Theophilus Danjuma
Encyclopedia
General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma GCON FSS psc (Rtd.) is a Nigeria
n Jukun
soldier, politician and billionaire
businessman. He was Nigerian Army
Chief of Army Staff from July 1975 to October 1979. He was formerly Minister of Defence
under Olusegun Obasanjo. Danjuma is chairman of South Atlantic Petroleum
(SAPETRO).
, Taraba
State (formally Gongola), Nigeria
to Kuru Danjuma and Rufkatu Asibi. Takum
was mainly a farming community when Danjuma was young, the crops grown there such as yams, rice, cassava and beniseed were cultivated largely by families and clans. His father was a hardworking peasant whose ancestors were all highly respected members of the community. Kuru Danjuma was a farmer who also traded in metal parts for farming implements and tools.
Theophilus Danjuma started his education at St Bartholomew’s Primary School in Wusasa
and moved onto the Benue Provincial Secondary School in Katsina-Ala
where he was the captain of the school cricket 1st XI team, he received his Higher School Certificate in 1958. In 1959 Danjuma enrolled at the Nigerian College of Arts Science and Technology in Zaria
(Ahmadu Bello University
) to study History on a Northern Nigeria Scholarship. However by the end of 1960, Danjuma had left University in order to enroll with the Nigerian Army
.
as second lieutenant and platoon commander in the Congo
and in 1963 joined a UN Peace-keeping force in Sante, Kataga Province in Congo when he was promoted to captain three years later. In 1966 Captain Danjuma was involved in a counter-coup with the 4th Battalion in Mokola, Ibadan
. On July 29, 1966, Ironsi spent the night at the Government House Ibadan as part of a nation-wide tour. His host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, Military Governor of Western Nigeria, alerted him to a possible mutiny within the army. Ironsi desperately tried to contact his Army Chief of Staff, Yakubu Gowon, but he was unreachable. In the early hours of the morning, the Government House Ibadan was surrounded by soldiers led by Theophilus Danjuma. Danjuma arrested Ironsi and questioned him about his alleged complicity in the coup which saw the demise of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello. Although some have argued that Fajuyi was not a target in this counter-coup, Danjuma, Walbe and others have gone on record to say that they probably wanted him "for questioning" as much as they did his boss, Aguiyi-Ironsi. Fajuyi was seen as a so-called progressive, who had supported the Nzeogwu coup in January of that year. The bullet-riddled bodies of Ironsi and Fajuyi were later found in a nearby forest, and Yakubu Gowon became the new Military Head of State. A year later, in 1967, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the start of the campaign towards Enugu
, which was captured later in that year.
In 1970 Danjuma attended the International Court Martial in Trinidad and Tobago as Nigeria's representative, when he was appointed President of the Tribunal in a case brought against members of a failed coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago. Following his promotion to Colonel in 1971 he spent next two years with responsibility for court-martialling Army officers proven guilty of corruption and indiscipline. In 1975 he was promoted to Brigadier and the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) and in the following year he became the Chief of Army Staff to the Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo. He played a prominent role in supporting the president in resisting the Dimka Coup in 1976.
He retired from the Nigerian army in 1979
Formed in 1979 by General TY Danjuma (Rtd), Nigeria American Line (NAL) began business and initially leased a ship called 'Hannatu' which traded between Lagos
and Santos in Brazil
when Nigeria's bilateral trade agreement had opened the sea routes to economies in the South American markets. NAL went on to win patronage from Nigeria's National Supply Company (NNSC) to bring in government goods from. NAL's list of growing clients included DICON Salt (Nigeria) and project cargoes for Iwopin Paper Mill, ANNAMCO and Volkswagen Nigeria.
NAL became a member of AWAFC (American West African Freight Conference), Brazil-Nigeria Freight Conference and the Mediterranean Line (MEWAC). With the formation of the National Maritime Authority (NMA) IN 1987/88, the profile of NAL increased as NMA encouraged indigenous operators to claim their share of internationally traded cargo involving Nigeria.
NAL began with a core indigenous staff of about 12 in 1979. In 2009 staff in NAL-COMET is closer to 250 including approximately 12 expatriate staff members. From the Lagos office the NAL-COMET Group has opened branch offices in Port Harcourt which serves Onne, Warri and Calabar seaports.
COMET Shipping Agencies Nigeria Ltd
COMET Shipping Agencies Nigeria Limited was established in 1984 by Danjuma, primarily to act as an agent for Nigeria American Line (NAL). COMET has grown and by the late nineties became one of the largest independent agents operating in Nigeria with experience in handling many types of vessels and cargo. In 2009 Comet handled over 200 vessels at the ports of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri. In 2005 NAL-COMET acquired a roll-in-roll-out port (RORO) in Lagos which makes it the largest independent port operators in Africa.
