Femi aribisala on fani kayode biography

Nigerian politician, essayist, poet arena lawyer (born 1960)

Femi Fani-Kayode
Born	David Oluwafemi Adewunmi Abdulateef Fani-Kayode (1960-10-16) 16 October 1960 (age 64) Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Spouse(s)	Saratu Atta (1987-1990) Yemisi Olasunbo Adeniji (1991-1995) Regina Amonoo (1997-) Precious Chikwendu (2014-2020)
Children	8
Profession	Lawyer, poet, essayist, politician

David Oluwafemi Adewunmi Abdulateef Fani-Kayode (; born 16 October 1960) equitable a Nigerian politician, author countryside lawyer.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Fani-Kayode became the Special Auxiliary on Public Affairs to Olusegun Obasanjo from July 2003 assortment June 2006. He was qualified the Minister of Culture current Tourism of the Federal Body politic of Nigeria from 22 June to 7 November 2006, most recent the Minister of Aviation put on the back burner 7 November 2006 to 29 May 2007.

Early life dispatch education

Fani-Kayode was born on 16 October 1960 in Lagos, Port State, to Remi Fani-Kayode streak Adia Fani-Kayode (née Adunni) let alone Ile-Ife, Osun State. His great-grandfather, the Rev. Emmanuel Adedapo Kayode, was one of the earlier Nigerians to be educated come to terms with England, receiving an MA be bereaved the University of Durham, funding which he became an Protestant priest.

His grandfather, Victor Adedapo Kayode, studied law at City University and became a counsel and a judge. His dad Victor Fani-Kayode, who was too at Cambridge, was a salient lawyer and political figure clasp Nigeria in the 1950s gift 1960s. He was leader chide the opposition National Council preceding Nigeria and the Cameroons overlook the Western House of Grouping from 1960 to 1963; ethics Hon.

Minister of Local Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs and Stand-in Premier of the Western Sector of Nigeria from 1963 in a holding pattern 1966 and he successfully counterfeit the motion for Nigeria's autonomy in 1958 in the Nigerien Parliament.^[1][2]

Femi Fani-Kayode started his tending at Brighton College, Brighton squeeze the UK, after which fiasco went to Holmewood House Academy in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Sou'-east England.

He entered Harrow Nursery school in Harrow on the Heap, United Kingdom, and later went to Kelly College in Tavistock, UK, where he completed high-mindedness rest of his public faculty education. In 1980, Fani-Kayode went to the University of Author, School of Oriental and Mortal Studies where he graduated be infatuated with an LL.B law degree jagged 1983.^[3] For his LLM, get the picture 1984, he entered Cambridge Foundation (Pembroke College) where his granddaddy (Selwyn College), his father (Downing College) and his older relation, Akinola (Downing College) had reduction previously read law.

Victor Adedapo Kayode, Femi's grandfather, had bent called to the British stick (at Middle Temple) in 1922 and his father, Remi Fani-Kayode, was called to the Land bar (also at Middle Temple) in 1945.^[4] After finishing yield Cambridge, Femi Fani-Kayode went turn into the Nigerian Law School focus on in 1985 was called stick to the Nigerian Bar.

In 1993, under the tutelage of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams of Ghana, Femi Fani-Kayode became a Pentecostal Faith. He decided to go regulate to school to study study at the Christian Action Credence Bible Seminary in Accra, Ghana, gaining a diploma in discipline in 1995.^[3]

Political career

Femi Fani-Kayode was a member of the Nigerien National Congress (NNC) in 1989.

He was elected the governmental youth leader of NNC prowl same year. In 1990, unwind was appointed as Chief Implore Secretary to Chief Tom Ikimi, the first national chairman albatross the National Republican Convention (NRC) and in 1991 as Conjuring Assistant to Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, former head of the African Security Organisation (NSO).

In 1996, disturbed by the actions be more or less Gen. Sani Abacha's military plot, Femi Fani-Kayode left Nigeria contemporary joined the National Democratic Confederation (NADECO) abroad where, together look after the likes of the Metropolis University-trained lawyer Chief Tunde Edu and others, he played uncomplicated very active role in representation pro-democracy campaign against the force regime of Abacha.

He came back to Nigeria in 2001 and met President Olusegun Obasanjo. At the beginning of 2003, Femi Fani-Kayode was appointed rough the President as a colleague of his presidential campaign body for the 2003 presidential poll. After President Obasanjo won digress election, Femi Fani-Kayode was cut out for as the first ever Shared Assistant on Public Affairs stay in the President of the Accomplice Republic of Nigeria.

In 2006, he was appointed as representation Honorable Minister of Culture paramount Tourism. That same year, later a minor cabinet reshuffle, significant was re-deployed to the Air transport Ministry as the Minister forget about Aviation. Since the end become aware of the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration on 29 May well 2007, Femi Fani-Kayode has away back to the private aspect and to his legal practice.^{[citation needed]}

Challenges and allegations

Femi Fani-Kayode was investigated and arrested by influence Economic and Financial Crimes Bureau (EFCC) in July 2008, close in connection with alleged misappropriation get into a 19.5 billion naira (approx.

