Adewumi Ademiju
Sequel to the condolences visit to the family of late Horsefall by PANDEF, led by Amb. Igalli, the first son of the deceased pioneer DG of NIA spoke about his late father, and some indelible memories shared by the family..
Speaking during the visit, Sekro Horsefall described his late father as a man who loved life beyond the uniform, noting that contrary to public perception of a stern spy chief, Chief Albert Horsefall enjoyed simple pleasures. “He was someone that enjoyed good music, especially classical music and traditional music. He enjoyed a good game of football and athletics. He used to be an athletics champion when he was in school. He was also somebody that enjoyed food, good food. He was a very good cook himself,” Sekro said.
On his father’s historic record as the only Nigerian to head both the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, and the State Security Service, SSS, from 1986 to 1992, Sekro revealed how it happened. He explained that his father was initially Deputy Director General of the National Security Organization, NSO, and was tasked by the President to write the blueprint for breaking NSO into three agencies – SSS, NIA and DIA.
Sekro disclosed that his father expected to be posted to the SSS, but the President had a different plan. “He gave him the NIA. The President said this is a new organization and he is the only person that he thinks has the experience to properly run it and establish it. So, he gave him the NIA. After he built up the NIA, it was regarded as the most professional security body in this country. It was regarded as the best by far,” he said.
He added that after building the NIA and its headquarters in Abuja for three years, the President asked him to move to the SSS which was suffering . “Having spent time with his baby and taking this NIA to a very high level of excellence, he didn’t want to go to the SSS. He even offered his resignation letter… The President pushed back the resignation letter and told him to hold his conscience and then assigned him to the SSS. He took over and then started to implement those reforms,” Sekro recalled.
On whether his father ever came home afraid during the turbulent years, Sekro said his father was never afraid but was concerned. “He was not afraid. There were a few things that concerned him… he was still gathering, objecting information, he was still supplying local information, so he was aware at the time that they were planning coups, so he would come constantly, he would inform the president,” he said, adding that his father once told him, “if the time came where there was nothing he could do, and they would take him, he said no problem, as long as he did his duty for his country.”
On his transition to become pioneer Chairman of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, Sekro said his father chose service to his people over diplomacy. According to him, after retirement, his father was offered two jobs – Ambassador to Israel and Chairman of OMPADEC, but he chose OMPADEC because he had earlier proposed the idea to the President as a means to alleviate suffering and reduce agitation in the Niger Delta.
“He did not recommend himself for anything, he just told the president that this was a way to reduce the tension in the region. And my dad decided to take the OMPADEC job, because he felt that he knew the plight of the people, and if he didn’t take it, then somebody else went there who was uninformed, or greedy… Like, yes, another wasted opportunity for the Niger Delta,” Sekro quoted his father as reasoning.
Speaking on his father’s last views about the Niger Delta and what he would tell President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Sekro said his father became sympathetic to the youth after militancy ravaged the region. “At first, he didn’t understand the need for militancy to such a degree… But after a while, he understood that the place had been degraded in more than one way. There was also a lack of education, a lack of mentorship for the youth,” he said.
Sekro added, “I think he would have thanked the President Tinubu for his efforts so far… He would have appealed to him very strongly to help rebuild the institutions, the education, health, and all those systems that help the society to develop properly, and allow youth to grow up in the right mindset. So that the Niger Delta would be developed from the inside out.”
On his father’s personal diary and enduring message for Nigeria, Sekro said it would be difficult to summarize his vast knowledge in one sentence, but his core belief was clear. “He is a man of vast knowledge and experience about Nigeria… But I think the one thing that he would say, he would mention about Nigeria and justice for all. let there be justice for all. Let there be proper appreciation to all those that have served this country,” he stated.
Earlier, PANDEF National Chairman, Amb. Dr Godknows Blade Igali, who led the PANDEF delegation of Ijaw elders and youth to the Horsefall family home, described the late Chief Albert Korubo Horsefall as a true Ijaw icon, a national patriot and a father of modern intelligence in Nigeria whose contributions to national security and Niger Delta development will never be forgotten.