I had flown into Abuja, amongst others, to present the Maddtimes power list coffee-table book to His Excellency Atiku Abubakar
The former Vice President and Presidential flag bearer of the ADC was a strong nominee in the book, and I felt that, to complete the role of former Presidents and VPs who have the book, Atiku must also have his own
The first attempt was on Saturday, and it was botched. It was supposed to be at the Musa Yardua Centre
Then I retreated and pushed out an essay explaining my failure
His Excellency saw the write-up- my WhatsApp ger reached- and sent his apologies through my first contact
Then I got a call- Edgar: I just read you want to see Atiku?
I said yes.
You are funny o, u have me here, and you are running up and down like a rabbit
Someone will call you now.
Exactly 10 minutes after, the call came, Mr Duke of Shomolu, be on standby; I will call you once oga comes downstairs. Let’s target 7pm
That was Saturday. I waited till midnight; no call
So Sunday, I reached out again; no answer and then around 2pm, the call came
Come by 2pm on. Monday, I’ll send you the address.
I said, please let me come by 1pm cos of my flight back to Lagos
The compound was expectedly expansive but tucked within the highbrow Asokoro part of Abuja
There was a motley crew of security, with each service represented
The DSS official with the list asked me for my name; I said Edgar Joseph. He scanned and said I was not on the list
I called my contact, and he said no, that I was on the list, and we checked again; it was Duke of Shomolu that was there
I walked into the compound and will not describe what I saw for obvious reasons
I was ushered into an expansive waiting room where there were career politicians already waiting
I scanned the room and saw pics of him and Nazir El Rufai, pics of Musa Yardua, his political mentor and pics of him as a young man in the customs
As the time for his emergence got closer, the room started filling up, and the protocol people came
Ohh, you can’t take pictures; you can’t go in with your phone, etc
He suddenly walked in, looking shorter than previously imagined
He was announced, and everyone stood up, and he walked past
I was immediately ushered in, which made me feel proud – to be the first in the midst of these heavy weights
His inner office was beautiful and reeked of power, with the National and one other flag nestled poles apart behind him
He was surprisingly handsome and looked really good for his age
I watched him intently as he spoke, with his skin gleaming through his ultra-white caftan and his wrist adorned with a very expensive-looking wristwatch
My name is Joseph; no recognition. Then I tried Duke of Shomolu, and he smiled, “Ohh, you?”
I used to work for Habib Bank, and I am Mr Kekere Ekuns, boy
He smiled. I just spoke to him two days ago, and I said how is ur relationship with hin these days, with his wife as Chief Justice.
He smiled – she is Chief Justice of Nigeria…. And I have never called to discuss any judicial matter with her.
El Rufai, does your campaign miss him? Of course, yes… He replied
Have you gone to visit? I do not have permission, but his family brief me each time they go there
Why the penchant for calling President Tinubu Bola?
He didn’t win, fair and square, he offered, but he is your very close friend, I retorted; he is, till I found out, that he is not Bola
Detach yourself from your campaign and try to tell me if you have a chance
He deflected and talked about the level of mismanagement in the country at the level of leadership being controlled by my age demographic – 50s and 60s
These are the governors, and you see the level of mismanagement, and this is very sad, he added
Not wanting to overstay, I quickly opened the book, and he went into a sarcastic mode
It’s a book of the most powerful people in Nigeria, I said and he smirked, ” Did I make it?
Why not. U even have your own caricature
I opened his page, and he quipped again – two pages for me?
Your Excellency, stop na, and then he saw his caricature and said – You made me skinny and I said You even fared better than your friend OBJ and he responded – he is not my friend; he is my boss “
We shook hands, took pictures, and he bade me bye
I like the man; there is something plain about him, a charisma very few can resist at close quarters.
But is this his year?
I plead the fifth
Come and beat me
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: October 13, 2026
