Ex-Kwara Gov, C.O. Adebayo, Dies at 84

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Former Kwara State Governor and elder statesman, Senator Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, popularly known as C.O. Adebayo, has passed away at the age of 84.

Adebayo died on Wednesday in an Abuja hospital after a brief illness, as confirmed by his daughter, Mrs. Toyosi Thomas, the Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock Development.

“Yes, Daddy is dead. I’m on my way to Abuja now. He died in Abuja today at the age of 84,” she said.

Born on February 24, 1941, in Igbaja, Kwara State, Adebayo was a distinguished academic and politician. He began his career as a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (then University of Ife) before venturing into politics.

He served as Kwara State Commissioner for Education (1975–1978), Senator under the Unity Party of Nigeria (1979), and later as Governor of Kwara State in 1983 before the military coup that ended Nigeria’s Second Republic.

Adebayo also served as Minister of Communications (2003–2006) under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described Adebayo as “an all-time patriot, statesman, and progressive who represented great ideals and fought for good causes throughout his lifetime.”

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, hailed him as “an administrator par excellence and elder statesman,” while the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, acknowledged his contributions to education and national development.

Adebayo is survived by children, grandchildren, and notable family members, including Engr. Olusegun Adebayo, Director General of NALDA, and Mrs. Toyosi Thomas, Kwara State Commissioner for Livestock Development.

His legacy as a pro-democracy advocate, educator, and political leader remains indelible in Nigeria’s history.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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