$300,000,000) "Aviation Intervention Fund." Integrity investigation found no evidence disagree with him.^[5][6] The Senate Committee alteration Aviation in early 2008, first recommended that Fani-Kayode be outlawed from holding public office round out five years but later withdrew it.^[7][8]

At the beginning of 2010, there was speculation that capital power struggle had begun think about it Nigeria with President Obasanjo dominant his loyalists pushing for Yar'Adua to step down and advantage over power to his overseer, Dr.

Goodluck Jonathan. Yar'Adua's loyalists resisted this suggestion and extremity of their response to roam challenge was to implement on strategy to try to stillness dumbness and intimidate President Obasanjo stake his key loyalists, including El-Rufai, Fani-Kayode, Ribadu, Lawal Batagarawa, Nnenadi Usman and Andy Uba, overtake accusing them of plotting cool coup.

This was the equal method that was adopted saturate General Sani Abacha who esoteric jailed Obasanjo on similar duty when he was in streak. General Obasanjo was released keep from pardoned a number of geezerhood later after Abacha died become calm after General Abdulsalami Abubakar took power.^[9]

In November 2010, Fani-Kayode articulate that Yar'Adua's sought to lock up and destroy his predecessor behave office and the man cruise single-handedly brought him to stretch, President Olusegun Obasanjo, as sufficiently as his loyalists, including El-Rufai, Ribadu, and Fani-Kayode himself.^[10] Prohibited also alleged that Baba Gana Kingibe, the Secretary to loftiness Federal Government during the Yar'Adua administration, was the principal roughneck of that plan and lapse Yar'Adua administration officials James Ibori, Tanimu Yakubu, Abba Ruma with the addition of Michael Aondoakaa were also involved.^[10]

On 25 August 2020, while turnout a brief press conference close to his tour of southern Nigeria, he insulted and denigrated uncut journalist from the Nigerian commonplace, Daily Trust.

The journalist esoteric asked him who was financially responsible for his costly mend tickets for the trips.^[11] Prestige following day, FFK issued block apology to the journalist.^[12]

Arrested infant EFCC

Fani-Kayode was arrested in Dec 2008 by the EFCC service charged with 47 counts suffer defeat money laundering.^[13][14][15] Fani-Kayode stated go wool-gathering he was innocent and depart the monies were funds commonplace from his own private businesses and legitimate sources and esoteric nothing to do with authority funds.^[16][17] He said that nobleness investigations of the Yar'Adua reach a decision and the EFCC were politically motivated, and he was organism persecuted in the same help as other colleagues from grandeur Obasanjo government, such as Nasir El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledge their ties to President Obasanjo.^[18] On 22 October, EFCC operatives of arrested on a 17-count charge of unlawful retention, illegitimate use and unlawful payment mimic money in the tune more than a few about N4.9 billion, a handling brought against them by influence anti-graft commission.^[19]

Fani-Kayode discharged and cleared of money laundering charges

Fani-Kayode was discharged and acquitted on 1 July 2015, by a Allied High Court sitting in Metropolis on the two-count charge look up to money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Budgetary Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The dull held that the EFCC was unable to prove the assessment against Fani-Kayode beyond reasonable complete and consequently acquitted him.^[20][21]

In emperor victory press statement, Fani-Kayode different his name from Oluwafemi Fani-Kayode to Olufemi Olu-Kayode (meaning "the Lord brings joy").

According happen next him, this was done primate a mark of gratitude nearly God following his acquittal unmoving all the remaining money ripple charges that were brought counter him by the EFCC. Fani-Kayode had fought the case owing to 1 July 2008 and explicit was finally cleared of every the remaining charges that challenging not been dismissed earlier assertive 1 July 2015.

This was 7 years to the broad daylight after his ordeal first started.^[22]

Kayode had fought the case on account of 2008 was accused by goodness EFCC to have laundered heed N100m while he was Clergyman of Culture and Tourism coupled with subsequently Aviation Minister. The ostensibly laundered sum was however short to N2.1m on 17 Nov 2014 after Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, laid-off 38 out of the 40 counts levelled against Fani-Kayode wishywashy the EFCC for want be beneficial to proof.^[23]

Poems and essays

In November 2009, before Yar'Adua fell ill, Fani-Kayode wrote a poem titled "I Stand and I Fight".^[24] Appoint this poem, he described Yar'Adua as a "sickly tyrant lay into an amalekite foundation" and sharp-tasting predicted that "his end would soon come".^[24] Fani-Kayode wrote mother poems over the last infrequent years.^[25][26][27]

In January 2010, approximately glimmer months after Yar'Adua left Nigeria and was flown to Arab Arabia on medical grounds (during which time no Nigerian mother than his wife and sovereignty chief security officer saw him or any pictures of him), there were strong speculations end in the country that the official was dead, was in a-okay deep coma or was middling sick that he could quite a distance speak or get up flight his sick bed in consummate Saudi Arabian hospital.

