Chief Omowale Kuye is the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland. You could sit with him all day and the story of Nigeria, according to his personal experiences would never be exhausted. For an octogenarian, Kuye’s memory and recollection of events is unbelievably sharp. But he has one weakness: STUBBORNESS.
Before he was directly introduced to Olusegun Obasanjo with a view to working as a director of budget after the latter had complained over and over to the then Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Liman Ciroma, Kuye has always worked as a very thorough individual and his work with the head of the Nigerian State was not about to change that. Read about his encounter with Obasanjo over budget. Born on May 18, 1928, Kuye struggled and made a life worth living for himself.

Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said the issue of whether he will run for presidency come 2011, is not on his agenda for now. Although he tried to trivialize the issue, he did not categorically deny pressures from several quarters, that he continued since he is perceived as the most credible of all those angling to be President for now.

Oluseye Ogunlewe’s bluntness may come with a tinge of contradiction in what he professes. When you ask a man about his tenure as minister of works and member of the Executive Council of the Federation, EXCOF, in the Olusegun Obasanjo government and he tells you that there is no cabinet but a President-in-Council, you begin to wonder what manner of EXCOF was in place.

Oluseye Ogunlewe’s bluntness may come with a tinge of contradiction in what he professes. When you ask a man about his tenure as minister of works and member of the Executive Council of the Federation, EXCOF, in the Olusegun Obasanjo government and he tells you that there is no cabinet but a President-in-Council, you begin to wonder what manner of EXCOF was in place.

Professor Martin Anthony Aghaji is currently the President of Nigeria Cardiac Society. He studied in England where he distinguished himself by acquiring the Fellowships of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of England, Glasgow and Edinburgh by examination. He also won the Master of Science Degree in Nuclear Medicine from Kings College Hospital of the University of London in 1983 after undergoing the requisite training. He was a substantive Registrar in the professorial unit of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery at Kings College Hospital Demark Hill London. He proceeded hence to the USA where he acquired a Fellowship in Congenital Heart Surgery, from the Milwaukee Children’s Hospital, of University of Wisconsin USA.
He specialized in Adult and Pediatric Heart Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Liver Surgery, Kidney Transplantation and Nuclear Medicine.

Lieutenant General Jeremiah Timbut Useni (rtd), aka JERRY BOY, is the Sardauna of Plateau and Nasarawa but he is one unusual individual who has a split personality. One is that his mien could be so fierce that everyone around him would sit up. Yet, this Langtang born army officer loves to enjoy and does enjoy life, might we add, to its fullest. A sampler: “There is this saying that says work, work, work and no play makes a man a fool. You can not be serious all the time. When it comes to work you have to get it done and after that you have to relax and enjoy and play with people as if nothing has happened.

Ben Lawrence is a journalism veteran who has created a niche for himself in the profession. He was Editor, Evening Times, Acting Editor and Managing Editor of the Daily Times before quitting in 1987 to work as the spokesman of the Volks Wagen Company.

The incessant ethnic and religious crises in Jos and other parts of the country is now threatening the unity of the country, what do you think should be done to stem the tide?

He is a medical doctor but is more well known as a rambunctious politician. Massive looking Doyin Okupe could be a stormy petrel. You may not be sure of his weight but during the still-born Third Republic, when Okupe first served as Director of Publicity for the National Republican Convention, NRC, and later Director of Field Communications for the Bashir Tofa Presidential Campaign Organisation, he pulled some weight.

Chief Peter Osugo is a respected veteran journalist around. He was Sports Editor in the Daily Times and later became Editor of the Sunday Times. The 81-year-old Delta State-born journalist spoke to BASHIR ADEFAKA in Lagos, recently. Excerpts: