Falae’s autobiography, ‘Triumph of Grace’ captures Nigeria’s political journey – Mimiko

2026-03-26 - 16:54

—Window into Nigeria’s evolution By Dayo Johnson Akure Former Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has praised the autobiography of elder statesman and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Oba Olu Falae, saying it captures Nigeria’s political struggles, missed opportunities and enduring hopes. Reviewing the book, “The Triumph of Grace”, Mimiko described it as a compelling account of Nigeria’s political, economic, and democratic evolution. Mimiko noted that Falae’s life and times are closely tied to the story of modern Nigeria, making the book a window into the country’s defining moments. He said the 501-page autobiography is not just a memoir, but a historical document of national relevance, spanning Falae’s journey from Akure to the civil service, banking, politics, and traditional leadership. According to him, the 501-page autobiography is “not merely a memoir, but a window into some of the defining political, economic and ideological currents that have shaped modern Nigeria.” “It would hardly be an exaggeration to suggest that the story of Nigeria in the last half-century cannot be fully told without reference to the life and career of Oba Olu Falae.” Published in 2025 by Liwat Creations, Ibadan, the book spans 22 chapters and traces Falae’s journey from his early life in Akure through the civil service, banking, partisan politics, pro-democracy struggle, business and traditional leadership. According to the former governor, ” Falae’s record in public life had elevated the book beyond personal recollection into a historical document of national relevance. “From the era of national development planning, through the turbulent years of structural adjustment, to contemporary debates about restructuring and federalism, he was more than an observer; he was an active participant,” he said. He noted that the opening chapters of the book reveal the family values, discipline and educational exposure that shaped Falae’s worldview and public conduct. He particularly referenced Falae’s account of his years at Igbobi College, where school rules, according to him, applied strictly to all students regardless of status or background. Mimiko recalled one of the anecdotes in the book in which the late Ooni of Ife, Sir Adesoji Aderemi, was reportedly denied access to his son because it was not an official visiting day. “That was an era when institutions still had moral authority and rules were not bent to accommodate privilege. On Falae’s public service career, the former governor, said the autobiography presents the portrait of a gifted technocrat whose rise was driven by diligence, competence and intellectual depth. He said one of the notable examples was Falae’s role as a young planning officer in drafting the Mid-West Regional Development Programme after the creation of the Mid-West Region in 1963. According to him, such commitment to duty partly explained why Falae rose to become a Federal Permanent Secretary before the age of 39. He also said the book offers useful insight into some of the policy debates that shaped Nigeria’s economic history, including the Second National Development Plan and the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP. Mimiko said the autobiography helps to correct the widespread public impression that Falae single-handedly conceived SAP, explaining that the policy framework had already been developed before he became Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Still, he acknowledged that Falae later became one of the most visible and articulate public faces of the programme. “For those who are interested in when and how the rain started beating us, his account is very instructive, he said. On politics, Mimiko said the book reads in parts like a chronicle of Nigeria’s democratic turbulence. He highlighted Falae’s involvement in the Babangida transition programme, the June 12 struggle, his detention during the Abacha era, and his eventual emergence as the presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy/All Peoples Party alliance in the 1999 election. Mimiko said the sections dealing with the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and the formation of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, were among the most gripping in the autobiography. He said Falae’s account also sheds light on how he supported the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola’s presidential project and later endured detention without renouncing the pro-democracy struggle. The former governor further pointed to Falae’s role at the 2014 National Conference, where he led the South-West delegation and served as co-chair of the political committee. He said the book presents Falae as a man whose sense of duty remained intact across different phases of his life. “It is evidence of the diligence for which he is well known that he never missed a session at the conference, not even for an hour or two,” he said. Mimiko also referenced later chapters of the autobiography dealing with Falae’s business ventures, his 2015 kidnap on his farm, and his eventual emergence as the traditional ruler of Ilu-Abo in Ondo State. He said one of the strongest threads running through the book was integrity, noting that Falae consistently projected restraint and ethical discipline in both public and private life. According to him, The Triumph of Grace should be seen as more than a personal memoir, especially at a time when younger Nigerians are searching for examples of principled leadership. “For younger readers, it offers lessons in discipline, courage and public service. For scholars and historians, it provides invaluable first-hand insight into critical moments in our national journey,” he said. While praising the work, Mimiko noted that the autobiography, like many memoirs, is naturally told from the author’s point of view and may have benefited from more reflection on moments of personal error or misjudgment. He, however, insisted that the book remains a major contribution to Nigeria’s political literature and national memory. “In the final analysis,” the former governor said, “The Triumph of Grace is not merely the story of one man’s life. It is a narrative interwoven with the history of modern Nigeria.”