Former governor of Kwara State and ex-Nigerian Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, is dead. He died on Wednesday morning in Abuja at the age of 84.
Governor of Kwara state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in a press statement on the development, expressed his condolences over the passage of the former governor.
In the statement, the governor said he received with sadness but submission to the will of God the report of the death of His Excellency, former Governor Cornelius Adebayo. He was 84.
“C.O. Adebayo, as he was fondly called, was an all-time patriot, statesman, and progressive who represented great ideals and fought for good causes throughout his lifetime.
“With his carriage and roles at various levels of leadership, the former Governor stood tall and earned the respect and admiration of all. He left a fine legacy as a democrat who stood up at critical moments of our history.
“On behalf of the people and government of our state, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and associates at this difficult moment.
“I beseech the Almighty to repose his gentle soul and give strength to all of us, especially family members, at this moment.”the statement added.
Born on February 24, 1941, in Igbaja in the present Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state, Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo was educated at the All Saints Anglican School, Oke-Onigbin, Provincial Secondary School, Ilorin and then at Barewa College, Zaria from 1962 to 1963.
He studied at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1964–1967), and at the University of Ghana, Legon (1967–1969) and later became a lecturer at the University of Ife in 1969, and in 1973, he was appointed Head of the English Department at Kwara State College of Technology.
He was Commissioner for Education and later Commissioner for Information and Economic Development in Kwara State from 1975 to 1978.
In 1979, Adebayo was elected as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, running for the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
In 1983, he was elected governor of Kwara state, but was removed on December 31, 1983, when the military overthrow led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari who took control.
Adebayo was Minister of Communications during the Olusegun Obasanjo-led government in 1999.