Personality in Focus
Ubani Celebrates Birthday, Appreciates God’s Faithfulness
Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Developmental Law, NBA-SPIDEL, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani is a year older today (July 27) and the Human Rights lawyer fondly called MOU by friends and well-wishers is using the occasion to celebrate God faithfulness.
Reflecting on his life on earth, Ubani said he is particularly grateful to God who has stood by him throughout the high and low moments of his life.
He said: “July 27 every year is always an opportunity for me to reflect on how God has stood by me throughout my low and high moments. This year is not an exception. God has been my pillar and without him, I am nobody. What you see in my today and describe as success could not have been possible without God’s mercy and faithfulness.
“Besides God, my family has also been very supportive. The love of my wife and children is unquantifiable and has spurred me to be the success story I am today. Nigerians have also been kind to me and I appreciate every one of them. I celebrate everyone who has been a part of my life.”
Born to a humble family in Awomukwu Village in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Ubani has risen from a young ambitious village boy to become a successful lawyer, an opinion moulder and one of the few respected voices on national issues in the country.
Not only has he excelled in law practice, Ubani has become an unrepentant philanthropist and an advocate of human and peoples’ rights in Nigeria and beyond. Just recently, Ubani won the hearts of Nigerians when he dragged the Federal Government to court over mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and twitter ban.
Ubani’s quest to impact humanity started way back in 2012 when contested and won the chairmanship position in the ever vibrant Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch and took the branch to the level that no previous or those after him had reached.
His leadership quality and friendship revived the divided branch and made it a very united branch that its voice was feared and respected nationally during his tenure. It was therefore very easy for him when he aspired to the position of the vice presidency at the national level.
He was adopted by the Eastern Bar Forum of lawyers in which he is a member and returned unopposed at the national election of the association that took place in 2016 and became elected with the highest vote even more than that of the president of the Association, an indication of his popularity within the legal circle.
Due to the feat he achieved during his tenure as a second vice-president, Ubani was elected as chairman of NBA-SPIDEL to revive the session which was almost in comatose. Since mounting the leadership of NBA-SPIDEL, the Section has become a reference point in the fight to enshrine rule of law and hold the government to account.
His act of philanthropy includes the saving of the life of Baby Somaya who had a successful heart surgery in India and came back to Nigeria to the waiting arm of MTN and Praise, a musician who collaborated with MTN to donate the sum of 10 million Naira to the baby. The baby is today a landlady and living a normal life.
He also brought to limelight a lady who worked at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos as a cleaner and returned the sum of 12 million lost money to the owner. That singular act of honesty attracted Dr Ubani and his Foundation, Onyekachi Ubani Foundation and they swung into action and got the lady introduced to Nigeria as the face of a true and honest Nigerian through the mainstream and social media.
The reward to the lady came in torrents: awards, money gifts, employment opportunities and handshakes with the high and mighty in Nigeria. In fact, that promotion of her virtue brought her a husband subsequently She is happily married to her heartthrob. Recently she was given a house and several gifts by the Vice President of the country His Excellency, Prof Yemi Osibajo SAN.
Dr. Ubani through his law firm has rendered pro bono services and has also helped many aggrieved Nigerians to get justice.
The plethora of awards that adorn the walls of Ubani’s office and home are true attestation that the labour of this indefatigable humanitarian has not escaped the watchful attention of many credible local and international organizations.
Ubani is married to Lady Faustina and is blessed with four lovely children, one of whom is already following his step as a vibrant legal practitioner. His second son is an Engineer graduate of the prestigious Covenant University.
Former Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe has reportedly passed away.
TheNewsGuru reports that the senior adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and, recently, the Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign died at 71, after a long struggle with cancer.
In October 2023, Okupe was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment.
However, it was learnt that his condition did not improve as expected.
Okupe had a history of prostate cancer, first diagnosed 16 years ago, and a later bout with sarcoma in his right shoulder.
Following his milestone achievements as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), the Chairman/CEO of Executive Group, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan has been officially announced as the Patron of the Police advocacy initiative in Lagos State, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The POCACOV is the Nigeria Police Force advocacy initiative to help young people avoid cultism and other vices. It uses advocacy, awareness, and sensitization to help young people avoid vices by conducting community outreaches to schools, inner cities, rural areas, and urban centres. It also helps to rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have been cut in the web of cultism, crimes, and social vices.
It would be recalled that Dr. Ayo Ogunsan took up the Chairmanship job about a year ago and was able to use his grand standing as the Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), prime supporter of security news beat association National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), and leadership of non-profit initiative, AKEM Foundation to champion his work and various impacting activities in the past one year. This is why POCACOV through its National Coordinator, ACP Olabisi Oluseyi Okuwobi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police announced his official elevation into the role of Patron of POCACOV in Lagos State.
The United Nations POLAC International Peace Advocate, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan expressed his gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the National Coordinator, ACP Okuwobi for the new role and promised to give direction to the new Chairman, Mr. Moses Oladimeji which will lead to improved performance of POCACOV in Lagos.
‘I will keep raiding our communities with love. We will give them food, shelter, etc. Police will do the Police work but I will do the policing of love’, Ogunsan affirmed.
This piece is contributed by Oki Samson
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Shamsedeen Ogunjimi as the new Accountant General of the Federation after a rigorous selection process.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga said his appointment, approved on Tuesday, takes effect from 7th March 2025, the same day the incumbent Oluwatoyin Madehin will retire.
Ogunjimi, 57, was first named as Madehin’s successor last December.
“A selection committee later chose him through a competitive, rigorous, and merit-based process involving Directors of Accounts in the Federal Civil Service. The committee conducted the process through three stages: a written assessment, an ICT proficiency test, and oral interviews.
“The selection process underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to promoting transparency, excellence, and competence in key public service positions,” the statement read in part.
Ogunjimi graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.
He also obtained a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
President Tinubu congratulated Ogunjimi on his appointment, and urged him to discharge his duties in the service with integrity, professionalism, and dedication to Nigeria’s service.
