J. M. Johnson

Chief Joseph Modupe Johnson (30 March, 1912 –- 15 June, 1987), CFR, Apesin of Lagos, was a Nigerian politician. Born in Lagos, and was educated at the William Wilberforce Academy.

Life

After a brief stint in the Nigerian Army during World War II, he returned to civil life after the war's end and was a bank clerk, and a radio broadcaster for a few years. From 1948, he tried his hands in business and politics and was elected into the Ibadan District Council the same year and later became the first and only ever none indigene to serve as the chairman of the Ibadan district council at Mapo hall. In 1956 he became a Nigerian federal cabinet minister and served in internal affairs, later in labour and social welfare and Sports, acting twice as Prime Minister in the coalition Government.

In these capacities he distinguished himself by resigning as President of the I.L.O. over the admission of apartheid South Africa as member. He built the first and largest National Sports Stadium in Lagos, attended the victorious battle of Nigeria's Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Boxing champion of the world, Dick Tiger vs Gene Fullmer in California, and in collaboration with London based world renowned boxing promoter, Jack Solomons, staged the very first world boxing title fight in Africa, In Ibadan, Western Nigeria between Tiger and Fullmer, in 1963, well before the much publicized Ali Bomaye fight between Muhammed Ali vs George Foreman in Zaire, in 1974.

Muhammed Ali called on JM Johnson...
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