JUST IN: Shonekan, head of IBB’s experimental Interim Nat’l Govt, dies at 85

Chief Ernest Shonekan who was foisted on Nigerians by then military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida as head of an Interim National Government has died at the age of 85.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that Shonekan died on Tuesday, at a hospital, in the Lekki area of Lagos State, at the age of 85.

Shonekan served as Nigeria’s Interim Head of State from 26 August 1993 to 17 November 1993.

Meanwhile, encomiums have poured in over the virtues of the deceased Head of State with a former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba recalling how Shonekan made his mark in the private sector and the public sector.

Osoba said: “One of the giants of the private sector is gone, he made his mark as a corporate guru in the then UAC where he rose to be the chairman and Chief executive. May God bless his soul.”

READ ALSO: My ambition was just to be a good soldier. I never planned to be head of state —Gowon

Also, a former member of the National Assembly, Ben Bruce noted how special Shonekan was to his family.

“In 1964, he was the lawyer at UAC that gave my father Domino Stores. As Chairman of UAC, I would visit him, and he will tell me the challenges he faced that made him decide to close Kingsway Stores. Great man. We will miss him dearly,” the media mogul tweeted.

On January 2, 1993, Shonekan assumed office as head of the transitional council under General Babangida.

Babangida later resigned from office in August 1993, following the annulment of the 12 June presidential election.

Three months into his administration, Shonekan was overthrown by late General Sani Abacha in November 1993.

In 1994, he founded the Nigerian Economic Summit Group an advocacy group and think-tank for private sector-led development of the Nigerian economy.

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