Be the first to know that the remains of Lagos Military Governor, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu will be laid to rest on the 16th of October in his hometown, Ovim, Abia State. City People can authoritatively reveal that the stage is set for the one week celebration of his life and times. The delay of his burial we hear was to give the Ndubuisi Kanu family enough time to conclude on burial plans. That has now been done.
City People gathered that the rite of passage for the former Lagos Military Governor will start in Lagos during the week of the 16th and end up that Saturday, in his hometown. The family and the LASG will soon officially announce the details of the burial.
Already, the Lagos State Government has begun burial arrangements. It has set up a Burial Committee for the successful hosting of the event. The family is also finalising its plan to give the late Rear Admiral a befitting burial.
Lets tell you more about Real Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu who would mostly be remembered as a pro-democracy advocate rather than a naval officer who rose through the ranks, and to the peak of his military career. “At the prime of his career, the country was ruled by the Military and this saw him become Military administrator of Lagos and Imo, but upon retirement, he immediately took a front row seat in the campaign against military rule,” wrote The Cable.
He was born in 1943 in Ovim, Isuikwuato Local Government area of Abia State andwas educated at the Methodist Primary School, Enugu.
He joined the Nigerian Navy in 1962 and obtained his B. Sc degree at the National Defence Academy, India. He held a couple of command positions in the navy, including: flag officer, Eastern Fleet; Chief of Personnel, Naval Headquarters; Flag Officer, Naval Training Command; Chief of Naval Operations, Naval Headquarters and Director of Logistics, joint operations. Kanu also fought in the Biafran forces, and served under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). While honouring him in 2014, Babatunde Fashola, a former Lagos Governor, said Kanu has been a long distance runner in the choice and commitments he made years ago.
Indeed, the Rear admiral was a rare of his kind– and his death, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said is a colossal loss to the country, for he “served with distinction and left a legacy of service that will inspire generations to come.”.
Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Godwin Kanu was a military officer and state governor. Early in his career he fought for the Biafran side in the Nigerian Civil War and in July 1975 he was appointed to Murtala Muhammed’s Supreme Military Council. After military president Olusegun Obasanjo came to power, Kanu was appointed Military Governor of Imo State and then Lagos State. Returning to the military he became chief of the navy and later served with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. In retirement he was a pro-democracy campaigner and called for decentralisation of power and increased federalism.
Ndubuisi Kanu was born in Ovim village in Isuikwuato, Abia State on 3 November 1943. He was of Igbo origin and attended the Methodist Primary School in Enugu. Joining the navy in 1962, he went to India for cadet training. His naval career included positions in Personnel, Logistics and Training. Kanu fought in the Nigerian Civil War for the Biafran forces.
In July 1975, as a Lieutenant Commander he was appointed a member of Murtala Muhammed’s ruling Cabinet, the Supreme Military Council. Under Military President Olusegun Obasanjo (who came into office in February 1976) Kanu was appointed Military Governor of Imo State in March 1976. He brought in town planners to prepare a plan for the development of the state capital, Owerri, and constructed new roads in the state. Kanu increased the number of local government areas in the state to 21 and also established the Imo Broadcasting Service (which is now the Imo Broadcasting Corporation).
Kanu transferred to Lagos State as Military governor in 1977, holding that position until July 1978. He later became Rear Admiral and Naval Chief and served with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
After Kanu retired he joined the pro-democracy movement, unlike many of his former military colleagues, and played a leading role in the agitation for the actualization of the annulled 12 June 1993 presidential election. He founded and was Chairman of RANGK LTD, a maritime consultancy, was Chairman of the Ohaneze Transition Caretaker Committee (OTC) and was Director of Fidelity Bank PLC. Kanu became a top National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain and became Chairman of the coalition in 2013. In May 2008, Kanu called for a return to true federalism in Nigeria.
In an interview in November 2008 Kanu attacked what he called Unitarism, the excessive concentration of powers by central government and called for fundamental dialogue between the different ethnic nationalities of Nigeria. He attributed the conflict in the Niger Delta to the lack of regional power.
In another interview, he pinpointed the second stage of the General Ibrahim Babangida regime as a turning point towards increased centralisation. Kanu was among leaders who spoke in January 2010 at a Lagos rally of the Save Nigeria Group calling for Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan be made acting president during President Umaru Yar’Adua’s illness.
He is married to Chief Mrs. Gladys Kanu (nee Uzodike). Kanu died on 13 January 2021.