Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma GCON ) is a retired Nigerian @rmy officer, billionaire businessman, and prominent philanthropist. He is considered one of Nigeria’s most influential and controversial milit@ry figures, having played a central role in several key events in the country’s post-independence history.

Born in Takum, Taraba State on December 9, 1938 , from a humble farming family.

He Attended St. Bartholomew’s Primary School and Benue Provincial Secondary School.

He received a scholarship to study history at Ahmadu Bello University but joined the Nigerian Army in 1960, the year Nigeria gained independence.

Commissioned in 1960, he served as a platoon commander in the Congo Crisîs and rose to the rank of Captain by 1966.

He is widely recognized for leading the troops that arrested and overthrew the first military Head of State, General Aguiyi-Ironsi, during the July 1966 counter-coup.

He served as the Chief of @rmy Staff from 1975 to 1979 under the milit@ry göverñmëñts of Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo.

After returning to public service in the democratic era, he served as Nigeria’s Minister of D£fence from 1999 to 2003 under President Obasanjo.

After returning to public service in the democr@tic era, he served as Nigeria’s Ministēr of Defēñce from 1999 to 2003 under President Obasanjo.

Following his military retirement in 1979, Danjuma became one of Africa’s wealthiest individuals through ventures in shipping and petroleum.

He owns NAL-Comet Group, A leading indigenous shipping and terminal operator in Nigeria.

Owns NAL-Comet Group, leading indigenous shipping and terminal operator in Nigeria.
South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO): An oil exploration company with major interests in Nigeria and across Africa.

In 2009,he established TY Danjuma Foundation: with a $100 milliøn grant, it supports education, healthcare, and pôverty alleviation projects throughout Nigeria.

As of early 2026, he remains an active elder statesman, having celebrated his 88th birthday in December 2025.

He continues to be a vocal crìtic of Nigeria’s security situation, recently urging citizens to “rise up and DEFĒÑD themselves” against b@nditry and in$urgēncy when gøvernmēñt protection f@ils.

He remains a “towering national figure” in Taraba State, where he has recently toured ongoing construction for the T.Y. Danjuma University and Academy.

Danjuma is celebrated as a figure who transitioned from milit@ry leadership to business and philanthropy, significantly impacting Nigeria’s development.

The photograph captures General Olusegun Obasanjo, his wife Chief (Mrs) Oluremi Obasanjo, and three of their children — Busola, Gbenga, and Enitan — on a defining day in Nigeria’s political history: the handover of power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979.

A Defining Moment in Nigerian History

The year 1979 marked the end of 13 years of uninterrupted military rule in Nigeria and the beginning of the Second Republic. As the country’s military Head of State from 1976, Olusegun Obasanjo oversaw a carefully planned transition programme that culminated in the peaceful transfer of power to a democratically elected civilian president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, on 1 October 1979.
This handover remains one of the most significant moments in Nigeria’s post-independence history. It established a precedent for constitutional governance and demonstrated that military authority could willingly relinquish power to civilian rule — a rare occurrence on the African continent at the time.

Family at the Centre of History

The presence of Oluremi Obasanjo and their children in the photograph adds a deeply human dimension to the historic occasion. It reflects the personal cost, sacrifice, and shared journey of families who lived at the centre of national power during turbulent political times. For the Obasanjo family, the moment symbolised not only a national transition but the close of an intense chapter in their own lives.

Obasanjo’s Enduring Legacy

Olusegun Obasanjo’s role in the 1979 transition significantly shaped his legacy. Though he would later return as a civilian president in 1999, his decision to hand over power in 1979 is often cited as one of his most consequential contributions to Nigeria’s democratic evolution. It reinforced Nigeria’s constitutional framework and influenced future debates on civil-military relations.
This photograph therefore stands not just as a family portrait, but as a visual reminder of a rare and pivotal moment when leadership, restraint, and national interest converged in Nigeria’s political journey.

Source: Ibadaninfo

This rare image captures Lieutenant Murtala Ramat Mohammed in 1962, pictured in military uniform while attending a church service as a young Nigerian Army officer. At the time, he was serving as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Dr. Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, the Administrator of the Western Region during Nigeria’s political crisis of the early 1960s.

Historical Context

In 1962, Nigeria was barely two years into independence and already grappling with intense political instability, particularly in the Western Region. Dr. M. A. Majekodunmi was appointed Administrator by the Federal Government to restore order, and Lieutenant Murtala Mohammed, then a promising young officer, was attached to him as ADC. This role placed Mohammed at the heart of Nigeria’s early post-independence political and security challenges.

A Glimpse into Character

The photograph is significant not merely for its rarity but for what it suggests about the era and Mohammed’s early life. Military officers at the time often participated openly in civilian and religious life, reflecting the close interaction between the armed forces and society in Nigeria’s formative years. Mohammed’s presence at a church service also highlights the pluralistic environment of the Nigerian military, where religious diversity was common.

From Young Officer to National Leader

Murtala Mohammed would later rise rapidly through the ranks, becoming a Brigadier, playing a key role in the 1966 counter-coup, and eventually emerging as Nigeria’s Head of State in 1975. His brief but impactful tenure is remembered for decisive reforms, anti-corruption measures, and a strong push for national discipline before his assassination in 1976.
This 1962 image therefore stands as an early visual record of a man who would go on to shape Nigeria’s political and military history in profound ways.

Source: Cindymonel