposed winner of that election, the late Chief MKO Abiola three years ago, Prof. Nwosu under whose watch that election was conducted went into what analysts call self-imposed sabbatical leave. As the former boss of the electoral umpire which conducted the June 12 1993 general election and presidential election in particular, he had released almost all the results in which MKO Abiola, a candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was said to be in the clear lead against his rival, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, of the National Republican Convention (NRC).

Just before the final results were to be announced, the military authorities led by former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida ordered him to halt the announcement following which the results were finally annulled. Thereafter, the nation was plunged into a protracted crisis that consumed many lives in all the nooks and crannies of the country. Much later, he was said to have returned to the Department of Political Science of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he had hitherto lectured. Subsequently, nothing was heard about him again.

But following the announcement by President Buhari in 2018 to honour the late MKO and other Nigerians in the disputed June 12 debacle, Nwosu who had been out of public space for 25 years wrote a letter in response to the invitation extended to him to attend the ceremony in Abuja. In that letter, he thanked the president and government of Nigeria for the honour, but pleaded to be absent since he was out of the country. According to him, “Certainly, the scheduled event on Tuesday June 12, 2018 would rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better nation. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, I would not be present at the investiture ceremony as I am outside the country.” Since then, nothing more has been heard from him.

Hassan Adamu

Known as the Wakilin Adamawa, Ambassador Hassan Adamu is a man of many parts; he is a politician, diplomat, businessman, technocrat and administrator. He spent the bulk of his time in the boardroom of many corporate financial houses where top decisions are taken. He is a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and for many years was the chairman, board of trustees of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC) where he and others played key roles in the capital market of the country. During one of his opening remarks in his capacity as the board chairman of the organisation, he said, “I am happy to inform you that in response to the development in Nigeria’s financial services industry and global economy, NDIC has taken some incentives to enhance its relevance as a critical component of the financial safety-net. It is my sincere hope that the performance of the corporation would be improved upon in the succeeding years as we brace up for the challenges ahead.”

In 2006, however, he was in and out of court over allegations of re-election slush fund to the tune of N450 million in his custody. The money was said to have been earmarked for Jonathan’s re-election bid which never saw the light of the day. After that, nothing seems to have been heard about the case anymore just as nothing has been heard about the man, an indication that the elder statesman is not guilty of those sundry allegations.

Chukwuemeka Chikelu

Chukwuemeka Chikelu was a minister of information. Long after he was pushed aside in a cabinet reshuffle during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in 2006, this man, who was said to be the youngest cabinet member in that government with many years of political exploits, went into political retirement or rather public glare. He is from a well-bred family in Anambra state. First, he read political science and public administration from the University of Maiduguri, but later proceeded to study Law at the University of Buckingham in the UK where he bagged his LLB. Between 1999 and 2003, he represented Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia federal constituency in the House of Representatives. It was during the second tenure of ex-president Obasanjo that he was appointed as information minister.

His period as minister witnessed major media campaigns against HIV/AIDS as well as female genital mutilation. Although he was said to have performed well in that capacity, because he was considered to be a political lightweight especially since Obasanjo was planning his infamous third term ambition, he considered Chikelu as someone who could not deliver the goose on that ambition. In his place, Frank Nweke (Jnr.) was appointed. Since then, Chikelu appears to have gone into political seclusion.

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