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Tribute To Captain Hosa: His Whole Essence Was Making Sacrifice For Others – Greg Uanseru

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I have been saddled with Herculean roles throughout my six decades of existence. One of the hardest tasks I have had to take up, however, is penning this tribute in honour of my bosom friend and brother, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, with whom I shared ancestry, career history, and an unbreakable filial bond. These saw us through thick and thin and consolidated our strong ties.

It is hard to write this heartfelt eulogy for a good friend without it bringing a tear to one’s eyes, knowing that we have lost one of the most courageous and profoundly noble human beings that any of us will share time with on earth. The demise of Capi as I used to call him, has left a huge gap nobody can fill because he was unique and wired differently. His fierce dignity, compassion, and unbending will to sacrifice for the greater good, in the interest of the larger society, speaks volumes of his uncommon personality.

Many have said a lot about Capi – extolling his magnanimous spirit and the generosity of his large heart – but as someone who was close to him, I was privileged with a deeper knowledge of his extraordinary humaneness.

In a world, filled with people of different shades and backgrounds with uncertain motives, Captain Hosa’s natural ability to deal successfully with everyone, without compromising his honesty and transparency spoke volumes of his excellent human relations and diplomatic prowess.

I recall vividly, that, many years ago, he told me that: “If you want to play the game, it is important to know all the players. This knowledge prepares you ahead and helps you to navigate through and manage every conflict that may arise.” Such was his profound depth – which clearly distinguished him as a corporate titan and socioeconomic player of note.

Captain Hosa hardly prevaricated on any matter. He was a man of conviction, whose intents were always known from the word ‘Go!’ He never gave room for anyone to question his integrity because his words were his bond. Even so, he never claimed to be sanctimonious. If anyone had issues with him, chances were that they would be at fault, for he would never take advantage of anyone. In fact, he would rather deprive and sacrifice his material benefits should they stand in the way of the robust relationships he had with people.

For Captain Hosa, peace trumped everything and formed the basis of his existence; and core to his pursuit of peace was his capacity to show love. This is why most tributes about him dwell on his benevolence and generosity.

Capi and I shared a bond that could best be described as filial. It wouldn’t be out of place for anyone to describe our relationship as that of two brothers from different mothers. We were that close. Our brotherhood dated back to our formative years. We had a great, long-standing relationship rooted in shared respect and understanding of our common values. I will try to illustrate the depth of our bond with three poignant stories.

A month before his death, Capi had called me to ask when I would visit him in London. He wished to spend time with me. But he was particularly interested in me coming to see him so we could have our favourite delicacy – bean porridge. This was a routine we both enjoyed from childhood through our struggling years as young men. And the habit had stuck with us, even after God blessed us with prosperity.

So, off I went to London, to see my friend and brother. He was so happy to see me and we feasted on our bean porridge delicacy in the company of a few mutual friends. Capi was in high spirit but little did I know that that would be our last meal together.

A few weeks after our meeting, I returned to Nigeria but I was suddenly called to see Capi. He had been rushed to the hospital after his health relapsed. I travelled back to see him, but I had to quarantine, first in London, due to the COVID-19 guidelines in the United Kingdom. A day after the end of the quarantine, I got a Whatsapp message from the daughter saying, “Uncle start coming to the hospital”! I rushed down to the hospital and beheld my best friend, lying almost lifeless on the bed. I barely managed to control my tears. I called him, by some of the special names I used to call him from our childhood days. He opened his eyes, looked at me, and shut his eyes because he could not talk to me. It dawned on me that life was ebbing out of my best friend. That was it. I succumbed to grief and burst into tears.

Capi and I shared many sobriquets by which we hailed ourselves. The sobriquets were used for many of the memorable moments we shared as friends and brothers. We had special names by which we called ourselves during the good moments. And we had the special names by which we hailed ourselves during the not-so-good times. But they were special names because they carried meaningful endearment with them. They were shared, strictly just by the two of us. Such was the depth of our bond.

Capi, was a beacon of hope for many people, with whom he came in contact. His was a story in conquests – conquest over poverty and rising from a lowly beginning to the pinnacle of his professional calling in the aviation sector. He was an outstanding pilot with feats and feathers to his cap. I was a first-hand witness to his exploits in aviation because I operated side-by-side with him.

His bravery was conspicuous in the face of the few challenges and setbacks he had while here. The manner he handled his struggles with grace and good humour, and his ability to acknowledge his own imperfections made him remarkable.

