Chief Alfred Rewane and Muhammad Ali during Ali’s visit to Nigeria as an Ovaltine ambassador in the 1970’s.

The Story: Pa Ogbeyiwa Erewarone Alfred Rewane was a Pro-Yorubanist, Pro-democracy, a crusader and above all a successful business man. He was full of life, a role model to many, an epitome of wellness and grandeur, tall, shimmering, ebony and stately, a fine gentleman. He was a very close friend of our dear Chief Ọbafemi Awolowo. He was born in Warri on August 24, 1916 and had his basic education in Warri, attending the African School and Government School.

He started his career as a manager trainee with UAC and became the beach master, Lagos Customs Wharf for the firm. In the 1940s he left UAC and focused on importing goods, especially cow bones and black pepper and then in the 1950s, he was also into the timber trade and he owned the Rex club in Yaba, Lagos where Bobby Benson was a regular musician. During the pre-independence era in Nigeria, Rewane was affiliated with the Action Group, he became the chairman of the Western Nigeria Development Company which was controlled by the Action Group led regional government. In the ’70s, Rewane promoted a series of businesses in Sapele partnership with the Seaboard Group of the United States. The companies included Life Flour mills, West African Shrimps and Top Feeds.

In his quest for the restoration of the June 12 mandate, he made huge financial contributions to The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and also spent millions of naira on media campaigns, he was one of the few Pro-Democracy activists who fought gallantly against the Abacha dictatorial government but sadly he paid the ultimate price.

On Friday October 6, 1995, between 8.15 and 8.30 am, that the unexpected happened. A Peugeot 504 car screeched to a halt in front of 100 Oduduwa Crescent, G.R.A, Ikeja, Lagos, home of Pa Alfred Rewane. Five men alighted from the belly of the car, they approached the gateman, telling him that they had come to see the landlord, to deliver an important message from Life Flour Mills, Sapele. Pa Rewane is the owner of the company. They shoved a document to the gate man’s face. Pronto, he creaked the gate open on its greased hinges. The men entered.

A domestic staffer was on his way upstairs to inform Chief that he had some guests. Two of the men clambered upstairs with the aide. The others had held two of the Chief’s daughters hostage while the others were busy upstairs with the landlord. The assailants pumped bullets into the body of the innocent old man. He was 79.

Culled from Adepojo omo yoruba