National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has described Karim Ayinla Babalola (KAB) Olowu who died on Wednesday in Lagos as a foremost athlete and Nigeria’s nationalist who gave his all to the country.
In a tribute on Thursday to the late patriarch of the Tinubu family, the APC national leader also said the late KAB Olowu’s life exemplified the goodness in the Tinubu family name.
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He said: “Many of us in the family grew up under his watch and mentoring for which we remain eternally grateful. I particularly drank from his fountain of knowledge and wisdom.”
Tinubu titled his tribute “Alhaji Karim Ayinla Babalola ‘KAB’ Olowu (OON) Foremost Athlete, Philanthropist and Nigeria’s Nationalist”.
According to the tribute, KAB was the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Council. He was also the Chief Starter at the 1973 All-Africa Games held in Lagos, Nigeria.
“To give back to society, he set up the sports complex at the Nigerian Prison in Kirikiri, Lagos where he worked for some years. He also set up the then Prisons Athletics club, which produced many athletes for Nigeria. He was for several years a prominent member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
“He was that Nigerian sprinter and long jumper who was part of Nigeria’s first delegation to the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand (now Commonwealth Games). He was among the first group of Nigerians to participate in the Olympic Games and was particularly at the 1952 Summer Olympics Games.
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“At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Canada, he won silver medals in long jump and the 4 x 110 yards relay, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win two medals at the Commonwealth Games,” he said.
Tinubu prayed that Almighty Allah would accept his soul and grant him Aljanna Fridaus.
