•Chief OLUSEGUN OBASANJO Writes Foreword
His Excellency, Otunba Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada is an accomplished man. He is very brilliant and has achieved a lot in life. He turned 70 last Friday, 23rd December, 2022. But he does not look that far gone in age. Over the years, he has managed to retain his youthful look. He is still his bubbly self, very witty and always full of jokes. He enjoys good and robust health.
Apart from a sprinkle of grey hairs there is nothing to suggest that The Great Otunba is 70. To celebrate his new age, his wife, Her Excellency, Erelu Olusola Obada former Osun Deputy Governor and Minister and the children hosted a Grand Reception in his honour at The Grand Ballroom of The Oriental Hotel, in Lekki, Lagos last Friday. To mark his new age, he launched a book titled My Journey: Pathway to Nigeria’s Transition, from Analogue, To Digital Economy. The Foreword to the book was written by Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the book Otunba revealed how he got on to NIGERIA SAT-1. The Remote Sensing Satelite Project and how he became a Consultant to the University of Surrey which came to Nigeria in 2001 to look for people that could represent its Satellite business. He got the job and that was when Obasanjo was President of Nigeria. The book revealed a lot about the Space project.
He is of the opinion that his research work at NeGst in Nigeria’s effort to deploy technology to create improvements has convinced him that given the wide use of ICT tools across Nigeria today in the hands of people using phones and other hand held devices, we have reached that point at which the use of Technology to create positive behaviour is now a possibility. He says todays contemporary world is ruled by digital skills.
According to Chief Obasanjo, “I have always been fascinated each time I receive a phone call from people who had served meritoriously in one position or the other in my Administration. But when Erelu Olusola called on Friday 7, October and said she needed to see me as quickly as possible with her beloved husband, Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada, I became somehow curious and I told her to come to my home at Abeokuta the following day at 1.00pm. I have known the couple for some time.
“When they arrived, Dr. Obada told me that he was just about completing his Memoirs, part of which centered on the work he had done on the Nigerian Space program, culminating in the country’s transition from Analogue to Digital technology, and he wanted me to author the Foreward to the book. I was quite impressed, not just because both programs were highly successful, as of a fact they were landmark achievements of my Administration. I was also glad to hear that someone is attempting to put a marker on the sands of history, as many of those who serve in the government or in the private sectors loathe the idea of writing about what they did or failed to do. Stories detailing past achievements, innovations, corrections and contributions to societal growth are important for any culture. And when they are factual, they help to shed light which illuminates the dark areas of the nation’s historical development.”
“Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada’s book captures his experience as a young man, to whom God had made our paths to cross while he was a student union leader at the Petroleum Training Institute Warri and while I was serving as the Military Head of State at Dodan Barracks, Lagos in the 70s. Several decades later, the same Obada was positioned by God to play a highly significant role, transitioning Nigeria from analogue to digital technology with the successful launch of the Space Program and adoption of e-Government under my watch as an elected Civilian President of Nigeria, Dr. Obada has successfully documented for posterity the effort he applied to captivate the interest of key officials of my administration on eGovernment programmes and for this I commend his efforts.”
“By all standards, biographics must be factual, fair and, above all illuminating. Obada’s book checks the boxes and in this, I can see a detailed account and direction for anyone who desires to know the history of how Nigeria leapfrogged theAfrican continent to obtain an ‘eye’ an ‘ear’ and a ‘voice’ in orbit.
As President of Nigeria from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007, and in my earlier role as Head of State between 1976 and 1979, I have always laid emphasis on a style of governance, where there is constant bottom-up and top-down Interactions with all segments of society, especially with our brightest and our best, in our deliberate attempt to do the utmost within our human capabilities so as to leave our nation better than we found it. In these efforts, I have come across many Nigerians that belong to that class of the brightest and the best’, one of whom is Dr. Obada. Ever since I met him, he has continued to amaze me as a very creative, intelligent.
enterprising and diligent man. His drive and energy came to the fore when he launched the NigeriaSat-1 Satellite into the Lower Earth Orbit in September 2003. My administration worked with him to implement eGovernment as a national initiatives in March 2004. My position has always been that it is important for Nigeria to harness all her talents if we truly desire to grow strong and be respected among the comity of nations.”
“I find Dr. Obada’s account in his book to the rich and elucidating. I am also glad that he has told his story ‘as-is’ so that the in-coming generations will not be afraid to dream big dreams and take bold actions for the advantage of Nigeria.”
Lets tell you a lot more about this great Nigerian. Many don’t know that Otunba Felix Babatunde Obada is a product of a humble up-bringing from his hometown of Arigidi-Akoko, in the present Ondo State. Born on 23rd December 1952, the young Babatunde was brought up to respect the traditional values of his Akoko people in character, ability, strength, competence and confidence. He comes from a home full of an overdone of the love as well as discipline.
FB. Obada attended the Christ Apostolic Church Primary School, Arigidi-Akoko and passed out with a Grade A primary school leaving certificate in 1963. He attended Ibadan Grammar School and passed his West African School Certificate examination in Grade One. He became a pioneering student of Petroleum Training Institute Effurum, near Warri, where he studied Mechanical Engineering and passed all his subjects at both Ordinary and Higher Diploma levels with Distinction. He thereafter worked in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation where he rose to become Chief Engineer. After obtaining his Masters and Ph.D degrees, Dr. Obada set up in business and continued the enchanting journey that saw him became a pivotal figure in the successsful transition from analogue to digital technology with the implementation of the National eGovernment initiative.
My journey: Pathway to Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital economy is an account of Dr. Obada’s life and work. It documents in detail the steps he took to get the buy-in of the Federal Government of Nigeria under the Presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and persuaded the administration to commit to the Space programme and the National eGovernment idea. The book describes the prospects and possibilities inherent in Governance and the digital economy ecosystem, including the sustainability of the biofuels project being promoted by NeGst-TAS Limited, the company Dr. Obada heads as Executive Vice Chairman.
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