Russian billionaire Alister Usmanov and ex-Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), were both born on September 9, 1953.

Usmanov second Richest Man in the UK studied International Law at the Moscow Institute of International Relations whereas Marwa ex-military administrator of Lagos, Nigeria’s richest state, studied International Relations at the Pittsburg University.

Usmanov and Marwa have both been arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption and financial crimes respectively. Both were later discharged.

Aside the coincidences between Marwa (shown in photo) and Usmanov, Russia and Nigeria share what could be regarded as crazy coincidences and developments.

According to Branchout Nations, a book by Ruchir Sharma, an expert in emerging markets at the world renowned Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the Russian financial sector resembles that of Nigeria.

Around the same period the central banks of Russia and Nigeria injected funds into struggling banks. Russia and Nigeria are both below number 100 on the list of ease of doing business. Most people in Russia and Nigeria pay cash for property.

The economies of Russia and Nigeria are mainly based of solid minerals, oil and gas. The population of Russia is 142 million and Nigeria 167 million.

March 5, 1937 saw the birth of the women-loving Olusegun Obasanjo, now ex-Nigerian President. March 6, 1937 saw the birth of Valentina Tereskhova, first President Soviet Women’s Committee. Obasnjo and Tereskhova are both ex-soldiers.

Obasanjo initiated Nigeria’s space research programme and Teresknova was the first woman in outer space.

Russia leads Europe in applications of Space Science and Nigeria leads Africa in applications of Space Science.  

March 9, 1934 saw the birth of the Pioneers, Cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin and banking godfather Otunba Subomi Michael Balogun. Gagarin was the first man in outer space and Balogun founded the first fully owned indigenous Merchant Bank in Nigeria.

Every letter in “otunba” except “b” you find in Cosmonaut. While Yuri rhymes with Subomi, every letter in Michael except “M” you find in Alekseyevich. Gagarin and Balogun are both seven letters.

Vladimir Lenin was the first President of Soviet Union and Bola Ige was a Nigerian presidential aspirant. Lenin and Ige were both lawyers, of socialist orientation and both emerged best students of their respective secondary schools. Lenin and Ige both studied the classical languages of Latin and Greek.

In addition to Russian, Lenin spoke three other languages: German, French and English. On Ige’s part, in addition to English, he spoke three other languages: Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo.

Lenin and Ige have both been described as orators. Both were also publishers. Lenin belonged to the Marxist Circle and Ige belonged to the Zikist Movement.

Indeed, what crazy coincidences and developments Russia and Nigeria share!

*Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth <atogonub@hotmail.co.uk> contributed this piece from London, England.