By Adesina Soyooye and Akinwale Kasali
Nigeria’s former Interim Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan is dead.
A great entrepreneur, and a roaring success in the Private Sector, which climaxed in his successful headship of the UAC, Shonekan was a surprise choice by then Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, to Head an Interim National Chairman, after Babangida was forced to step aside following the June 12 1993 Presidential election fiasco in which Babangida and his regime canceled the election, and denied the presumed winner, Chief MKO Abiola, victory. Abiola died in the custody of the Military junta.
Shonekan was the Interim Head of State between August 26 and November 17, 1993.
He was removed in a Palace coup by his Minister of Defence, General Sani Abacha.
Born Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan, he was married to Margaret with whom she had children.
A lawyer, he held the title of Abese of Egbaland, and held the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR.
Shonekan was educated at CMS Grammar School and Igbobi College, Lagos, and received a Law degree from the University of London. He later attended Harvard Business School.
Shonekan joined the United Africa Company of Nigeria in 1964, at the time a subsidiary of the United Africa Company, which played a prominent role in the British colonisation of Nigeria. He rose through the ranks, and was made Chairman and Managing Director in 1980.
He died, aged 85 years, at the Evecare Hospital, Lekki, Lagos State.
