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Tag: Shonekan

  • Shonekan to be honoured with 21-artillery-gun salute – Army

    Shonekan to be honoured with 21-artillery-gun salute – Army

    The Nigerian Army (NA), 81 Division, on Thursday said that there would be a 21-artillery-gun salute to honour the late Chief Ernest Shonekan, a former head of the Interim National Govetnment (ING) on Friday.

    The Division’s spokesperson, Maj. Olaniyi Osoba, in a signed statement said that the salutation would hold at Ebony Vaults and Garden, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

    Shonekan died on Jan.11 at the age of 85 years.

    Shonekan served as head of ING from Aug. 26, 1993 to 17 Nov. 17, 1993.

    Osoba said that the members of the general public who reside and work around Ikoyi should not panic on hearing the gunshot salute.

    “Especially, those around the Ebony Vaults and Garden are not to panic but go about their normal businesses as all necessary safety measures had been put in place,” he said.

  • Shonekan’s burial: Lagos to divert traffic at Marina

    Shonekan’s burial: Lagos to divert traffic at Marina

    The Lagos State Government says it will be diverting traffic along Inner Marina to Outer Marina by Oando Filling Station from 5.00a.m. till 6.00p.m. on Friday due to the Burial Service of the Late former Head of Interim Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan.

    The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, made the disclosure in a statement signed on Friday in Lagos.

    Oladeinde explained that all adjoining and feeder roads leading to inner Marina road to Nitel building would be cordon off.

    He advised motorists to utilise JK Randle street through Force road to connect Broad street and continue their journey as inner Marina road/Odunlami Street from Outer Marina road would be barred from vehicular movement.

    In the same vein, Oladeinde stated that motorists descending CMS Bridge to Cathedral Church would be temporarily diverted to UBA roundabout or Apongbon for onward navigation to other inner parts of Lagos Island to connect their destinations.

    The transport commissioner assured that security and law enforcement agencies would be deployed to all strategic junctions/intersections and black spots to reduce delays and ensure security of lives and property both along the routes leading to the venue and alternative routes highlighted.

    Oladeinde extended the appreciation of the Mr Governor to the citizenry for their patience and understanding, adding that the state government sincerely appeals to the Citizenry for any inconvenience the diversion may cause.

  • Buhari pays condolence visit to Shonekan’s family in Lagos

    Buhari pays condolence visit to Shonekan’s family in Lagos

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, paid a condolence visit to the family of Chief Ernest Shonekan, late Head of the defunct Interim National Government (ING) of Nigeria.

    The President was earlier in Abeokuta in Ogun, for the inauguration of some projects by Gov. Dapo Abiodun.

    The President arrived the Ikoyi residence of Shonekan at 4:40pm with high profile dignitaries and security.

    President Buhari was in the company of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and his Ogun counterpart, Mr Dapo Abiodun.

    Others were, Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Chairman, APC Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) among others.

    A NAN correspondent monitoring condolence visits at the residence, observed heavy presence of security operatives, police, military and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in and around the premises.

    No fewer than 20 patrol vans of police and military police as well as Armoured Personnel Carriers were stationed around the residence at Ikoyi in Lagos.

    Meanwhile, the Bobagunwa of Lagos, Chief Akin Disu, who also paid the deceased family a condolence visit, told NAN that the late head of state served the country very well.

    Disu, a childhood and school friend of Shonekan, said : “Nigeria begged him to come and serve the country and he did that very well.

    “Nigerian leaders should emulate Shonekan, a life dedicated to public service. He served the country properly and he kept the unity of the nation at the time of heavy distress.”

    Shonekan died in Lagos on Tuesday at the age of 85.

    He succeeded Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to become the Head of the Interim National Government (ING) from Aug. 26, 1993 to Nov. 17, 1993.

    The ING was constituted in August 1993 by Babangida in the aftermath of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

    Shonekan was, however, overthrown in a palace coup led by the late Gen. Sani Abacha, who was the Defence Secretary in the Shonekan-led ING.

    Prior to his brief political career, Shonekan was the chairman and chief executive of the United African Company (UAC) of Nigeria.

  • Ernest Shonekan: We have lost an uncommon patriot – Babangida

    Ernest Shonekan: We have lost an uncommon patriot – Babangida

    The shocking news of the death of one of Nigeria’s finest brains and patriots came to me this morning with a helpless awe. I hadn’t the faintest idea that Chief Ernest Shonekan would depart this sinful world too soon, even at 85. He was a man, a leader and an uncommon patriot who had a presence of mind and whose understanding of Nigeria was profound and remarkable. It is indeed a personal loss to me.

