By Olayemi Esan
Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida mourned the death of Ex-interim leader of the country, Chief Ernest Shonekan, with a moving tribute on Tuesday in which he described the deceased as a “a man of idea and ideals” who displayed a profound and remarkable understanding of the country.
Chief Ernest Shonekan, who led the country on an interim basis following the uncertainty and turmoil that trailed the annulled 1993 election, died at a hospital in Lagos at the age of 85 in the early hours of Tuesday.
Mourning his demise through a public statement, General Ibrahim Babangida, the military leader whose regime handed power to Shonekan, said his ‘managerial skills, brilliance, and meticulous interrogation of situations’ helped the country to navigate its way through the political impasse and forge ahead.
General Babangida said he owed the late Shonekan personal gratitude for his friendship and contributions to the development of the nation.
His tribute read: “Chief Ernest Shonekan was one of our cerebral minds during our time in government. He was the architect of our principle of free market economy which helped to open up the system for a robust participation by the private sector.
The liberalisation of the economy, the investment and boost in the agricultural sector and budget management approach were part of his brain child. I recollect very vividly how he used to give us tutorials on budget, planning and management of national resources, each time he was invited to our session. At each budget year, Chief Shonekan would be invited to critique our budget proposals, and gave us further input to enrich the final budget. He was a man of ideas and ideals. He was prudent and preached so much about fiscal discipline.”
“It was therefore timely for us to appoint him as Head of the Interim Government to help stabilize the polity at a most trying period of our country’s political evolution. He was a calm personality whose managerial skills were foretold in the way and manner he managed a lot of blue chip companies. As Head of the Interim Government, he was able to consult with a broad spectrum of the Nigerian populace in charting a roadmap out of the political impasse at that time. His brilliance and meticulous interrogation of situations helped in large measure to forge ahead during the period. I owe a personal gratitude to him throughout his sojourn on earth as we maintained very robust mutual relationship after his exit from the corridors of power.”
IBB praised Shonekan for his role in helping his administration record legacy achievements in the areas of infrastructure, economy, and social rebirth. He offered prayers to God to grant his soul a peaceful rest, while also extending condolences to his family and other Nigerians who had a relationship with him.