I woke up a few days ago to a text message that simply read: “Uche, call me as soon as you see this message.” It was from no less a personality than Professor Tunde Adeniran, former Minister of Education. In the good old days, we often saw each other to discuss Nigeria, politics, and specifically the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the last time I saw him was two years ago in a rather sad, sober environment—at the Service of Songs at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Jabi, Abuja, organised for the late Professor Fred Onyeoziri, my boss, and a close friend of Professor Adeniran.
Before you wonder why an intellectual fortress and powerhouse like Professor Adeniran would be texting this “poor journalist,” let me quickly state that I was his student at the University of Ibadan.
I was elated to reconnect with my old teacher, as we used to do in those good days—before President Buhari turned Nigeria upside down. Everyone who has lived in this country since before 2015 understands what that means. And even if you don’t, your pocket will remind you. On a more serious note, when I rang him as requested, his response was that unmistakably coded, humorous banter: “Uche, how are you doing; where have you left Nigeria?” Vintage Tunde Adeniran!
The major takeaway from our conversation was his disclosure that, in a matter of days, he would be marking his 80th birthday. Precisely on Monday September 29, 2025. That is no small feat, given the declining life expectancy in this part of the world, especially among men. What is remarkable is not just that Adeniran is turning 80, but that he is doing so in fine fettle—still squash-fit, with a mind as sharp as ever, like wine still at its best.
There are more than enough reasons to thank God for this great gift to Nigeria and humanity. As a loyal son of Ekiti State—a state he played a major role in its creation—the drumbeat of celebration will surely be loud, and glasses will clink in joyous tribute to this fountain of knowledge from whom many have drawn for at least six decades.
As a teacher, Professor Adeniran has been, and remains, a source of inspiration to countless students—many of whom are now professors in their own right or excelling in diverse fields of human endeavour. A living encyclopedia of International Relations and Strategic Studies, his pedagogical brilliance—especially in teaching Theories of International Relations—was legendary. I cannot recall him ever missing a class, whether at undergraduate or postgraduate level. In contrast, a few lecturers in those days would play truancy for most of the semester, only to rush students through two weeks before exams. Adeniran was cut from a different cloth—professional, disciplined, and consistent. Little wonder that before retiring from the University of Ibadan, he served as Head of the Department of Political Science, among other key positions.
As a researcher and scholar, he has remained highly fecund, productive, prolific, and innovative. Beyond mentoring and supervising scores of PhD candidates, his intellectual contributions are reflected in numerous articles in reputable journals, conference papers, position papers, monographs, and seminal books—including Introduction to International Relations (1983), International Violence (with Yonah Alexander, 1983), Politics of Wole Soyinka (1994), Fate and Faith (2015), Africa’s Security Challenges in the 21st Century (2020), Policy Making and International Security (2023), among many others. Those who have been following his trajectory would not be surprised that he has written two new books to mark his 80th Birthday Anniversary. We are also aware that a book in his honour, titled Intellection and Global Governance (a collection of essays written by various scholars in Nigeria and abroad) has been published to mark the occasion.
Yet Professor Adeniran’s luminous intellect and administrative acumen were never confined to the classroom. Before returning to Ibadan to teach, he worked at the United Nations after completing his PhD at Columbia University in the United States. He went on to contribute enormously to Nigeria’s national development. As Secretary of the Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), the landmark organisation set up by General Ibrahim Babangida, Adeniran crisscrossed virtually every local government in Nigeria, mobilizing citizens for a new political culture and national rebirth. While his friend, Professor Jerry Gana, was the face of MAMSER, the administrative engine was powered by Adeniran’s brilliance.
He also served as a member of the Committee on Nigerian National Defence Policy for the year 2000; a member of the Advisory Committee on Foreign Affairs (1983–1985); and a member of the Political Bureau (1986–1987). Earlier, he had served on the Ondo State Economic Advisory Council (1980–1983).
In politics, Adeniran brought integrity and uncommon intellect. He joined partisan politics in 1998 as a foundation member of the PDP, helping to establish the party in the South-West at a time when it was almost taboo to mention PDP in that region. In 1999, he contested for governor of Ekiti State under the party but lost to Chief Niyi Adebayo of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Nevertheless, he won enduring respect for his merit-driven, people-focused politics. His service soon took him to the federal level, where President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him Minister of Education (1999–2001). Later, from 2004 to 2007, he served with distinction as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany. A fine diplomat, Adeniran acquitted himself creditably, yet as a grassroots politician, it was clear he yearned to return to Ekiti and reconnect with his people.
Ahead of the 2015 general election, President Goodluck Jonathan once again tapped into his proven organisational skills, appointing him Deputy Director-General of the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation. It was a turbulent assignment amid sabotage both within the PDP and the campaign structure. Yet, Adeniran proved himself reliable and trustworthy. A taciturn diplomat, he has never disclosed what he knows about that era—his only response, when pressed, being a smile and an unreadable wink.
He had earlier aspired to lead the PDP, first as National Secretary and later as National Chairman, but was schemed out by the party’s notorious culture of impunity. Many believe those decisions denied the PDP the chance to benefit from Adeniran’s intellect, integrity, and vision. In fact, some argue that the party began its decline in 2017 when he was sidelined at Eagles Square, as delegates were swayed with dollar-stuffed envelopes to elect his opponent. In anger, Adeniran, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) resigned from the PDP, joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and eventually retired from active politics.
Today, as one of Ekiti’s favourite sons marks 80, we celebrate a man whose greatest weapons are his deep faith in God and the power of intellect. An elder of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Professor Adeniran has lived a life guided by merit and anchored on divine providence. From his brief stint at the United Nations, through his illustrious teaching career, to his forays into politics and diplomacy, he has always insisted that the best governed societies run on merit.
Happy 80th birthday, dear Prof. May your fountain of intellect never run dry.
– Uche Ugboajah, a political scientist is Editor-in-Chief of Ikengaonline. He can be reached via: [email protected]