South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO)
South Atlantic Petroleum
(SAPETRO) is a Nigerian Oil Exploration and Production Company that was created in 1995 by General T. Y. Danjuma. The ministry of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria
awarded the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 to SAPETRO in February 1998. The block covers a total area of 2,590km2 (1,000 sq. miles). SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Ltd (Petrobras) to start prospecting on OPL246.
Akpo, a condensate field was discovered in April 2000 with the drilling of the first exploration well (Akpo 1) on the block. Other discoveries made on OPL 246 include the Egina Main, Egina South, Preowei and Kuro (Kuro was suspended as a dry gas/minor oil discovery).
In 2004, SAPETRO’s subsidiary in Benin
won through a competitive tender process an oil exploration contract covering 550 square kilometers offshore from the Republic of Benin.
In February 2005, SAPETRO was granted Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130 and thereafter the Federal government backed in through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC). In June 2006, SAPETRO divested part of its contractor rights and obligations to China National Offshore Oil Corporation
(CNOOC). SAPETRO produced its ‘first oil’ (condensate) on the 4th March 2009.
In December 2009 SAPETRO donated a new state of the art medical centre to the Nasarawa State University
. The medical centre, to be known as South Atlantic Petroleum Medical Centre would be available to serve the University, the local and neighbouring communities.
While in Office, Gen TY Danjuma sought to curb the politicisation of the military, and was an firm supporter of democracy and the Rule of Law. He also oversaw the renaming of all Nigerian Barracks and Cantons, from those of civilian or living persons. He was also widely known to be an avid opponent of President Obasanjo's attempts in 2006 to engineer a way that would enable himself and state governors to serve more than two consecutive terms.
In December 2008, the TY Danjuma Foundation was created in Nigeria.
The Foundation's principal aims are to provide durable advantages through the implementation of development programs.
The Foundation plans to operate more as a philanthropic organisation rather than simply as a charity. This would allow for the foundation to seek out other deserving causes and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to partner with and make grants available.
The TY Danjuma Foundation seeks to alleviate poverty in communities by providing basic amenities, education for children and young adults while also providing free medical care for indigent people.
Currently, USD500,000 has been given out as grants to NGOs working to relieve suffering in Danjuma’s home state of Taraba
. Taraba
is historically one of Nigeria's most impoverished states, compounded by the absence of a health service which catered for the masses. Furthermore, the state has the highest case of river blindness and other debilitating illnesses.
The TY Danjuma Foundation is currently partnering with over 50 NGOs throughout Nigeria, and with the support and cooperation of 36 state governors. One of the many NGOs which is being supported by the Foundation is CASVI working in Takum
, Wukari
and Donga
. CASVI's main area of expertise is on the provision of free eye care services such as the treatment of river blindness in Wukari
, Ibi
and Donga
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n Jukun
Jukun people (West Africa)
Jukun are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. The Jukun are traditionally located in Taraba State, Nigeria and parts of northwestern Cameroon. They are descendants of the people of the Kwararafa kingdom. most of the tribes in the north central of Nigeria trace their origin to...
soldier, politician and billionaire
Billionaire
A billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
businessman. He was Nigerian Army
Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Army the largest of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has about 100,000 professional personnel. The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria were formed in 1900....
Chief of Army Staff from July 1975 to October 1979. He was formerly Minister of Defence
Defence Minister of Nigeria
The Minister of Defence of Nigeria is a senior cabinet official in the Nigerian Federal Executive Council in charge of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence...
under Olusegun Obasanjo. Danjuma is chairman of South Atlantic Petroleum
South Atlantic Petroleum
South Atlantic Petroleum is a Nigerian oil and gas exploration and production company. It has a share in the development of the Akpo deepwater field off the coast of Port Harcourt. Its chairman is General Theophilus Danjuma....
(SAPETRO).
Early life
Danjuma was born in TakumTakum
Takum is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Takum at. Takum borders the Republic of Cameroon in the south.It has an area of 2,503 km² and a population of 135,349 at the 2006 census....
, Taraba
Taraba
Taraba can refer to:* Taraba State* Taraba River* Taraba, the genus of the Great Antshrike...
State (formally Gongola), Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
to Kuru Danjuma and Rufkatu Asibi. Takum
Takum
Takum is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Takum at. Takum borders the Republic of Cameroon in the south.It has an area of 2,503 km² and a population of 135,349 at the 2006 census....
was mainly a farming community when Danjuma was young, the crops grown there such as yams, rice, cassava and beniseed were cultivated largely by families and clans. His father was a hardworking peasant whose ancestors were all highly respected members of the community. Kuru Danjuma was a farmer who also traded in metal parts for farming implements and tools.
