Memoir of Mixed Blessings

Theophilus Oluwole Akindele’s Memoir of Mixed Blessings tells the story of a man whose life took many interesting twists and turns to bring him to the pinnacle of the telecommunication industry in Nigeria. After leaving CMS Grammar School, he worked brieflyas a radio monitor and announcer before going to the UK to study engineering. On his return, he joined the Colonial Civil Service as executive telecommunications engineer in charge of the Lagos territory. He rose through the ranks to become Director-General of Post and Telecommunications.

Akindele’s account of key events in the political history of Nigeria, being close friends with Ademulegun, Ironsi and Ogundipe in particular, brings new insights to the turbulent events of the first republic and the subsequent militarty regimes (Aguyı-Ironsi, Goworn and Murtala Mohammed’s). His role in telecommunications during the civil war gives us fresh insight into important events of that period. Most interesting however, was the battle of wills that occurred, when he was pitted against Murtala Mohammed, over the sigrung of the ITT Radio Corporation of Nigeria contract. This saga eventually cost him his job and could be said to be one of the factors that precipitated the coup of 1976.

He gave his best, and was later rewarded with a role beyond the shores of a single nation, after he was prematurely retired from office.

With a deep desire to serve the nation, Akindele has tried to live an honest and principled life, and struggled to make the civil service an honourable profession. This autobiography will, as well as painting an interesting history of Nigeria, give us a portrait of a man of courage, wit and above all, principle.