Born
Chief
BENSON,
Theophilus
Owolabi Shobowale
barrister-at-Law and public consultant, politician, director of companies, former Federal Mini ster of Information and Broadcast ing in the civilian regime and one> time Deputy Mayor of Lagos, chair man of Benson Transport Company Limited; Born at Ikorodu, Lagos July 23, 1917; Education: C.M.S. Grammar School, Lagos; University College London, Inns of Court Sch ool of Law, called to the Bar (Lin coln's Inn), London, January 1947; on return to Nigeria enrolled as Barrister and Solicitor of the Federal Supreme Court of Nigeria; Notary Public; Honourable member of the Body of Benchers of the Nigerian Bar; worked in the Department of Customs and Excise, 1937-43; de fended a corps of Zikist revolution ary youngmen namely, Chief Osita Agwuna, Chief, Tony Enahoro, J.J. Odufuwa, Mallam Raji Abdallah, Marshall Kebby, Ogoegbunam Dafe, Ralph Aniedobe and Oged Macaulay of blessed memory against the chargeof sedition for demanding the with drawal of British administration in Nigeria at a time it needed excep tional and colossal courage to dare the British Raj in his imperial den, 1948; one of the 'five men of destiny' elected into the Western House of Assembly in October 1951 (Others were Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe, Prince Ade leke Adedoyin and H.P. Adebola) became Leader of Opposition West ern House of Assembly, 1953-54 Chief T. O. S. Benion,a legalPractioner, and former Federal Minister for Information was member of the Lagos Executive Development Board and at one time Acting Chairman (L.E.D.B.), Nov. 3, 1951 - Nov. 18, 1959; member of the Lagos Town Council 1955-58; elected into House of Representa tives and became Government Chief Whip, Federal Parliament, 1954-59; appointed Federal Minister of Infor mation and Broadcasting, 1959-65 and Federal Cabinet Minister to assist Prime Minister, 1966; was foundation member of the OAU, and on behalf of the Prime Minister signed the three Charters of the organisation, to wit: Economic and Social Commission, Educational, Scientific, Cultural and Health Commission, and Defence Commis sion; first Chairman and Co-founder of Oriwu College Ikorodu, 1949, was delegate for Lagos to the Nige rian Constitutional Conferences held in London 1953, 1957, 1958 and 1960, respectively and which led to the signing and promulgation of Nigeria's Independence Constitution; was member of the Nigerian Delega tions to various Commonwealth Prime Ministers,' Conference and to the General Assembly of the UNO, 1960-65; a strong party activist — started as National Legal Adviser of the NCNC, then Chairman NCNC Western Working Committee, NCNC National Financial Secretary and later was Third National VicePresident of the NCNC; when the Party invited a branch member to seek nomination against the Chief despite hierarchical ranking in the Party as the 3rd National Vice President, Chief Benson resigned from the NCNC; later contested the election into the House of Represen tatives as an independent UPGA and won; after the election and the issue of policy thus involved could not be resolved, Chief Benson resigned and joined the NNA and became a Federal Minister until the military intervention of January, 1966; re sumed private legal practice since the Army take over; co-founder and proprietor of Ikorodu High School, 1971; member of the Nigerian/ American Trade and Industrial Dele gation to USA in 1973; director of various companies; widely travelled in Africa, Europe, USA and the Middle East; honoured with the award of Knight Grand Commander of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption; member of a number of top social clubs including Island Club, Lagos, Metropolitan Club, Lagos, Lawn Tennis Club, Rotary Club, chairman YoruDa Tennis Club, honorary member Shell Club, life patron The Association of Radiographers of Nigeria, Commis sioner (Special Duties) The Boys Scouts Association of Nigeria; Family man with children, married to Chief Opral Benson, M.A., B.Sc .and Dip. Admin., Principal Assistant Registrar, University of Lagos, Add ress (Home): 8 Thorburn Avenue, Yaba; (Office): 119 Broad Street (3rd Floor), Lagos, Tel.: 51790, 26221; Hobby: football, lawn tennis, table tennis, boxing.
Marital Status
- Single
Name of Spouse
Father's Name
Father's Status
N/A
Mother's Name
Mother's Status
N/A
Profession
Legal Practitioner , Politician , Administrator
Working Experience
Primary
Alive
Last Update
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