Chief Sunday Afolabi () (1931 – 10 May 2004)[1] was a Nigerian politician who served in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Internal Affairs from 1999 to 2003. He also served as Minister of Education in the cabinet of President Shehu Shagari from 1982 to 1983. He previously served as deputy governor of Oyo State from 1979 to 1982 under Governor Bola Ige.
Sunday Afolabi | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Internal Affairs | |
| In office June 1999 – 29 May 2003 | |
| President | Olusegun Obasanjo |
| Succeeded by | Mohammed Shata |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office October 1983 – December 1983 | |
| President | Shehu Shagari |
| Deputy Governor of Oyo State | |
| In office 1 October 1979 – 1982 | |
| Governor | Bola Ige |
| Succeeded by | Adebisi Akande |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1931 |
| Died | 10 May 2004 (aged 72–73) London, United Kingdom |
| Political party |
|
| Occupation | Politician |
Background
editSunday Afolabi was born in Iree, Osun State, of Yoruba origin.[2]
His traditional titles are Oloye Bada of Ile-Ife and Oloye Asiwaju Apesin of Oshogbo.,[3][4]
Afolabi attended Offa Grammar School in Kwara State (1948–1950) and Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta (1951–1953). He became an Accounts Clerk at United African Company (1953–1954), then worked at Bank of British West Africa, later called Standard Bank and now First Bank of Nigeria (1954–1961). He was Chief Accountant at the University of Ibadan (1961–1978).[3]
Early political career
editAfolabi became a member and leader of the Action Group, Osun Division.[3] In the Nigerian Second Republic (1979–1983) Afolabi was a member of Chief Obafemi Awolowo's Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He served as deputy governor of Oyo State when Bola Ige was governor. Later he moved over to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), and became Minister of Education in the Shehu Shagari government.[5]
Afolabi was a member of the defunct Social Democratic Party in the lead-up to the abortive Third Nigerian Republic (1989–1993), and the Peoples Democratic Movement led by Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. He became a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 in the lead up to the Fourth Nigerian Republic.[3]
Fourth Republic
editAfolabi backed Olusegun Obasanjo's successful bid for presidency in 1999.[5]
He was appointed Minister of the Interior in June 1999.
He said he did not beg to serve in the government, but the president voluntarily asked "me to pick any ministry of my choice". However, his appointment may have been because he was one of the few Yoruba supporters of Obasanjo.[2]
He worked with Bola Ige to create the pro-Obasanjo Yoruba Council of Elders to support Obasanjo's bid for reelection in 2003.[5]
As Minister of Interior, Afolabi reported that the government allocated NGN2.4 billion for prison reforms in 2001.[6]
He was strong proponent of the National Identity Card project, to be used for the 2003 Federal and State elections.[2]
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) arrested Afolabi on 5 December 2003 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.[7]
In December 2003 Afolabi stood trial along with his successor as Internal Affairs minister Mohammed Shata, former Labour Minister Hussaini Akwanga and others on charges that they had sought bribes worth some $2m from the French firm, Sagem in connection with the $214m contract to produce identity cards.[8]
He and the other accused were granted bail on 31 December 2003.[9]
Afolabi died of a kidney related illness in London in May 2004 at the age of 73.[1] In June 2004, the court dropped all charges against him.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Nigeria: Sunday Afolabi, Ex-Minister, Dies At 73". Vanguard. 11 May 2004. Retrieved 13 September 2024 – via allAfrica.
- ^ a b c Onwumelu, Ego (19 January 2002). "Sunday Afolabi: Between Politics and Principles". Retrieved 3 May 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d Oloyede, Dokun; Ikokwu, Constance; Anakali, Pius (13 January 2002). "Yoruba After Ige... Which Way Forward?". This Day. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ AFRICA WHO'S WHO, Raph Uwechue and Various Others, second edition 1991, Africa Books ltd, ISBN 0-903274-17-5.
- ^ a b c Gordon, April A. (2003). Nigeria's diverse peoples: a reference sourcebook. ABC-CLIO. pp. 176–179. ISBN 1-57607-682-2.
- ^ Iyizoba, Chinwuba (13 August 2009). "Nigeria's citadel of injustice". Mercator. Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ Ekeanyanwu, Lilian; Loremikan, Shine; Ikubaje, John. "Country Study Report: Nigeria 2004" (PDF). Transparency International. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ "Nigeria ministers on bribe charge". BBC News. 30 December 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ Ughegbe, Lemmy (31 December 2003). "$214m Identity Card Scam: Court Grants Afolabi, Akwanga, Others Bail". Vanguard. Retrieved 3 May 2010 – via allAfrica.
- ^ Fadeyi, Rotimi (4 June 2004). "Akwanga, Nwodo others re-arraigned, granted bail". Daily Independent Online. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2010.