I am one of the thousands of people who drew inspiration from Captain Hosa’s life. I paid attention to his words and actions, which sometimes served as life lessons in spite of the fact that we were contemporaries. The fact that he achieved greatness in all ramifications speaks of how much one can achieve when they are guided by their hopes and not by their fears.

I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example set by this illustrious, true son of Edo. We shared so many beautiful moments when we were growing up. He had been kind from when he barely had much to give. For him, giving was a religion which he practiced unabashedly. He would always be with people in their difficult times. His philanthropy was without any sociological limitations or any primordial sentiments.

As friends and partners, we had our moments of disagreement on issues, but we both allowed the sacred saying of Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians in chapter 4 verse 26 to be our watchword: “…let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” In fact, each argument we had, deepened our knowledge about each other and strengthened our bond.

Captain Hosa was also big on passion. He constantly sought out new passions and gave every last ounce of himself to his pursuits. More importantly, he was a great dad, an amazing husband, who dedicated himself to his family. He loved his children with all his heart. He never left anything in the tank; he left it all on the floor. I strongly believe that is what he would want us to do.

I solemnly make a promise from this day forward that I will live with the memories of knowing that I had a friend and a brother, whose whole essence was making sacrifices for others to live well.

To the Okunbos, I extend my deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this extraordinary man with us.

Rest in peace, my dear great friend.

BIG STORY

Akpabio Appeals Judgement On Natasha Akpoti’s Suspension

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has submitted an appeal in an effort to reverse a federal high court ruling that instructed the senate to lift the suspension placed on Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central.

The appeal, dated July 14, 2025, was lodged at the Abuja division of the court of appeal.

Akpabio is contesting the July 4 decision issued by Binta Nyako, which labelled Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension as overreaching and a violation of her constituents’ rights to representation.

Although the court recognized the senate’s constitutional power to discipline its members, Nyako determined that the duration and severity of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension were excessive. Additionally, the court imposed a ₦5 million fine on the senator for contempt, pointing to a satirical Facebook post made during the trial that allegedly violated an existing restraining order.

In reaction, Akpoti-Uduaghan has lodged her own appeal, disputing the contempt ruling on the basis of jurisdiction. She claimed the court lacked authority to rule on a contempt matter involving actions that took place ex facie curiae — outside the courtroom.

Akpabio’s legal representatives also submitted a cross-appeal, questioning the federal high court’s jurisdiction. They argued that the issue pertains to internal legislative matters, which they believe fall outside judicial oversight as stated in Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.

In his appeal containing 11 grounds, Akpabio criticised the lower court for dismissing his initial objection and issuing decisions that he believes encroach upon the legislative independence granted by the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

He argued that processes such as suspensions, statements made during plenary, and senate decisions should not be subject to court review. The appeal further stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case was filed prematurely because she had not yet pursued resolution through the internal processes of the senate, especially through the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions, as outlined in the Senate Standing Orders (2023, as amended).

Akpabio also alleged that the trial judge denied him a fair hearing by introducing and deciding on matters such as the alleged excessiveness of the suspension without input from either party. He viewed this as a violation of the court’s impartial role.

Additionally, the appeal criticised the merging of interim reliefs with the main claims, which Akpabio’s legal team argued was a procedural error. They also maintained that the case should have been dismissed for not complying with Section 21 of the Legislative Houses Act, which requires a three-month notice to the clerk of the national assembly before initiating legal proceedings.

Akpabio is requesting that the appeal court accept his case, nullify the federal high court’s decision, and uphold the senate’s disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

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BIG STORY

Natasha Akpoti Fires Back At Akpabio Over Reinstatement Challenge

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Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has dismissed Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s appeal challenging the Federal High Court decision that reinstated her to the Senate.

Akpabio, through his lawyers, approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to contest the July 4 verdict by Justice Binta Nyako, which overturned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension and labelled it as “excessive” and lacking legal justification.

The appeal, dated July 14 and registered as CA/A//2025, stemmed from suit FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, which Akpoti-Uduaghan filed to contest her suspension.

In his appeal, Akpabio urged the appellate court to nullify the ruling, arguing across 11 grounds that the trial court lacked the authority to interfere in what he described as internal National Assembly matters, which he claimed are not subject to judicial review based on Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.

