the establishment of a Nigerian Air Force. He also built and renovated military barracks across the country. His colleagues often refer to him as "power of powers". He completed the Nigerianisation of the Nigerian Army. He is credited as one of the most outstanding Defence Ministers Nigeria ever had. On 1 May 1965, he was to be honoured along with the then Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912–66) by the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello (1909–66) with gold medals of the Usmamiya order in Kaduna. He died on the morning of that day at the age of 55. No doubt, Alhaji Ribadu was a towering figure. A giant among men. In Lagos he acted as deputy Prime Minister in all but name - with considerably more authority than Abubakar due to his stronger following in the Northern Region. Many also suspected that he was blackmailing the Sardauna - claiming that he 'possessed proof which he would use if necessary to show that the Sardauna's devotion to Islam was a sham' - and was thus able to exercise significant influence over the premier. While serving as Minister of Defence, Ribadu presided over a rapid expansion of the Nigerian Army, Navy as well as the creation of the Nigeria Air Force. He established the Defence Industries Corporation in Kaduna, the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna and a Second Recce Squadron in Abeokuta. Many scholars and historians believe till today that if Alhaji Ribadu had been alive the 15 January 1966 military coup could not have taken place. That he would have prevented it and that the first republic in spite of all incidents would have survived. And that we would not have been in this mess today. Ribadu's official residence was later part of the Dodan Barracks, the official residence of Nigerian military rulers from 1967 to 1991. References 1909 births 1965 deaths Defence ministers of Nigeria 20th-century Nigerian politicians Nigerian Defence Academy people Ribadu family Federal ministers of Nigeria People of colonial Nigeria