Who Was Dolapo Tanimola? The Late Figure Linked to Nigeria’s ‘Phantom Council’ Controversy

ABUJA, Nigeria — The identity of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, a man recently mentioned by the Presidency in connection with the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has become the focus of public attention as the legal case surrounding the controversial council continues.
Although relatively unknown to the wider public before this week, Tanimola’s name surfaced after the Presidency alleged that he was identified by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as the individual who helped him obtain the disputed appointment letter at the centre of the ongoing forgery and impersonation case.
However, Tanimola is no longer alive, leaving investigators unable to question a man now regarded as one of the key figures mentioned during the police investigation.
Presidency Says Adeyemi Mentioned Tanimola During Investigation
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Adeyemi allegedly informed investigators after his arrest in October 2025 that Tanimola assisted him in obtaining the appointment letter he later used to present himself as Director-General of the purported council.
The Presidency has consistently maintained that the PFIPC never existed and accused Adeyemi of forging official documents, impersonating a government official and obtaining benefits through false pretences.
Adeyemi is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court on multiple criminal charges, including forgery, impersonation and conspiracy.
Death Ended Key Line of Investigation
According to the Presidency, efforts by investigators to locate Tanimola revealed that he had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025—just five days before Adeyemi was arrested.
Officials said police confirmed his death through hospital records, discussions with family members, the hotel management and burial documentation.
His passing meant investigators were unable to interview the one person Adeyemi allegedly identified as being connected to the controversial appointment letter.
Photographs Show Links to Prominent Personalities
Photographs obtained by Daily Trust show Tanimola at different events alongside several notable Nigerian political leaders, business executives and public officials.
Among those seen with him in various photographs are former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd.), businessman Tony Elumelu, industrialist Abdulsamad Rabiu, philanthropist Arthur Eze, Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, as well as former Inspectors-General of Police Mike Okiro, Solomon Arase and Kayode Egbetokun.
While the photographs indicate that Tanimola attended events involving influential figures, they do not establish any connection between those individuals and the allegations currently under investigation.
Questions Remain Unanswered
Despite the Presidency identifying Tanimola as a person allegedly mentioned during police investigations, little information has been made public about his personal background, occupation or official affiliations.
The government has not explained how he allegedly became involved in procuring the disputed appointment letter or whether investigators recovered independent evidence linking him to the alleged forgery before his death.
Sources told Daily Trust that Tanimola was buried on November 8, 2025, following a funeral service at Saint Matthew Anglican Church in Maitama, Abuja.
As the criminal proceedings against Adeyemi continue, several questions remain unresolved, including the exact nature of Tanimola’s relationship with the accused and whether any additional evidence exists to support the claims made during the investigation.
For now, Tanimola remains one of the most talked-about figures in the unfolding “phantom council” controversy—not because he has been charged with any offence, but because his name was identified by the Presidency as part of the chain of events under investigation.