Gbenga Daniel Steps of A Septuagenarian – THISDAYLIVE

Gbenga Daniel still finds it hard to believe that he is turning 70 in a few days. The milestone feels surreal. Was it not just three years ago that he was elected to the Senate to represent Ogun East Senatorial District? Time, it seems, has moved both swiftly and generously.

He was only 47 when he was sworn in as governor of Ogun State in 2003, at a time when Nigeria’s democracy was still finding its footing. His tenure is widely regarded as transformative. Many still recall his campaign as a defining moment in Nigerian politics, particularly his ambitious ward-to-ward tour across all 20 local government areas and 236 wards in the state, an undertaking widely considered impossible at the time.

More so, his victory over an incumbent governor, with 217,353 votes, remains one of the most decisive electoral wins in Ogun State. Popularly known as OGD, he went on to serve two terms, leaving office in 2011 at the age of 55.

Daniel’s years in office left a visible imprint. His administration invested in infrastructure across the three senatorial districts—roads, recreational centres, and stadia—while also establishing the Tai Solarin University of Education. Projects such as the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport and the modernisation of Olumo Rock were initiated to boost tourism and economic development. He also set up free trade zones across the state and empowered the Nigerian Youth Council to deepen youth participation in governance.

After his tenure as the governor of Ogun State, Daniel founded the Political Leadership Academy, a leadership and governance training Institute aimed at grooming a new generation of leaders in governance and public service.

Long before politics, however, Daniel had built a formidable career in engineering. At 34, he founded Kresta Laurel, an engineering firm specialising in elevators and lift systems. His professional journey began at Metal Construction (West Africa) Limited and later at H.F. Schroeder (West Africa) Limited, where he rose to become Deputy Managing Director, becoming the first African to occupy that position in the company’s history.

Even as he recounted these memories at a recent encounter, he looked genuinely surprised and humbled.

“But you know journeys come with their fears. The good side, the not-so-good side, and so forth. And I feel like here we are 70. I also cannot believe it,” he said with emotions.

The passage of time and the loss it brings seem to weigh most heavily on his reflections.

Born April 6, 1956, OGD had seven siblings. His father was a notable missionary while his mother was a trader. While compiling photographs for a commemorative book to mark his 70th birthday—what began as a modest 30-page project has now grown to nearly 300 pages — he stumbled on an old family portrait.

“One of the pictures that I found there is my nuclear family’s picture. My father, my mother, my elder sister, my brothers and all of that. So, in those days, you know how it is. The average number of children per woman is eight. My dad had over 20.

“But my mom had eight of us. So, in that picture, eight of us were with dad and mom. I sat down and I was looking at the picture. I found out that only four of us are left. Mom is gone. Dad is gone. My sister is gone. Sister Shade is gone. Brother Sam is gone. Leke is gone. So, from my mom, there are just four of us left. I am an orphan,” he said reflectively.

The realisation, he said, has reshaped his outlook on life.

“I don’t know how many of you are in that orphanage stage yet. But the point I am trying to make is that when you look back, the only thing you can do is just to give thanks to God,” he said. “That one is alive having gone through so much is not because of one’s making or because one is more brilliant than the other.”

His sense of loss extends beyond family. At reunions of the Baptist Boys’ High School, Abeokuta, where he studied between 1969 and 1973, he is reminded of friends who are no longer alive.

“And I go to that old boy’s meeting, and I see how my friends remember the nickname we gave ourselves. We throw banters. But then, some of them will not come back to say ‘OGD, you are not going until you bless me, things are tough.’ I begin to say, look at life. While we all sat down together several decades ago, nobody knew who was going to become what. So, for that reason, I started to have a different outlook on life.”

Daniel’s academic journey took him from Baptist Boys’ High School to the School of Basic Studies at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and then to the University of Lagos, where he studied engineering. As an undergraduate, he distinguished himself, winning scholarships and earning recognition from the renowned Professor Ayodele Awojobi.

Even now, as he recounted these experiences, there is a quiet humility about him, an awareness of how much has been gained, and how much has been lost.

As his 70th birthday draws near, a series of events, including a book presentation is scheduled for April 1 in Abuja. Several prominent Nigerian figures are expected to grace the event. Among those listed as special guests are President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the Ooni of Ife. The event will also feature the unveiling of books reflecting on Daniel’s life and years in public service.

For the senator, perhaps, the moment is not just about milestones, but about grace, the gift of life, despite all that has been lost.

Like the typical Nigerian politician that he is, Daniel is not immune to controversies, attacks and accusations mostly from his political opponents. The former governor knows that many have betrayed him, some have abused him, and while others have disappointed him. Many of these people, he had helped them either financially, appointed into various offices or helped them to win elective positions. The only word he has for these people? He prays daily to God to forgive them.

“If you go to church, I did an effigy of Jesus in the church. And what I wrote, I wrote deliberately. I wrote: ‘Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.’”