Adede: Celebrating A Golden Heart At 70

THEFRONTLINES

Today, we will be celebrating Senator Musa Adede, a man with a golden heart as he clocks 70 years. There several reasons to praise the Almighty God for his life and move a toast to rejoice with him for overcoming the odds and adversities and emerging as a force to be reckoned with in politics, business and philanthropy.

As we give God the glory for this remarkable feat, we are also celebrating a consumate grassroots politician, astute and self-made businessman, philanthropist extraordinaire whose footprints are clearly marked in the business world, politics and on people.

To say Musa has touched souls is an understatement. He is a man with the milk of human kindness and generosity and heart of gold. While some perceive him as being aloof and arrogant, behind the facade is a man with the heart of gold.

He could sometimes be harsh and harassing but if you stand your ground, he has listening ears and once you can convince or prove your intentions are genuine, he will shock you.

Born in 1954, Musa exhibited very early in life what he wanted to be and went on to become a trailblazer and one of the leading lights in Cross River and particularly northern part of the state.

He graduated with a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom;             Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies and Data Processing, Hatfield Polytechnic St Albans, United Kingdom.

He also earned a  Higher National Diploma, East College of Technology, London, United Kingdom and returned to Nigeria fully prepared to face the world.

After Dr. Joseph Wayas who rose to the position of President of the Senate in 1979, he was the next person from the same Obanliku to brave the odds and won a seat to the Senate replacing Sen. Kanu Agabi who had been made Attorney General of the Federation in 2000 by then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

When the Cross River North Senatorial seat was declared vacant and up for grabs, he threw his hat into the ring. In a highly competitive primary, he won and went ahead to defeat his APP opponent, Paul Ukpo in the main election.

His victory celebrations were short-lived as his opponent proceeded to court challenging the veracity of his academic credentials.

In the legal duel that lasted throughout his term, he eventually triumphed with the court ruling in his favour few months before his tenure ended.

Determined to serve his people again, he recontested in 2003. In the primary conducted that year by Olisa Metuh, Adede wo  a landslide. Curiously, the review committee which sat in Abuja annulled his victory and awarded it to late Senator Greg Ngaji.

However, undaunted, his imprints in the Senate remain indelible.

He was Chairman Senate Committee on Transport,           Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport; Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes; Member, Senate Committee on Aviation; Member, Senate Committee on Environment; Member, Senate Committee on Privatization;         Member, Senate Committee on Defence;                Member, Senate Committee on Air force; Member, Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development.

He was a Member, Senate Committee on National Population; Member, Senate Committee on Insurance and Allied Matters, Member, Senate Committee on Universal Basic Education (UBE).

At other times, he was board member, NEPZA (Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority,

 He was a delegate to the 2014, Nigerian National Conference and co-sponsor of the Cabotage Bill. It was passed into Law by Mr. President in 2003, where it sought to Promote the Development of Indigenous Coastal Trade and to Restrict the Use of Foreign Vessels in Domestic Coastal Trade.

As chairman of Transportation Committee, in 2014, he devised a comprehensive proposal for a modernised, interconnected national transportation system across roads, rail, shipping and aviation, with detailed security and recommended for A National Transportation Commission to be established for Government to implement.

However, Adede had his baptism of fire under the jackboots of Col. Omenka of DMI who arrested and detained him in their notorious underground cell for almost two years.

His offence was his suspected complicity through association with his childhood friend, then Col Musa Gwadabe, who was alleged to be involved in a coup plot against late Gen. Sani Abacha.

In the business world, Senator as he’s fondly called today remains a collosus with his business interests spreading from oil and gas, shipping, real estate, manufacturing,banking automobile etc.

But his most visible and iconic investment is in aviation where his flagship aviation company – Kings Airline is a leading light in the private jet air charter segment operating with about five best in class bombardier jets.

His companies employ expatriates and local staff who are deployed in areas where they have operations. Musa is a grassroots community leader who has built bridges for communities, built and donated a cathedral to his community, extended innumerable scholarships to indigent students and still facilitates uncountable jobs for Cross Riverians.

May God continue to guide and protect him, give him long life and prosperity for he is a jolly good fellow.