By Austin Obinna
In this exclusive interview with National Newsblast Newspaper, beautiful 24 year-old Toyin Belawu Adisa, daughter of late Major-General Abdul Kareem Adisa, former military governor of Oyo State and Minister of Works and Housing under the military regime of late General Sani Abacha, reveals that her dream after marriage is to have one of her children join the army to uphold her father’s legacy.
Though she was only five years old when her father died in 2005, she recalls that General Adisa who was arrested and sentenced to death for alleged treason along with former Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya, Major-General Tajudeen Olarenwaju and others by the Major-General Victor Malu Tribunal during the Abacha regime, and later granted State Pardon and released, was a disciplined and strict officer and father whose legacy is worthy to be upheld. Excerpts
May we know your name?
I’m Toyin Belawu Adisa, daughter of late Major-General Abdul Kareem Adisa, former Military Governor of Oyo State and Minister of Works and Housing during the General Sani Abacha regime. I am an indigene of Kwara State.
How old are you?
I’m 24 years old. I was born on June 1st, 2000 at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Kwara State.
What about your mother?
My mother’s name is Mrs. Khadijat Adisa. She hails from Owerri in Imo State. She is a humanitarian and founder of a society that cares for Human Immuno-Virus (HIV) afflicted orphans and persons. She visits states to help widows and orphans.
What are you?
I am a second year student of Nursing in Accra, Ghana. I have two more years to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. I started from Tender Years British School, Abuja to Nigerian Turkish International College, Abuja and here I am, studying Nursing in Accra, Ghana.
What follows after your Nursing degree?
I will practice Nursing and help my mother’s NGO when available and eventually start my own NGO so that I can help women and children in the Internally Displaced Persons camps as well as donating to other NGOs.
What can you say about your father as a family man?
Though daddy died when I was five years old, I knew him as a good man. He was strict and disciplined. He was always with my mother and grandma.
Would you like your children to be in the army like your father?
Oh yes!! I would love to have perhaps one of them in the military because I have an army background. On my great grandfather’s mother’s side, late Captain Godson Opara was an instructor at Nigerian Military School Zaria and as you know, my father was a Major-General. So, I have an army background. It is a legacy that has to be followed. I would do that if I could to remind us of my dad
How is life in Ghana compared to Nigeria?
Ghana is like a second home to me since 2011. It is almost the same as Nigeria but a little calmer, safe, easy life. We have electricity and water supply issues here just as in Nigeria. Dollar rate is high. We take evening walks and feel safe.
What do you do in your spare time and how do you find Ghanaian foods and fashion?
I like traveling, movies and games. I love Ghanaian music, foods like Kenke and Banku but their Kente dress is not for me!! (Laughs)
