EKITI: Senator Olowoporoku dies at 76

FORMER lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Dr Olabode Olowoporoku, is dead.

Olowoporoku’s death was confirmed by a statement issued by his son, Ayodeji Olowoporoku.

According to the statement the Ilawe-Ekiti born politician breathed his last in his Ilawe Ekiti country home yesterday after a brief illness.

“We regret to announce the passage to eternity of our dear husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend, Dr Olabode Olowoporoku, who peacefully passed away at his residence on March 24, 2021 after a brief illness. He was a nationalist, a proud Ekiti elder statesman and philanthropist. We will miss him dearly for his irreplaceable role as a caring father.

“Announcements about his burial ceremony will be made in due course,” the statement read.

The late Olowoporoku was at the upper legislative chamber from 2003-2007.

He attended the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) for his first degree in Economics

He won a scholarship by Ford Foundation to undertake a postgraduate study at University of Manchester where he bagged his Masters’ degree in Economics in 1972.

He later got his doctorate degree in Development Economics at the University in 1975.

He began his illustrious academic career as a lecturer at the University of Ife, where he built a reputation of high-level intellectual profile and scholastic erudition.

He was a thorough-bred scholar-politician who was part of the conclave of the intelligentsia that gave the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) its ideological foundation and policy direction.

He served as Commissioner for Economic Planning and Statistics in Ondo State in 1979 and supervised the creation of most of the industries and commercial investment that the Ajasin administration was reputed for.

He later defected to the opposition National Party of Nigeria where he was appointed Minister of Science and Technology by the Shehu Shagari administration which was later toppled by General Muhammadu Buhari in 1983.