Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan GCFR (9 May 1936 – 11 January 2022) was a Nigerian lawyer and statesman who served as the interim head of state of Nigeria from 26 August 1993 to 17 November 1993.
Prior to his political career, Shonekan was the Chairman and Chief Executive of the United African Company of Nigeria (successor of The Niger Company), a vast Nigerian conglomerate, which at the time was the largest African-controlled company in Sub-Saharan Africa.
EARLY LIFE
Shonekan was born in Lagos on 9 May 1936. The son of an Abeokuta-born civil servant, he was one of six children born into the family.
Shonekan was educated at CMS Grammar School and Igbobi College. He received a law degree from the University of London, and was called to the bar. He later attended Harvard Business School.
EARLY BUSINESS CAREER
Shonekan joined the United Africa Company of Nigeria in 1964, at the time a subsidiary of the United Africa Company. He rose through the ranks in the company and was promoted to assistant legal adviser. He later became a deputy adviser and joined the Board of Directors at the age of 40. He was made Chairman and Managing Director in 1980, and went on to cultivate a wide array of international business and political connections.
POLITICAL CAREER
Chief Shonekan served as the interim head of state of Nigeria from 26 August 1993 to 17 November 1993.
LIFE OUT OF OFFICE
In 1993, Chief Shonekan along with other prominent Nigerians and expatriates, founded the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). Since then, Shonekan went on to feature prominently as an elder statesman.
Chief Shonekan GCFR, KBE was notable for his vision of a Nigeria without ethnic or religious prejudice that is secure, peaceful and prosperous. He contributed to this by leading diligently and serving passionately in the national interest throughout his lifetime of service.
PERSONAL LIFE AND TRANSITION
Shonekan was married to Margaret Shonekan. He died on 11 January 2022, at the age of 85 at Evercare Hospital in Lagos. At the time of his death, he was the third oldest surviving Nigerian head of state by age after Elizabeth II and Yakubu Gowon.
Source: Wikipedia
Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Shonekan#