THE Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has shared a deeply personal story about the loss of his father during a violent crisis in Kaduna State when he was just 10 years old.
Speaking during an interview commemorating President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office, Tunji-Ojo recounted how his father was killed in the 1992 Zangon-Kataf religious unrest, which left 95 people dead and 233 injured.
“I lost my dad because of internal security issues. He was killed in a religious crisis in Kaduna in 1992, coming back from church,” the minister said. “That moment shattered my world and forced me to start life over, growing up under the care of my mother along with my siblings.”
Despite the traumatic experience, Tunji-Ojo said he was determined to overcome adversity. He went on to build a successful business career before transitioning into public service.
He also used the platform to commend President Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying the administration has taken bold steps to reposition the nation.
“I’m happy that Mr President took critical decisions. Before he assumed office, most of our current revenue was tied up in debt servicing,” he noted. “I was in the National Assembly when we did budget appropriations. About 90 percent of revenue was used just to service debt, not even for repayment. You can’t finance economic growth like that.”