At various times in the history of Nigeria, these three individuals served the country in different capacities; however, long after their public service, nothing seems to have been heard about them again. SUNNY IDACHABA writes.
Humphrey Nwosu
Professor Humphrey Nwosu is the former chairman of defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON); however, except for elders and students of Political History, otherwise anyone born after 1993 would never know that this man was the one who conducted what was and still credited as the freest and fairest election in the political history of Nigeria which unfortunately was annulled by the military regime. Not until President Muhammadu Buhari, after 25 years, decided to rewrite history and honour 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 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 return to the Department of Political Science of the University of Nigeria Nsukka where he had hitherto lectured before he was appointed to head the electoral umpire. Thereafter, 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 has been out of public space for 25 years suddenly 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, 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”, he said. Since his exit from the shores of Nigeria, nothing has been heard about him again.
Hassan Adamu
Known as Wakilin Adamawa, Ambassador Hassan Adamu is a man of many parts as he is a politician, diplomat, business man, 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 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 it’s 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 allegation of re-election slush fund to the tune of N450 million in his custody. The money was meant for Jonathan’s re-election bid which never saw the light of day. However, after that, nothing seems to have been heard about the case any more just as nothing much has been heard about the man, an indication that the elder statesman is not guilty of those sundry allegations. Up till the recent times, he still remained a member of the PDP, but it’s not clear where he could be at the moment.
Chukwuemeka Chikelu
Chukwuemeka Chikelu is a former minister of information. Long after he was pushed aside in a cabinet reshuffle during former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime 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 away from public glare. He is an indigene of Anambra state from a well bred family. First, he read Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Maiduguri, but later went 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. During the second tenure of ex president Obasanjo, that was when he was appointed as information minister. His period as minister witnessed major media campaign against HIV/aids as well as female genital mutilation. Although he was said to have performed well in that capacity, but because he was considered to be a political lightweight especially since Obasanjo was cooking his infamous third term ambition, he considered Chikelu as someone who cannot deliver the goose on that ambition. In his place, Frank Nweke (jnr) was appointed. Since then, Chikelu has gone into political seclusion such that one wonders if he is still in the country or hybernating somewhere.
