January 11, (THEWILL) – A former head of the Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan is dead.
THEWILL reports that Shonekan, a former chairman of UAC and its first Nigerian CEO died on Tuesday in Lagos at the age of 85.
Shonekan succeeded the military junta headed by General Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) after the annulment of the presidential election held in June, which was believed to be won by late MKO Abiola.
Babangida had arranged the contraption after he was forced to ‘step aside’, in the aftermath of the annulment of June 12 election results.
However, on November 17, 1993, Shonekan, who was the head of the Interim National Government (ING), was toppled by the then chief of army staff, General Sani Abacha, through a coup.
After he was removed from office, Shonekan lived a quiet life, contributing to issues of nation-building, especially as a member of the council of state, where he and others advised the incumbent leader on how to effectively run the country.
The deceased, who hails from Abeokuta in Ogun State, was born in Lagos on May 9, 1936. He was one of six children born into the family.
He attended CMS Grammar School and Igbobi College and proceeded to the University of London for a degree in Law. He later attended Harvard Business School.
In 1994, he founded the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), an advocacy group and think-tank for private sector-led development of the Nigerian economy.
