In Memoriam: 4 Governors who passed away in office
Death is inevitable! Undoubtedly, the outgoing year, 2023, has proven to be a lethal period, claiming the lives of many Nigerians, including some prominent politicians and influential personalities.
Today, we reflect on the historical leaders who, as incumbents, met their demise while serving as governors.
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu
Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), ex-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and ex-Attorney General of Ondo State, was a second-term governor before his demise. Known fondly as “Aketi,” he was acknowledged by many of his contemporaries as a dogged leader with unbending personal convictions.
Until his passing, he chaired the Southern Governors’ Forum, a body consisting of governors from 17 states in Southern Nigeria.
Patrick Yakowa
Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa served as governor of Kaduna State from 2010 to 2012 when he tragically died in a helicopter crash in Ogbia Creek, Bayelsa state. Initially appointed deputy governor in July 2005, he returned as Kaduna’s number two citizen in the April 2007 election, eventually becoming governor on May 20, 2010.
Mamman Bello Ali
Mamman Bello Ali, representing Yobe South Senatorial District between 1999 and 2007, chaired the senate committee on public account. He contested and won the governorship election in Yobe in 2007 under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and held office until his passing in 2009 due to leukemia while receiving treatment in a hospital in Florida, United States.
Shehu Kangiwa
Shehu Kangiwa, the governor of Sokoto State, died in office in a polo accident in January 1982. Known as the ‘Smiling governor,’ Kangiwa was elected governor of Sokoto under the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
Unfortunately, his administration was short-lived as he died in November 1981, falling from a horse while playing polo in the 1981 edition of the Georgian League in Kaduna.
READ ALSO: Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is dead
He left behind nine children at the time. The Shehu Kangiwa Cup, sponsored by the Sokoto State Government, was presented in his memory in 1982 by Unisteel Ltd.
