Ex-Kwara governor, Cornelius Adebayo dies at 84

An ex- Governor of Kwara State, Cornelius Adebayo has passed on at the age of 84.

Family sources confirmed that he passed away on Wednesday morning in Abuja.

Born on February 24, 1941, in Igbaja, Kwara State, Adebayo had a long and distinguished career in politics and public service. He served as a Senator in the Second Republic from 1979 to 1983 under the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

In 1983, he was elected Governor of Kwara State on the same party platform but spent only three months in office before a military coup ended the civilian administration.

Adebayo was later appointed Minister of Communications from July 2003 to August 2006 during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second term, where he played a key role in Nigeria’s telecommunications development.

A committed pro-democracy activist, Adebayo was a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a group that opposed military rule and sought to restore the mandate of Chief Moshood Abiola following the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In 1993, he declined an offer to serve in General Sani Abacha’s military regime. Following a 1995 bomb explosion in Ilorin, Adebayo and several NADECO members were detained by police. He later fled into exile in Canada in 1996 to evade further persecution by the junta.

Before his political ascendancy, Adebayo made significant contributions to education as the Commissioner for Education in Kwara State between 1975 and 1978, a period noted for meaningful reforms.

Chief Cornelius Adebayo is remembered for his principled leadership, dedication to democracy, and impactful service to the nation.