By Sam Kayode
Very few residents in Borno state, North East Nigeria can say they do not know Chief Lanre Obadiah, the official Master of Ceremony (MC) of Governor Babagana Zulum. This is because he has been the MC for two Governors in the state. Senator Kashim Shettima now Vice President and Professor Babagana Zulum who is the incumbent Governor of Borno state. Obadiah’s dexterity with the microphone has worked well for him in public functions where he had a singular duty of introducing these two gentlemen and their activities and is now bowing out of the publicity machinery of the Government House Maiduguri.
“Oga Lanre” as he is known by some contemporaries virtually assisted their excellencies enjoy the limelight by laying down the required basis for the gathering of the day after which he conducts the ceremony sequentially till the final prayers are said and everyone dispatches. No wonder it was shocking to Borno Governor Professor Babagana Zulum that he made such a sudden decision to leave after the demise of his dear wife this year.
Transition from the theatre to the government house protocols and perception
Having studied Theatre Arts from the University of Jos and later adding a Masters in Public Administration (M.P.A) from the University of Maiduguri, Oga Lanre is definitely not a typical broadcaster by training but his command of the microphone using three languages actually stood him out as a rare gem in public speaking. And that obviously was what attracted him to their excellencies. He displayed rare dexterity in Kanuri, Hausa and off course the English language during public functions which made him to become highly sorted for by even non governmental functionaries as an extraordinary anchor of important programs. The job became his second calling because he had a unique style of doing the needful and responding to issues as they popped up or as directed as the civil servants would say.
Introducing their excellencies and the numerous reasons which usually brings them out of their comfort zones to meet the people of Borno state was his calling and he woke up daily with the hope of performing better than the previous day.
First he was the special assistant on state and national welfare/social media. And that entails a lot of activities beyond keeping the optics around the former Governor kashim Shettima now Vice President top notch. When Governor Shettima was going to the Senate, Oga Lanre, felt it was time to go private so he left to join a non-governmental organization (NGO) “Save the Children” .
From my interaction with him, he really felt he was going to have a quiet life away from the public podium where he had become known for. But his foray into that sub sector did not last long. He was summoned by Governor Zulum to return to the government house to do the same job he did for his predecessor. And that was where his cherished relationship with Zulum grew stronger. The entire press crew of Governor Shettima including the late Director of press, Isaiah Ndahi and Isa Gusau continued as a team for Zulum and he joined long before the enhanced media aids were appointed.
Stabilization factor in the government house media team
His work entailed working with Isa Gusau, the late Special Adviser on Public Relations and strategy and their team was the envy of other Governors in the country. The death of Isa Gusau however became a big blow to the entire media team. But that did not deter Oga Lanre from continuing with his job and off course serving as a major stabilization factor within the entire team in the government house. This balancing act started from the moment the Governor announced the team till this week that his three months notice of pulling out expires. His stabilization mechanism went beyond the small office, were all of them managed upstairs to the make shift newsroom used by the press crew in which we all used to sit down and banter whenever there was nothing to do or the Governor was not around. He was always at hand to give advice and assist warring factions to mend fences. Sometimes he comes into the newsroom to exchange pleasantries with everyone before going into their little office.
His stabilization role actually started during Senator Kashim Shettima’s era while he was Special Assistant on state and national welfare programs/ social media whereas with Zulum when he became Senior Special Assistant on publicity and official Mc to the governor his role increased as he was given a unit under the press department in which all the instruments that had to do with the projection of the governor’s programmes were under him. His transition from a civil servant where he rose to the rank of executive secretary to a political appointee was seamless because he had indeed mastered the art of being a technocrat by all standard. Hear him on his transition from a civil servant to an appointee of Government after his retirement from the Borno state service: “I retired in 2014, not as Director but as Executive Secretary of the Borno State Council for Arts and Culture, a position which I was appointed to by Governor Ali Modu Sheriff on April 19th 2006. Governor Kashim Shettima invited me from retirement in 2017 as a Special assistant and I served in that capacity till May 2019, 2 years”. Initially, the job gave him the opportunity to work with four others, Isa, Baba Sheikh, Tanimu, Bundi. When Tanimu left followed by Isa’s demise, they were only three left which means he became more entrenched into editorial support duties to keep their Principal consistently in the news.With the appointment of Comrade Dauda ilya as replacement for Isa, the teamwork continued till this day. Dauda ilya to him is a gentleman and a knowledgeable team player. He commands the respect of all of them and from his utterances, he really enjoyed working with them. Oga Lanre is a detribalised man of many parts who came to Borno in 1982 and had not looked back since then.
Oga Lanre actually started his National Youth Service Corp (Nysc) year in Cross river state in August 1981, but got redeployed to Borno in August 1982 and he completed the service in November 7 1982 and was immediately employed by the Borno state Council for arts and culture on 1st Dec 1982. He coordinated the entire arts council and produced several mentees during his tenure in the service before taking a political appointment.
His final bowing out of the service as the senior special advisor to the Governor of Borno state is a big shock to a lot of his friends and admirers. However it was necessary because he had just lost his wife and needed to go care of himself as a retiree.
While appreciating his service, the secretary to the state government SSG Alhaji Bukar Tijani said the the state was grateful for his dedication, patriotism and service to the state.
“Your letter of resignation dated the 2nd day of April, 2025, was received with sober and deep reflections taking into cognizance the meritorious service you have rendered Borno State up to your retirement and subsequent appointment as Senior Special Assistant on Media,Publicity and Official Master of Ceremony to His Excellency
“Throughout the 6 years you served His Excellency as Senior Special assistant on Media, Publicity and the official Master of Ceremony,you have demonstrated patriotism, hard work and dedication to the service of our dear State and we profoundly appreciate you for that.
“On behalf of His Excellency, ! am pleased to convey His Excellency’s appreciation for the good work you have done to our State.We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours.
Accept the assurances of His Excellency’s esteemed regards.
Bumyiui
Búkar Tijani
Secretary to the State Government” The SSG had said in a nicely worded letter of appreciation to oga Lanre.
Contribution to the traditional institution
Chief Lanre Obadiah is a peaceful Nigerian of yoruba ancestry so he never relegated his duties towards his traditional institution. As a man of culture, he contributed immensely to the yoruba community in Maiduguri. Attesting to that, the Kabiyesi of Yorubas in Borno state Oba Hassan Yusuf in an interview described him as a peaceful man. “His leaving Borno means a lot to me. He has been a major stabilizer here. As a matter of fact, I made him Otumba in 2014 and since then he has contributed immensely to the growth of our people in the state.
” To me, as he goes home, i would be missing a very nice person. He was a pace setter even in the arts council where he served.
The Kabiyesi who is the chair of the non indigenous forum in the state, said Oga Lanre was equally a major contributing factor to the forum. He has always played a major role towards the traditional council and yoruba family in general. He is a family man and I wish him all the best as he traverses home to rest.
Apart from holding the title of Otunba of the Yorubas in Borno, Oga Lanre was also coronated in 2023 as the “Bobadamoran” of Adanla Irese his home town in Kwara state. He assures friends and contemporaries that he will surely be coming into yerwa to participate in special occasions as time and chance permits.
We wish him the best as he goes into a quieter life in his home state of Kwara. Odabo Egbon.
