Ajibola Afonja, the esteemed former Minister of Labour and past Chairman of First Bank Nigeria, has died at age 82.
Family sources have confirmed that the prince from Oyo took his final breath yesterday, Sunday evening at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State.
During his illustrious career, Afonja not only led the board of First Bank Plc but also served his country as Minister of Labour under the short-lived interim administration headed by Earnest Shonekan.
His leadership extended beyond the financial institution, as he also chaired Integrated Dimensional System along with other companies.
A graduate of Kingston University in Surrey, United Kingdom, Afonja earned his accounting degree in 1970. His professional trajectory began in Britain with John Mowlem & Co, a construction company associated with prestigious projects including those at Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
Afonja first held the position of subsidiary company accountant from 1971-1972 and later rose to become Group Assets Management Accountant. He eventually returned to his home country in 1974 to continue his notable work.
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The Oyo Global Forum, a key socio-political entity in Oyo, expressed its sorrow through chairman Taiwo Adebayo, stating, “Today we grieve the loss of a venerated figure, Ajibola Afonja. A pivotal force nationally, he also shone brightly for our Oyo community as an industrial pioneer.”
Remembered as “Daddy IDS”, symbolizing his industrial contributions, Afonja put his heart into working relentlessly towards ambitious endeavors such as the E-Customs project. His unwavering commitment and benevolence affected the lives of many.
His departure creates an unfillable void, but his ethos of kindness and leadership will forever remain influential. Adebayo adds, “In his honor, we will persist in embodying the values he lived by, furthering his enduring commitment to service and compassion.”
In conclusion, The Oyo Global Forum thus expresses its deepest sympathy to his bereaved family, the broader Oyo community, and his numerous friends and associates across the globe as they navigate through this period of loss.
