- Safiu Kehinde
Owolabi Salis has not just outshined the legendary Olabisi Ajala the traveler in his exploit across the world, the Lagos-born lawyer has also defied the notion that the sky is the limit as he emerged the first Nigerian to travel out to space.
History was on Sunday made at West Texas, United States, where Owolabi and five other passengers assembled to embark on journey to space with the Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme, an initiative run by Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos.
Clad in a blue space suit with one interview picture showing him donning a traditional Yoruba cap on his blue overall, Owolabi beamed with hope as he prepared to step into the Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission spacecraft for a trip that will not only establish Nigeria’s name on global map but also leave a print of the country’s prowess in astronomy record.
Owolabi’s feat might be novel to Nigerians, but the US-based lawyer and politician is not to Lagosians.
Born in Ikorodu area of Lagos, Owolabi was the candidate of the Action Party of Nigeria (APN) 2007 in the Lagos gubernatorial election which he lost to the then Action Congress (AC) candidate, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
He came back to Lagos polity again at the 2019 governorship election, emerging as the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). While losing to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Owolabi did not return to his confine this time as he legally challenged Sanwo-Olu’s victory.
The election tribunal however dismissed his petition.
Aside his political exploit, Owolabi holds dual qualifications as a chartered accountant and attorney, with professional licences in both Nigeria and the United States.
He is also a published thinker—author of Equitocracy, a political treatise advocating for an egalitarian system grounded in justice and inclusivity.
Send World Leaders to Space for One Day-Owolabi
Following his return from space, Owolabi called for the sending of all world leaders to the space, especially leaders of conflicting countries.
This, according to him, will bring peace to the world as the leaders will be humbled by the vastness and emptiness of space.
“I think all the leaders in this world must be gathered and sent to space to live there for one day.
“When you get to space, you will be very humble. You will a whole lot of mass, dark, and then you will the ball where we live.
“All leaders who are fighting in this world should be sent to space for one day, then there will be peace.” He said.
Prior to his cosmic achievement, Owolabi previously set a record as the first Black African to set foot in both the Arctic and Antarctic within the same calendar season in what was described as a rare environmental and logistical feat.