Nigerians celebrate Andrew Aganbi with Golf Kitty, traditional dances

Burial activities in honour of Delta politician and showbiz expert, Andrew Aganbi will begin on Friday in Nigeria.

‘’Memorial kitty will take place at the Golf Section of the Sapele Athletic Club on Friday, December 1, 2023’’ a statement in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government, said.

‘’This part of the burial arrangement is intended for Sapele Athletic Club golfers, affiliated clubs and golfing friends of Andrew Aganbi’’ the statement issued by Business Mogul, Felix Aganbi, said.

The statement listed cultural and traditional dances, Jam Sessions and De Pub Special Night at Canaan Land Golf & Country Club, Koko as events slated for Saturday, December 2, 2023.

‘’Young musicians, hip-hop heavyweights and old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll entertainers will mount the stage to dish out heart stomping beats and soul-stirring melodies while relatives and friends of Andrew Aganbi are expected to party, socialize and enjoy themselves with continental and intercontinental cuisines.’’

‘’The burial will wrap up on Sunday, December 3, 2023, with a Thanksgiving Service at the New Birth Baptist Church, Besides Youth Town Hall, New Road Beach, Koko. Reception for local and foreign guests will be held at Canaan Land Golf & Country Club, Koko.’’

Andrew Anirejuoritse Aganbi was born at the St Thomas Hospital, Lambert, London on the 30^th January 1964.

On his return to Nigeria together with his parents, he started his education at the Children Nursery (Palmer Primary School) located at the Catholic Convent, Reclamation Road, Sapele and as it was the custom, moved on to complete his primary education at St Patrick’s Catholic School, Sapele in 1975.

He proceeded to Okotie-Eboh Grammar School where he completed his secondary education, before gaining admission into the Doff Catering & Hotel Management Institute (for his ND) and later studied at The Polytechnic Ibadan for his HND in Business Administration.

Andrew had always loved cooking and as a pet child of his mother who was the first London certified Cake maker/Caterer in Sapele in those days, he found his passion as an opportunity to demonstrate his nature of generosity.

Upon graduation, he worked as a pioneer staff in the Food and Beverage Section of Agura Hotel, (the first 4-star hotel in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in 1985. He left to work with the National Programme on Immunisation (NPI) Abuja, as Head of the Logistics Unit under the leadership of Dr Dere Awosika as the Director-General.

He later joined his family in London at the twilight of the NPI programme, he being a British Citizen. He worked in several establishments in the UK, like the Guys-Thomas Hospital (His Birth hospital), Royal Court of Justices and other British Agencies

Andrew took joy in entertaining people day-in and out, with a strong belief that society is a web of social relationships made by connecting people.   This passion drove him back to his first love, veering into entrepreneurship, in setting up the Calabar Kitchen (a restaurant chain) in the city of London. This restaurant quickly became a rallying point for Nigerians visiting the UK (especially from Edo-Delta) as he also dedicated the business to helping immigrants from these places find their bearing in London.

Having discovered himself as a man of the people, he decided to relocate to Nigeria where he forayed into partisan politics to serve his people. He created the political structure called the AGANBI SOLIDARITY FORUM to contest for the Chairmanship position of Warri North Local Government under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the Dr Uduaghan Administration. At the same time, he established his business, De PUB (Food and Entertainment business) first at Palm Groove Hotel Warri, later at the Airforce Officers’ Mess Warri, before relocating De PUB to Abraka in Delta State.  He ran this business until he took ill in 2022.

Andrew got married to his heartthrob Juliet Toritseju (Nee Mene-Afejuku) on the 9^th December 1995 in Warri and the blissful union is blessed with three children; Bawo, Bafor and Besi.

Andrew Aganbi was God fearing, a Baptist by denomination, and was a pioneer chorister of Ebenezer Baptist Church Sapele. He was a good man, an awesome human being who believed that Friendship is an investment, not a transaction.  He was generous to a fault and lived that others may live; this earned him the sobriquets AK: ANDREW KASHOGGI (the CASHMAN). He built bridges and relationships across tribes and ethnicity, amongst the high and lowly including his connections with top Military Officers, Business Executives, Politicians, Youths and the Countryside women.

AK was a sports lover, especially a strong supporter of Chelsea Football Club in The English Premier League. He answered the call to eternity in the evening hours of September 30, 2023 at a London Hospital.