By Balogun Kamilu Lekan
Biography
Tony Adun, popularly known as Kabaka, is Edo state’s Youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a businessman and reportedly a member of the Neo Black Movement, believed to also be known as “BlackAxe”.
Kabaka is also an influential revenue collector for the Edo state government.
Kabaka is reportedly born on the 2nd of May, 1980. Currently, he is 42 years old (as at 2022). However, many people have contested this claim.
A Facebook user, Olaniyi Soyemi, claimed; “I came to Benin in 1988, he was a full-grown adult then. Furthermore, he has celebrated his golden jubilee about 2 years ago (2020)”.
He rose through the ranks to become a revered political thug in the state, and many top politicians hired him to help win elections.
Tony Adun is a cousin of Chief Osamede Adun, the Aiyobahan of the Benin Kingdom and President of the National Butchers Association.
Kabaka is a household name in Edo State, such that a street was named after him; Comrade Tony Kabaka’s Street.
He is the Chairman of Akugbe Ventures, a consultancy firm with the Edo State government in charge of the collection of personal income tax (PIT), and also the owner of T.Latifah Hotel & Suites.
Education
At the moment, there is no public information about Kabaka’s education
Marriage
In 2016, Tony Kabaka married Toyin Adun. There has not been any public information about the kids from the union.
Net worth
Kabaka is reportedly worth $2 million.
His political involvement, plus a few alleged illicit acts, is thought to have contributed to all of his income.
Controversies
In 2019, he reportedly bought two lions for security reasons.
During the electioneering period in Edo State for Governor Obaseki’s re-election, Kabaka in a campaign allegedly called on the people of Edo State not to vote for Obaseki because he’s childless, and his wife can’t conceive either.
In response to this remark, the wife of the Governor, Mrs Obaseki said ‘you can mock us but not God‘.
In 2020, after Governor Obaseki’s reelection, Kabaka’s hotel, T.Latifah Hotel & Suites, was demolished by the Edo State Government on the ground that it was built on land belonging to a primary school.
This was reportedly caused by Kabaka’s refusal to show support for the governor’s reelection.
After the demolition, Kabaka posted a video of begging the governor for forgiveness. In the video. He said, “My excellency, I want to plead, whatever that has happened, whatever that has transpired, please forgive and forget, and let peace reign.”
“You can call me, I’m your junior brother, this case that happened, you just used it to draw my ears and I’ve learnt
“My excellency, I plead with you, allow peace to reign”.
Governor Obaseki, however, reciprocated by showing his forgiveness towards Kabaka. He gifted Kabaka a cow and bags of rice.
The governor’s gesture generated some public reaction, and in response, the governor said, “I have been hearing lots of comments that I gave cow and rice to Kabaka. I read some people who said they are my supporters and I felt bad. I say they are not my supporters.
“This is Christmas, we are celebrating Christ, the basis of our Christianity and religion. Before politics, we are human beings, so if we cannot show humanity, then we will not be humble politicians.”
In a BBC documentary released in 2021, Kabaka admitted that he organises cult organisations to support electoral success in Edo State. He claimed in the same interview that most politicians participate in cults because they need them to win elections and take office.
Furthermore, Kabaka said he can spot Black Axe confraternity members in positions of authority.
In December 2021, a video circulated on social media where Kabaka reportedly gave his life to Christ at the Rock of Ages Church Assembly International, Benin.
In the video, he said “I have come to plead with God Almighty to touch the heart of the governor, to have mercy on me. I came here today to move closer to God because I don’t expect the victory God gave to me.
“There is a need to move closer to God–if it is money, I don’t have it, it is power, I don’t have it, So today, I accept God as my personal lord and saviour”.
Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
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