BY PROF. MIKE A. A. OZEKHOME, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb, LL.D.
PROLOGUE
THE BIRTH OF A WARRIOR
In the quiet hills of Du, in the quiet suburbs of Plateau State, a child was born on the 13th of March, 1944. On this day in 2025, that young boy turned 81. The winds of destiny had blown softly that morning, carrying with them the whispers of unannounced greatness. Little did the world know that this little baby, a retired German, US, and Nigerian-trained Air Commodore and former Military Governor of old Benue and Gongola states (the latter now Adamawa and Taraba states), Sen. Jonah David Jang, CON, would one day carve his name in the annals of Nigerian history. He did so not just as a soldier, not just as a governor, not just as a pilot and Air Force officer, not just as a senator, but also as a towering figure whose life truly exemplifies the true testament of character, honour, resilience, courage, and divine purpose.
From an early age, Jonah Jang was not like other children. There was a spark in his little eyes, a quiet but unmistakable determination that spoke of something greater than the ordinary. He was not one to simply watch life unfold before him. He had a smouldering fire, a hunger, an insatiable desire to make an impact on society.
Raised in a rural land where tradition met with the harsh realities of modernity and survival, Jang quickly learned that life was nothing but a battlefield and that only those with an unyielding spirit and unflagging determination could emerge victorious. Jang’s faith was his compass, his discipline his armour, and his patriotic zeal his drive. His destiny, though not yet revealed by then, was already being woven into the very fabric of his being.
So when the military came calling, Senator Jang, like an eagle drawn to the winds, embraced it and fiercely soared. Trained in West Germany, the Nigerian Defence Academy, and the United States, Governor Jang was not just another recruit; he was a moving force to be reckoned with. His time in the Nigerian Air Force shaped him into the warrior he was meant to be. Rising through the ranks to Wing Commander, he mastered the skies, not just as a pilot but as a leader of men and material, a strategist, and a man who understood that power was a responsibility and not just an ornamental privilege.
FROM THE MILITARY TO THE POLITICAL FIELD
Fate is hardly ever predictable. Destiny always remains wrapped in the belly of Mother Nature. Jang did not know he had been born to do more than merely serve in uniform. His mission was not yet complete. The battlefield had shifted from the skies of war and bombs to the slippery battlefield of governance. So, like a general stepping into unfamiliar terrain, he gingerly took his first tender steps into politics, a new world where wars were fought not with weapons and brute force but with conversation, consultation, wisdom, willpower, and an unwavering resolve to manage challenges of betrayal, perfidy, duplicity, and treachery.
THE GOVERNOR WHO DARED TO DREAM
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18
Leadership is not for the faint-hearted, and politics, especially in Nigeria, is not for the weak and cowardly. Jonah Jang soon learned this when he became a two-term Governor of Plateau State between 2007 and 2015. He did not take the seat as an imperious ruler; he took it as a servant of the people. For him, leadership was a calling, a sacred duty to restore dignity, uplift the downtrodden, and leave behind a legacy that would stand the test of time.
Plateau State, beautiful as it was, had its peculiar challenges. Roads were broken, infrastructure was failing, ethnic tensions were high, insecurity strutted about proudly like a peacock, and corruption lurked in the shadows. Many would have buckled under the weight of such monumental challenges. But not Jang. He had been trained to face turbulence, both in the skies and on the ground. Thus, he began his mission of uncommon transformation.
Under his leadership, trust returned to governance. Roads were built, security was enhanced and strengthened, the youths were engaged, ghost workers were flushed out, and the social, economic, education, and agricultural sectors witnessed an unforgettable revival. But beyond the tangible projects, Jang gave Plateau something greater; he gave them hope. He made the people realize they could not only dream but could realize such dreams. He was, and still is, a father to the state. Jang was a leader who did not rule from a distance but stood with the people, fought for them, and defended them.
A NAME ETCHED IN TIME
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:7
After leaving office as Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang could have chosen to retreat into the shadows, to live the rest of his days in peace and quietude as many would. But warriors never truly retire. They merely retreat and remain ever watchful, ever ready to serve. So, in 2015, he was called upon once more by his Plateau North people to represent them at the Nigerian Senate. After all, the reward for hard work is more work. Baba Jonah proved it.
His tenure in the Senate was not merely about adding another title to his name; it was about continuing his mission, fighting for the people, and standing for justice and their dignity. He ensured that the legacy he had built would never be undone.
THE PERSECUTION, TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS
No great leader ever walks Mother Earth without facing trials, persecution, and tribulations. False allegations waltzed in, flying like ominous bats. Challenges suddenly arose, with the full weight of political warfare threatening to stain the banner of his legacy. He was falsely accused of pilfering his state’s funds. This was when we met. He briefed me to represent him in the 17-count charge before the Plateau State High Court.
Studying the charge and its ingredients, his innocence exuded; his integrity and character stared me in the face. For a Spartan man of modest means who ruled transparently and, as a sitting Governor, took a well-documented loan of only 100 million naira—which he was paying back in installments from his meagre salary and allowances—it simply did not add up that he could steal from the state treasury of his beloved people. So, I defended him ferociously for over four years.
A smiling Baba Jang was completely exonerated, discharged, and acquitted of all 17 counts. He emerged victorious once more, proving that truth, though slow, and integrity, though temporarily besmeared, always triumphed in the end over swift lies.
DRAWING THE CURTAINS
To His Excellency, Governor, Senator, Air Commodore (rtd) Jonah David Jang, CON, may history forever remember your name and judge you fairly. May your legacy continue to inspire and water generations yet unborn. May your story be told not just as a tale of leadership but as a beacon of hope for those who dared to dream, fight wars, serve the people, and conquer adversities.
Happy birthday, sir.