Theophilus Danjuma started his education at St Bartholomew’s Primary School in Wusasa
Wusasa
Wusasa is town just outside the major city of Zaria in Kaduna State in Northern Nigeria.- External links :*...
and moved onto the Benue Provincial Secondary School in Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts...
where he was the captain of the school cricket 1st XI team, he received his Higher School Certificate in 1958. In 1959 Danjuma enrolled at the Nigerian College of Arts Science and Technology in Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
(Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
) to study History on a Northern Nigeria Scholarship. However by the end of 1960, Danjuma had left University in order to enroll with the Nigerian Army
Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Army the largest of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has about 100,000 professional personnel. The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria were formed in 1900....
.
Military career
Danjuma was commissioned into the Nigerian ArmyNigerian Army
The Nigerian Army the largest of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has about 100,000 professional personnel. The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria were formed in 1900....
as second lieutenant and platoon commander in the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
and in 1963 joined a UN Peace-keeping force in Sante, Kataga Province in Congo when he was promoted to captain three years later. In 1966 Captain Danjuma was involved in a counter-coup with the 4th Battalion in Mokola, Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
. On July 29, 1966, Ironsi spent the night at the Government House Ibadan as part of a nation-wide tour. His host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, Military Governor of Western Nigeria, alerted him to a possible mutiny within the army. Ironsi desperately tried to contact his Army Chief of Staff, Yakubu Gowon, but he was unreachable. In the early hours of the morning, the Government House Ibadan was surrounded by soldiers led by Theophilus Danjuma. Danjuma arrested Ironsi and questioned him about his alleged complicity in the coup which saw the demise of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello. Although some have argued that Fajuyi was not a target in this counter-coup, Danjuma, Walbe and others have gone on record to say that they probably wanted him "for questioning" as much as they did his boss, Aguiyi-Ironsi. Fajuyi was seen as a so-called progressive, who had supported the Nzeogwu coup in January of that year. The bullet-riddled bodies of Ironsi and Fajuyi were later found in a nearby forest, and Yakubu Gowon became the new Military Head of State. A year later, in 1967, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the start of the campaign towards Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
, which was captured later in that year.
In 1970 Danjuma attended the International Court Martial in Trinidad and Tobago as Nigeria's representative, when he was appointed President of the Tribunal in a case brought against members of a failed coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago. Following his promotion to Colonel in 1971 he spent next two years with responsibility for court-martialling Army officers proven guilty of corruption and indiscipline. In 1975 he was promoted to Brigadier and the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) and in the following year he became the Chief of Army Staff to the Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo. He played a prominent role in supporting the president in resisting the Dimka Coup in 1976.
He retired from the Nigerian army in 1979
Business career
Nigeria America Line (NAL)Formed in 1979 by General TY Danjuma (Rtd), Nigeria American Line (NAL) began business and initially leased a ship called 'Hannatu' which traded between Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
and Santos in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
when Nigeria's bilateral trade agreement had opened the sea routes to economies in the South American markets. NAL went on to win patronage from Nigeria's National Supply Company (NNSC) to bring in government goods from. NAL's list of growing clients included DICON Salt (Nigeria) and project cargoes for Iwopin Paper Mill, ANNAMCO and Volkswagen Nigeria.
NAL became a member of AWAFC (American West African Freight Conference), Brazil-Nigeria Freight Conference and the Mediterranean Line (MEWAC). With the formation of the National Maritime Authority (NMA) IN 1987/88, the profile of NAL increased as NMA encouraged indigenous operators to claim their share of internationally traded cargo involving Nigeria.
NAL began with a core indigenous staff of about 12 in 1979. In 2009 staff in NAL-COMET is closer to 250 including approximately 12 expatriate staff members. From the Lagos office the NAL-COMET Group has opened branch offices in Port Harcourt which serves Onne, Warri and Calabar seaports.
COMET Shipping Agencies Nigeria Ltd
COMET Shipping Agencies Nigeria Limited was established in 1984 by Danjuma, primarily to act as an agent for Nigeria American Line (NAL). COMET has grown and by the late nineties became one of the largest independent agents operating in Nigeria with experience in handling many types of vessels and cargo. In 2009 Comet handled over 200 vessels at the ports of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri. In 2005 NAL-COMET acquired a roll-in-roll-out port (RORO) in Lagos which makes it the largest independent port operators in Africa.
South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO)
South Atlantic Petroleum
South Atlantic Petroleum
South Atlantic Petroleum is a Nigerian oil and gas exploration and production company. It has a share in the development of the Akpo deepwater field off the coast of Port Harcourt. Its chairman is General Theophilus Danjuma....
(SAPETRO) is a Nigerian Oil Exploration and Production Company that was created in 1995 by General T. Y. Danjuma. The ministry of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
awarded the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 to SAPETRO in February 1998. The block covers a total area of 2,590km2 (1,000 sq. miles). SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Ltd (Petrobras) to start prospecting on OPL246.
