Chu Okongwu: Buhari Mourns

By Uche Mbah

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled the Okongwu family on the death of the former Minister of Finance, Prof Chu Okongwu.

Although details of his death was sketchy, Okongwu was ssid to have died Wednesday after a protracted illness.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina Buhari said he is paying tribute to“a man of many parts, who never hesitated to give his best to Nigeria as a broadcaster with the Nigerian Broadcasting Service, sub-editor, Daily Times Nigeria, Lecturer, University of Nigeria and a Federal Minister of National Planning and later Finance.

He prayed his legacies will not be forgotten.

Okongwu passed on Wednesday, at 87.

Okongwu was born on September 23, 1934, in Anambra State.

The first of eight children, he attended St. Michael’s School, Aba between 1941 and 1946; Government College, Umuahia, 1947 till 1951.

He later went to Boston University and the Harvard University, wbere he gradusted from in 1965.

Late Chu Okongwu was a Minister for eight years under the administration of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), former Military President, initially as the Minister of Finance (1985 to 1986) and national planning (1986 to 1990); Minister of Cabinet affairs, and later, as the Minister of Petroleum.