A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Jude Idimogu, has described the late Chief Ernest Shonekan, Chairman of the defunct Interim National Government (ING) as a nationalist and patriotic elder statesman.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shonekan died in Lagos on Tuesday at the age of 85.
He succeeded Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to become the Head of the ING from Aug. 26, 1993 to Nov. 17, 1993.
Shonekan was, however, shoved aside in a palace coup by the late Gen. Sani Abacha, hitherto the Defence Minister in the interim administration.
Idimogu said Nigeria had lost a true national and a patriotic leader.
“He was a great leader and one of Nigeria’s best,” Idimogu said.
Similarly, the Grand Council of Yoruba Youths (GCYY) described the late Shonekan as a great man in the history of Nigeria.
The President-General of the GCYY, Mr Bamiji Awa, in a statement, said: “Shonekan was a great man of history.
“It’s shocking to hear the news of his death but we must thank God Almighty for his long life, 85 years of age, which was highly eventful.
“Whatever we are doing today, we are writing history of tomorrow. Therefore, we must choose the right path of life to live,” he said.
Awa recalled that Shonekan was once the chairman of UAC conglomerate and was highly respected by Nigerians.
According to him, Shonekan was respected because of his track record before his sudden appointment as the Head of the ING.
Prior to his brief political career, Shonekan was the chairman and chief executive of the United African Company (UAC) of Nigeria.
The ING was constituted in August 1993 in the aftermath of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election Babangida and the resultant crisis.