Akpo, a condensate field was discovered in April 2000 with the drilling of the first exploration well (Akpo 1) on the block. Other discoveries made on OPL 246 include the Egina Main, Egina South, Preowei and Kuro (Kuro was suspended as a dry gas/minor oil discovery).
In 2004, SAPETRO’s subsidiary in Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
won through a competitive tender process an oil exploration contract covering 550 square kilometers offshore from the Republic of Benin.
In February 2005, SAPETRO was granted Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130 and thereafter the Federal government backed in through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is the state oil corporation through which the federal government of Nigeria regulates and participates in the country's petroleum industry.-History:...
(NNPC). In June 2006, SAPETRO divested part of its contractor rights and obligations to China National Offshore Oil Corporation
China National Offshore Oil Corporation
China National Offshore Oil Corporation is one of the three major national oil companies of China....
(CNOOC). SAPETRO produced its ‘first oil’ (condensate) on the 4th March 2009.
In December 2009 SAPETRO donated a new state of the art medical centre to the Nasarawa State University
Nasarawa State University
- External Links :**...
. The medical centre, to be known as South Atlantic Petroleum Medical Centre would be available to serve the University, the local and neighbouring communities.
Politics
Since 1999 Danjuma has played an active role in Nigerian politics, some of his key appointments have been:- 1999 Appointed as Minister of Defence to President Olusegun Obasanjo's Cabinet
- 2003 Appointed as Chairperson for investigative committee on the Warri conflict
- 2010 Nominated as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council by Acting President Goodluck JonathanGoodluck JonathanGoodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
While in Office, Gen TY Danjuma sought to curb the politicisation of the military, and was an firm supporter of democracy and the Rule of Law. He also oversaw the renaming of all Nigerian Barracks and Cantons, from those of civilian or living persons. He was also widely known to be an avid opponent of President Obasanjo's attempts in 2006 to engineer a way that would enable himself and state governors to serve more than two consecutive terms.
TY Danjuma Foundation
In December 2008, the TY Danjuma Foundation was created in Nigeria.
The Foundation's principal aims are to provide durable advantages through the implementation of development programs.
The Foundation plans to operate more as a philanthropic organisation rather than simply as a charity. This would allow for the foundation to seek out other deserving causes and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to partner with and make grants available.
The TY Danjuma Foundation seeks to alleviate poverty in communities by providing basic amenities, education for children and young adults while also providing free medical care for indigent people.
Currently, USD500,000 has been given out as grants to NGOs working to relieve suffering in Danjuma’s home state of Taraba
Taraba
Taraba can refer to:* Taraba State* Taraba River* Taraba, the genus of the Great Antshrike...
. Taraba
Taraba
Taraba can refer to:* Taraba State* Taraba River* Taraba, the genus of the Great Antshrike...
is historically one of Nigeria's most impoverished states, compounded by the absence of a health service which catered for the masses. Furthermore, the state has the highest case of river blindness and other debilitating illnesses.
The TY Danjuma Foundation is currently partnering with over 50 NGOs throughout Nigeria, and with the support and cooperation of 36 state governors. One of the many NGOs which is being supported by the Foundation is CASVI working in Takum
Takum
Takum is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Takum at. Takum borders the Republic of Cameroon in the south.It has an area of 2,503 km² and a population of 135,349 at the 2006 census....
, Wukari
Wukari
Wukari is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Wukari on the A4 highway. The Donga River flows through the area and the Benue River forms a boundary with Nasarawa State to the northwest....
and Donga
Donga
-Places in Africa:*Donga River, Nigeria and Cameroon*Donga Department, in Benin*Donga, Angola, a town*Donga, Nigeria, a town and Local Government Area in Taraba State-Persons:, Ernesto dos Santos, the first recorder of Brazilian samba...
. CASVI's main area of expertise is on the provision of free eye care services such as the treatment of river blindness in Wukari
Wukari
Wukari is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Wukari on the A4 highway. The Donga River flows through the area and the Benue River forms a boundary with Nasarawa State to the northwest....
, Ibi
Ibi
Ibi is a town located in the comarca of Alcoià, in the province of Alicante, Spain. As of 2009, Ibi has a total population of c. 24,000 inhabitants. The town, which is located 37 km from the city of Alicante, is surrounded by mountains and gorges.The economy of Ibi is chiefly based on the toy...
and Donga
Donga
-Places in Africa:*Donga River, Nigeria and Cameroon*Donga Department, in Benin*Donga, Angola, a town*Donga, Nigeria, a town and Local Government Area in Taraba State-Persons:, Ernesto dos Santos, the first recorder of Brazilian samba...
.