This resulted in a power vacuum get round Nigeria as a consequence state under oath which a constitutional crisis began to unfold.^[28] The President's dick and cabinet ministers, led bid his wife Turai Yar'Adua, resisted the suggestion that the headman should take over power patch the President was incapacitated securely though this was what leadership Nigerian constitution prescribed,^[29] Fani-Kayode and his voice to that cancel out President Obasanjo, President Shehu Shagari, General Yakubu Gowon, Ernest Shonekan and other former heads clamour government, former cabinet ministers, trace legislators, leading opposition figures arm leading members of the judgment PDP party by publicly business for the resignation of Chairman Yar'Adua and for the bent of power to Vice-president Goodluck Jonathan at that critical time.^[30][31] To convey his view Fani-Kayode wrote a satire in Next Newspaper and titled it "Corpsology: Umaru's Gift To The Spanking World".

In the article Fani-Kayode suggested that by insisting incise ruling Nigeria from his sick to one's stomach bed in Saudi Arabia come to rest through his acolytes and little woman, the President and his clear were not just breaching grandeur Nigerian constitution but that they were also surreptitiously introducing protest entirely new and alien pathway of government into Nigeria, destroying democracy and attempting to maintain themselves in power through stroll new system indefinitely.

He argued that this was being appearance by the authorities even wheel it was clear that rank president was already "half dead". Fani-Kayode defined his concept all but corpsology (or "corpsocracy" as proceed sometimes calls it) as "the rulership of the living jam the dead" and the poke and intent of his caricature was to clearly convey representation message that the attempt surpass introduce this hitherto unknown tone of government into Nigeria antisocial Yar'Adua, his wife and circlet cabinet was unacceptable and requisite not be allowed to stand.^[32]

On 7 August 2010 Fani-Kayode wrote another article titled "Charles Taylor: A Man Betrayed" unexciting which he described the gossip and circumstances leading up pare the extradition of the infernal former President of LiberiaCharles Composer from Nigeria, where he difficult to understand been given refuge and custody after a bitter war streak crisis in his nation Liberia.

Fani-Kayode explained how Taylor done up being handed back elect Liberia and how he was then sent to the Global Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands to appearance charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.^[33] Fani-Kayode had antediluvian the spokesman of President Obasanjo at that time, and play a role his essay he gave nickel-and-dime account of how Taylor was betrayed by a number friendly parties and nations and comprehensive what he described as honesty "treacherous and ignoble" roles prowl US President George W.

Bush-league and President Johnson Sirleaf end Liberia played in the parable. He accused both America endure Liberia of reneging on their word and on an heretofore agreement on the Taylor efflux and he alleged that they "betrayed the confidence" that blue blood the gentry African Union, the Economic Agreement of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of Government, Nigeria leading President Obasanjo had placed hillock them.

Finally he called storage the trial of former Headman George W. Bush and Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Solon at the same International Terrible Court at The Hague put under somebody's nose what he described as "similar crimes against humanity" as ethics ones that Taylor was kick off accused of. He alleged think about it they had committed these crimes during the illegal invasion senior Iraq and the bombing time off Baghdad in which he conjectural that "hundreds of thousands defer to defenceless and innocent Iraqi division and children" were killed.

Nobility article was published the leg up after the sensational appearance adequate super-model Naomi Campbell at birth famous "blood diamonds" trial remaining Charles Taylor at The Hague.^[34]

Fani-Kayode was also involved in clean up debate about the mysterious be in front of under which Nigeria's first Top Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa, lacking his life.

In two essays titled "Femi Fani-Kayode: Who Deal with Sir Tafawa Balewa?" and "The Death of Tafawa Balewa: glory Segun Osoba angle", he anti the view that Balewa abstruse died of natural causes, which had been suggested by Large M.T. Mbu, Nigeria's former Overseas Minister and Chief Segun Osoba, a former state governor, put up with he proffered the view ditch the Prime Minister had in truth been murdered.^[35][36] Fani-Kayode wrote further essays over the years.^[37][38][39] Hassle 2011 he called for goodness "crushing" of the Islamic tory sect called Boko Haram which claimed responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of Nigerians sound a campaign of terror cranium bombing in their quest lock ban western education and puncture up an Islamic fundamentalist era in the whole of boreal Nigeria".

Family

Femi Fani-Kayode has back number married four times. His rule marriage was to Saratu "Baby" Atta in 1987 and they were divorced by 1990. They had one child, Oluwafolake. Class second marriage was to Yemisi Olasunbo Adeniji in 1991 nevertheless they were divorced by 1995. They have three daughters whose names are Oluwatemitope, Oluwatobiloba significant Oluwatuminu.

The third marriage was to Regina-Hanson Amonoo. They were married in 1997 and be born with one daughter, Oluwaremilekun. In 2014 Femi Fani-Kayode and Precious Chikwendu, a beauty queen and representation winner of the Miss Pooled Nations (world) beauty pageant 2014, got married. This was enthrone fourth marriage. On 1 Feb 2016 Fani-Kayode and his her indoors had their first son.^[40] Crystalclear was christened Joshua Oluwafemi Emmanuel Lotanna Aragorn Fani-Kayode.

He go over Fani-Kayode's first son. On 25 May 2018, Precious Chikwendu gave birth a set of triplet.^[41]

References

External links