He also criticised the court for dismissing his preliminary objection and issuing directives that impacted parliamentary procedures. He insisted that decisions made during plenary, such as suspensions and resolutions, are protected by the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and should not be legally challenged.

According to Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed her lawsuit prematurely without first exploring the Senate’s internal grievance process through the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, as required by the 2023 (amended) Senate Standing Orders.

He further claimed the trial court denied him a fair hearing by raising new issues — such as whether the suspension was excessive — without input from both parties and then ordering her reinstatement based on that.

Attempts to get an official reaction from Akpoti-Uduaghan were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to phone calls or messages.

When approached at the “Double Minority” documentary screening organised by Daria Media and the MacArthur Foundation, the senator declined to comment on whether she would return to her legislative duties.

When asked about Akpabio’s appeal, she reacted sharply and said, “Did you also ask him to tell you why he appealed it?” before leaving the venue.

It is worth recalling that on February 20, 2025, a dispute erupted between Natasha and Akpabio concerning seating arrangements in the Senate.

Following the incident, she accused him of sexual harassment, including offering favors in exchange for her cooperation on legislative matters.

The Senate’s Ethics Committee rejected her complaint on procedural grounds and suspended her for six months for “unruly behaviour,” denying her access to her office, salary, and security.

On July 4, 2025, Justice Nyako at the Federal High Court in Abuja overturned her six-month suspension, deeming it excessive, and directed the Senate to bring her back.

The court also imposed a N5 million fine on Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt related to a social media post but emphasized that her constituents had been deprived of representation during her suspension.

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BIG STORY

Ogun State Workers Begin Strike Over N82bn Pension Deductions

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The organised labour groups in Ogun State — including the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, and Joint Negotiating Council — on Monday instructed all state employees to embark on an indefinite strike.

This move follows the state’s failure to remit N82 billion in contributory pension deductions over a span of 14 years.

This directive was disclosed in a statement signed by leaders of the NLC, TUC, and JNC, and shared with The PUNCH on Monday.

The decision for industrial action was reportedly made during a statewide congress held the same day, where workers voted to indefinitely stop work in protest of the non-functional Ogun State Pension Reform Law 2008 and its 2013 amendment.

The 2013 amendment to the Pension Law established the Contributory Pension Scheme, which mandates that both employers and employees contribute a fixed monthly sum of 7.5 percent of the worker’s basic salary into a fund managed by licensed pension fund administrators.

According to the labour unions, in the 17 years since the law was enacted, there has been a consistent failure to implement it properly, often violating the provisions of the law.

The statement noted that “Accessible records on it established the incontrovertible fact that it has rather been a drain of resources for the workers, and curiously, a wage lowering tactic for successive governments of the state.”

It added that “Only 34 months (that is, three years less than two months) of the expected 204 months (17 years) of the deductions from both sides, i.e. the state/local governments were remitted to the PFAs.”

It also stated, “In the last 14 years, and still counting, monthly deductions only from workers’ salaries have been diligently consistent without remittance to their PFAs.”

“The statue-prescribed investments of the funds, the interests it could have yielded, amongst other associated benefits are all in limbo.”

“It simply translated to the apparent shortchanging of the entirety of active and dedicated workers of the state over the years.”

The unions mentioned the Adekunle Hassan Pension Reform Committee that was formed in 2022, stating that its report and recommendations were never made public.

They noted that no definitive steps had been taken to resolve the situation. Despite sending numerous letters to the authorities, the state government never responded.

Suffice that workers unanimously demanded for outright cancellation of the shortchanging scheme which, according to its amended version, comes into full effect on July 1, 2025.

The statement continued, “In clear terms, the indefinite suspension of services across the state and local governments takes full effect from midnight, Tuesday 15th July 2025.”

Earlier, about two weeks ago, the labour unions urged the state government to either delay the implementation of the CPS, initially scheduled for July 1, or revert to the old pension system.

They pointed out that the pension law, signed by former Governor Gbenga Daniel in 2008, was flawed from inception, as the administration failed to remit 25 months’ worth of deductions before exiting office in May 2011.

They added that Daniel’s successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, amended the law in 2013 with a plan to fully implement the CPS in July 2025, but only remitted nine months’ deductions throughout his eight-year tenure.

According to the labour leaders, Governor Dapo Abiodun, in his six years in office, has not remitted any contributions from workers into the scheme.

They expressed frustration that despite numerous letters and communications, the government has remained silent on the issue.

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