Some photographs outlive their ceremonies. They linger because they capture not just an event, but the mood of a country and the arrangement of power at a particular moment in time.
One such image shows Major General Jeremiah Timbut Useni commissioning the Okada Air Headquarters in Benin City on behalf of General Sani Abacha. Standing beside him are figures whose combined presence speaks loudly, even years later. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. Chief Sir Dr. Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion. Governor John Ewerekumoh Yeri. HRH Oreki II, the Ovie of Oghara. Archbishop Benson Idahosa. Alabo Graham Douglas, then Minister of Aviation.
The photograph is formally composed, but its meaning runs deeper than the posed arrangement. It presents authority in layers, military command, traditional royalty, private capital, religious influence, and state administration, all sharing the same physical space. In one frame, the Nigerian state is on display, not through ballots or debate, but through ceremony and presence.
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Jeremiah Useni and the language of military governance
Jeremiah Timbut Useni was already a familiar figure in Nigeria’s political landscape when the Okada Air headquarters was commissioned. Born on February 16, 1943, he rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Army and entered national consciousness in January 1984, when he was appointed Military Governor of the defunct Bendel State.
His career moved fluidly between command and administration. Over the years, he served as Minister of Transport, Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. These roles placed him at the operational core of government, overseeing logistics, infrastructure, and the capital city itself.
In the context of military rule, such appointments carried more than administrative weight. They reflected trust, proximity to decision making, and responsibility for translating policy into visible outcomes. Useni’s appearance in Benin City as Abacha’s representative followed this established pattern of public duty.
Why the guest list mattered
The figures standing beside Useni were not incidental attendees. Each represented an institution that shaped public life.
Traditional authority was embodied by the Alaafin of Oyo and the Ovie of Oghara. Their presence lent cultural continuity to a state governed by decree rather than vote. In Nigeria, monarchs often serve as symbols of historical depth, stability, and communal identity, and their appearance at national events communicates legitimacy in a language many citizens instinctively understand.
Private enterprise was visible through Chief G. O. Igbinedion, whose name became synonymous with Okada Air and with large scale business ventures. The partnership between political power and private capital has long shaped Nigeria’s infrastructure story, and this ceremony placed that relationship on open display.
Religious influence entered the frame through Archbishop Benson Idahosa. His presence reflected the growing prominence of Pentecostal Christianity and the role of faith leaders as moral authorities and public voices. Even in periods of military rule, spiritual legitimacy carried its own influence over public perception.
Alongside them stood the Minister of Aviation, providing formal civilian authority within a military governed system. Together, they formed a tableau that showed how governance, culture, faith, and commerce often converged during that era.
Power, rumour, and the end of an era
The Abacha years ended abruptly in 1998, and with that sudden ending came intense speculation about succession. Within that atmosphere, Jeremiah Useni’s name circulated widely in political discussions.
He was spoken of as a possible successor within the ruling circle, and later explained that the emergence of General Abdulsalami Abubakar followed established protocol. His account placed the transition within procedural boundaries rather than personal ambition.
The period also gave rise to persistent rumours surrounding Abacha’s death. Years later, Useni publicly dismissed claims that Abacha died after eating a poisoned apple, maintaining instead that the death was natural. These statements became part of the public record, illustrating how the era remained surrounded by unresolved narratives long after it ended.
Aviation, ceremony, and a later tragedy
The Okada Air commissioning represented ambition and confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector. It was a moment of celebration, investment, and national projection.
Four years later, aviation returned to Useni’s life under very different circumstances.
On May 4, 2002, EAS Airlines Flight 4226 departed Kano for Lagos. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft crashed, resulting in one of Nigeria’s most devastating domestic air disasters. Among those killed were Mrs. Julie Useni, the wife of Jeremiah Useni, and their last son, Danjuma.
The loss transformed a public figure’s story into a deeply personal one. The same sector that once provided a backdrop for ceremony became the setting for grief. The contrast requires no embellishment. It stands on its own as a reminder that national progress and personal loss can exist within the same historical space.
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Why the photograph still matters
The Okada Air photograph endures because it captures how authority presented itself during a defining chapter of Nigeria’s history. It shows who stood together, how legitimacy was displayed, and how public life was staged in the absence of electoral accountability.
It also reminds us that history does not freeze its subjects. The people in the image moved forward into new roles, political transitions, and personal trials. What began as a moment of public confidence later became part of a longer human story that included loss and reflection.
In that sense, the photograph is not only a record of power. It is a reminder that behind every historic image are lives that continued long after the shutter closed.
Author’s Note
This story treats one photograph as a doorway into a broader moment in Nigeria’s history, where military authority, traditional institutions, religious influence, and private enterprise met in public view, and where the later loss suffered by Jeremiah Useni’s family reminds us that history’s grand scenes are ultimately lived by human beings.
References
ThisDay Live, Ex FCT Minister, Jerry Useni, Dies at 81, January 24, 2025.
State House, Abuja, President Tinubu Mourns the Passing of Former Minister of FCT, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni, January 24, 2025.
Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion Official Website, Picture Gallery caption for the Okada Air Headquarters commissioning photograph.
allAfrica, Minister, Useni’s Wife, 72 Others Killed in Plane Crash, May 5, 2002.
Accident Investigation Report, EAS BAC 1 11 525FT, Flight 4226, aircraft registration 5N ESF, Kano occurrence.
