Olusegun Agagu

Olusegun Agagu
Deputy Governor
In office
January 1992 – November 1993
Federal Minister of Aviation
In office
29 May 1999 – 2000
Succeeded by Kema Chikwe
Federal Minister of Power and Steel[1]
In office
2000–2002
Succeeded by Olu Agunloye
15th Governor of Ondo State
In office
29 May 2003 – 23 February 2009[2]
Preceded by Adebayo Adefarati
Succeeded by Olusegun Mimiko
Personal details
Born (1948-02-16)16 February 1948
Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria
Died 13 September 2013(2013-09-13) (aged 65)
Lagos, Nigeria
Political party People's Democratic Party
Spouse(s) Olufunke Agagu.
Religion Christianity

Olusegun Kokumo Agagu (16 February 1948 – 13 September 2013) was a Nigerian politician who was Governor of Ondo State in Nigeria from 29 May 2003 until February 2009, when a court voided his re-election as governor on account of electoral irregularities. He was replaced as Governor of Ondo State by Olusegun Mimiko, his political rival, based on a court injunction.[3] His name, Olusegun, means "God is victorious".[4] He was a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Educational background

He commenced his elementary education at St. Luke’s Anglican School, (now known as St. Paul’s Anglican School) Okitipupa, in 1954. In January 1958, he moved to live with his cousin, Edward Fagbohun in Ibadan, where he continued his primary education at Ebenezer African Church School, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. In 1959 he transferred to Kano in 1959 where he studied at the Ebenezer Methodist School and Baptist Primary School Sabon-Gari, Kano. He then moved back to Ebenezer African Church School, Ibadan where he completed his primary education in 1960. Thereafter, he was in Ibadan Grammar School between January 1961 and 1967 where he passed his West African School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate examinations. He was admitted to the University of Ibadan in 1968 to study Botany but later changed to Geology in which he graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Second Class Upper Division, in 1971. As an undergraduate, his academic record was replete with laurels and prizes.

Agagu went to the University of Texas between 1973 and 1974 for his Masters degree in Geology. Returning to Nigeria, he obtained a Ph.D degree in Petroleum Geology from the University of Ibadan in 1978.

Career

He was elected Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Nigeria from January 1992 to November 1993 during the Nigerian Third Republic, elected on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) platform. As the Deputy Governor in Ondo State, the combination of his knowledge as a Geologist, resourcefulness and his untiring efforts led to the State becoming an oil producing state, a feat that massively expanded the economic base of the State.[1] He was forced to leave office when the military regime of general Sani Abacha took power.

Agagu was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo as his first Minister of Aviation in 1999.[5] and then as Minister for Power and Steel (2000-2002).[6]

Once, while on a foreign trip, the people of Ondo received false reports of his death.[7]

On 29 June 2006 President Olusegun Obasanjo commended him for the work he had done leading Ondo State, saying "You have taken time to plan. We have also seen that the execution of the plan is now showing results."

In September 2008 a Senate Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the Transportation Sector summoned Agagu and others as part of its probe of the entire transportation sector, to answer questions about his tenure as Minister of Aviation.[8] On 5 March 2009 Agagu was questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged N25Bn spent on the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) during his administration. The new administration led by Governor Olusegun Mimiko also a commenced probe of contracts awarded in the last six months of his administration.

Death

He reportedly slumped and died on September 13, 2013 in Lagos.[9][10]

On 3 October 2013, a day before his burial, Associated Aviation Flight 361, the plane carrying his corpse together with 13 passengers and 7 crew members, crashed on takeoff from Murtala Muhammed International Airport.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 Adedipe, Adeyemi. "Agagu on the threshold of history". The Nation. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
  2. ↑ Aborted by the Appeal Court based on electoral irregularities in the April 2007 Elections
  3. ↑ Yemi Akintomide (27 February 2009). "Ondo - Agagu Out, Mimiko in". Daily Independent. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  4. ↑ Meaning of Olusegun in Nigerian.name
  5. ↑ Funsho Balogun (March 2, 2009). "Tale Of The Expected". The News. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
  6. ↑ AKINNASO, NIYI. "The sudden exit of Agagu". Punch. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  7. ↑ Sowole, James. "Akure agog as Agagu returns from foreign trip". Ondo State Website. Ondo State Government. Archived from the original on 2006-11-19. Retrieved 2007-02-04.
  8. ↑ Sufuyan Ojeifo (16 September 2008). "Transport Probe - Senate Summons Agagu,Yuguda, Chikwe". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
  9. ↑ "Former Ondo Governor Agagu Slumps, Dies". The Will (Nigeria). 13 Sep 2013.
  10. ↑ BREAKING NEWS: Former Governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Agagu is dead. - UltraDrift
  11. ↑ http://nigeriannewsportal.com/plane-crashes-in-lagos/
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