Former Governor Agagu passes away

The former Governor of Nigeria's Ondo State - Chief Olusegun Kokumo Agagu is dead.

He reportedly died after slumping during a meeting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Agagu was born on 16 February 1948 and was Governor on the platform of the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) from 29 May 2003 until February 2009, when a court voided his re-election as governor on account of electoral irregularities. He was replaced as governor by Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, his political arch-rival based on a court injunction.

He commenced his elementary education at St. Luke’s Anglican School, (now known as St. Paul’s Anglican School) Okitipupa, in 1954. In January 1958, he moved to live with his cousin, Edward Fagbohun in Ibadan, where he continued his primary education at Ebenezer African Church School, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. In 1959 he transferred to Kano where he studied at the Ebenezer Methodist School and Baptist Primary School Sabon-Gari, Kano. He then moved back to Ebenezer African Church School, Ibadan where he completed his primary education in 1960. Thereafter, he was in Ibadan Grammar School between January 1961 and 1967 where he passed his West African School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate examinations. He was admitted to the University of Ibadan in 1968 to study Botany but later changed to Geology in which he graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Second Class Upper Division, in 1971. As an undergraduate, his academic record was replete with laurels and prizes.

Agagu attended the University of Texas between 1973 and 1974 for his Masters degree in Geology. Returning to Nigeria, he obtained a Ph.D degree in Petroleum Geology from the University of Ibadan in 1978.

He was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo as his first Minister of Aviation in 1999.

Once, while on a foreign trip, the people of Ondo received false reports of his death.

On 29 June 2006 President Olusegun Obasanjo commended him for the work he had done leading Ondo State, saying "You have taken time to plan. We have also seen that the execution of the plan is now showing results."

In September 2008, a Senate Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the Transportation Sector summoned Agagu and others as part of its probe of the entire transportation sector, to answer questions about his tenure as Minister of Aviation. On 5 March 2009, Agagu was questioned by the EFCC for an alleged N25bn spent on Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) during his administration, while the new administration led by Governor Olusegun Mimiko also commenced probe of contracts awarded in the last six months of his administration.

Ondo State Governor - Dr Olusegun Mimiko expressed shock and disbelief at the news of the  death of Agagu. In a statement by the State’s Commissioner for Information - Mr Kayode Akinmade, Mimiko described the death as most unfortunate and  hard to believe: “This news, to say the least, is most shocking and very hard to believe. It is most unfortunate and indeed a great loss.”