By Nehru Odeh
Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan, GCFR, the former head of the Interim National Government that succeeded the military junta of General Ibrahim Babangida, is dead. He died in Lagos at the age of 85.
At the time of his death, he was the third oldest surviving Nigerian head of State by age after Queen Elizabeth 11 and Yakubu Gowon.
Shonekan, a lawyer, technocrat and boardroom guru was the Chairman and Chief Executive of the United African Company, UAC, of Nigeria (a successor of the Royal Niger Company). It was a vast conglomerate which at the time was the largest African controlled company in sub-Saharan Africa
That was before his selection to head the Interim National Government. Shonekan was the Chairman of the Interim National Government between 26 August and 17 November 1993. He was ousted in a palace coup led by late General Sani Abacha who was Secretary of Defence.
Shonekan joined the United Africa Company of Nigeria in 1964, at the time a subsidiary of the United Africa Company which played a prominent role in British colonisation. He rose through the ranks in the company and was promoted 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.