    Chief Ernest Shonekan was one of our cerebral minds during our time in government. He was the architect of our principle of free market economy which helped to open up the system for a robust participation by the private sector. The liberalisation of the economy, the investment and boost in the agricultural sector and budget management approach were part of his brain child. I recollect very vividly how he used to give us tutorials on budget, planning and management of national resources, each time he was invited to our session. At each budget year, Chief Shonekan would be invited to critique our budget proposals, and gave us further input to enrich the final budget. He was a man of ideas and ideals. He was prudent and preached so much about fiscal discipline.

    It was therefore timely for us to appoint him as Head of the Interim Government to help stabilize the polity at a most trying period of our country’s political evolution. He was a calm personality whose managerial skills were foretold in the way and manner he managed a lot of blue chip companies. As Head of the Interim Government, he was able to consult with a broad spectrum of the Nigerian populace in charting a roadmap out of the political impasse at that time. His brilliance and meticulous interrogation of situations helped in large measure to forge ahead during the period. I owe a personal gratitude to him throughout his sojourn on earth as we maintained very robust mutual relationship after his exit from the corridors of power.

    Given the achievements we recorded during our time in government in the area of infrastructure, economy and social rebirth, I owe a word of gratitude to him for his experienced intervention in helping to dissect our policy frameworks each time we called upon him to do so. He was an engaging personality whose sense of patriotism was total. He was friendly and sociable. He understood economy and made so many projections that helped us to bail the country out of economic conundrum. We benefited from his immense knowledge, experience and brilliance.

    May the Almighty God console his family and other Nigerians who had a relationship with this gentle giant of quintessential orientation. May God grant his soul eternal rest. Nigeria has lost a patriot, an urbane and refined gentleman, a thoroughbred boardroom maestro and a cosmopolitan mind who was devoted to his country. Rest in peace Chief Ernest Shonekan. May God grant the family, associates and friends the fortitude to bear with this priceless loss.

     

    Signed …..

    GENERAL IBRAHIM. B. BABANGIDA, GCFR.
    FORMER MILITARY PRESIDENT.
    UPHILL, MINNA.
    NIGER STATE.

  • Judge who declared Shonekan’s interim government illegal in 1993 is dead

    Judge who declared Shonekan’s interim government illegal in 1993 is dead

    A former judge of the Lagos High Court, Justice Dolapo Funlola Akinsanya, who on November 10, 1993, declared the Interim National Government (ING) of Chief Ernest Shonekan illegal, is dead.

    Justice Akinsanya died on Thursday in Lagos at the age of 79.

    Akinsanya was born on February 24, 1941, to the family of the late Prof Sanya Onabamiro, a First Republic Minister in the old Western Region.

    She was in private legal practice between 1966 and 1976 before she joined the Lagos State Ministry of Justice as a Senior Legal Officer. She rose through the ranks as Assistant Director Civil Litigation, Secretary/Legal Adviser, LSDPC, and Director, Civil Litigation, before being appointed a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on October 31, 1989.

    In declaring the ING illegal in the famous judgement, Akinsanya had said: “President Babangida has no legitimate power to sign a decree after August 26, 1993, after his exit, so the decree is void and of no effect.”

    She ordered that a civilian constitution, which was drawn up under Babangida in 1989 but never implemented, go into effect.

    With the judgment, the legality of the ING was determined. The late Gen Sanni Abacha later seized power in a coup shortly afterwards.

    Gen Babangida left government on August 26, 1993, and handed over to the ING headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan.

    Chief M.K.O .Abiola who had, won the June 12,1993 presidential election which was annulled by Babangida, challenged the handover of power to the ING.

    Justice Akinsanya retired from the La

  • Ogun govt speaks on Ernest Shonekan’s ‘death’

    The Ogun State Government on Tuesday evening denied the rumoured demise of Ernest Shonekan, former Head of Interim National Government of Nigeria, saying the rumour is far from being true.
    The news of the death of former Head of Interim National Government of Nigeria who succeeded Ex Military President Ibrahim Babangida in 1994 after the Military Government had failed to hand over government to Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, acclaimed winner of 1993 Presidential Election, adjudged to be most credible, freest and fairest election in the country.
    Although, attempts by several journalists in Abeokuta, the country home of Ernest Shonekan, whose his mansion is a stone throw distance to Ogun NUJ Secretariat, Iwe Irohin House, along the popular Oke-Ilewo road in Abeokuta to confirm the authenticity of the news were futile as nobody could ascertain it, the call from Ogun state government showed that the man is alive.
    A telephone call from the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, on Tuesday evening indicated that the former Head of Interim National Government of Nigeria is hale and hearty as the government says, “It is a lie from hell. Baba is alive.”

  • Happening Now: Osinbajo, Gowon, Shonekan, Dogara attend Christmas Carol inside Aso Rock

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.); a former Head of Interim National Government, Ernest Shonekan; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara , are among dignitaries currently attending the 2017 Christmas Praise Concert inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, is also attending the event holding inside the old Banquet Hall.

    Others present are members of the Federal Executive Council as well as the wife of the Vice-President, Dolapo.

     

    Details later…