GAMALIEL Onosode , frontline industrialist, administrator, has died at 82.
Ese Onosode, his son, confirmed this in a statement, saying he died at 8.15 a.m. on Tuesday.
The octogenarian was a former presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). He was also a former presidential adviser to President Shehu Shagari and a former president of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).
Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode, born May 22, 1933 is a highly acclaimed technocrat and administrator. An Urhobo man, born and raised in Sapele, a suburban city in Delta State by a disciplined father, he sometimes credited the strict family background and practice as being a complementary factor in his success as a disciplined civil servant and corporate administrator.
A man noted for precision, he was noted to have turned down an award which carried his spelt as Gemaliel instead of Gamaliel. After thanking the president of the student body which presented him the award, he requested that the error be corrected before he could receive it.
Education
Educated at the Government College, Ughelli, he studied Classics at the University College, (now University of Ibadan) on multiple scholarships (State Scholar and University Scholar, 1954-1957) for he was extremely brilliant and top of his class. As attestation to the quality of his mind, he won the Department and Faculty Prize; he was elected Cambridge University Jebb Scholar (1957).
Career
He emerged in the 1970s, as one of Nigeria’s leading educated chief executives, when he was at the helm of NAL merchant bank of Nigeria. Over the years, he has risen to become a leading boardroom player in Nigeria’s corporate environment. He was also a former presidential adviser to President Shagari and a former president of the Nigerian Institute of Management.
Throughout his career, Dr. G. O. Onosode has chaired several private and public sector businesses and initiatives. He was the Chairman of Dunlop Nigeria Plc (1984–2007), a former chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc (1977–93), the Presidential Commission on Parastatals (1981), Nigeria LNG Working Committee and Nigeria LNG Limited (1985–90) and the Niger Delta Environmental Survey (since 1995). He was also the Chairman of Zain Nigeria, a GSM telecommunications company, the oldest GSM operator in Nigeria.
He also chaired panels, boards, councils, commissions and committees in both public and private sectors. The list includes: Nigerian Institute of Management, Federal Military Government Projects Review Committee, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, CFAO Nigeria Limited, Nigeria Stockbrokers Limited, Crusader Insurance Company (Nigeria) Limited, Dunlop Nigeria Plc, Niger Delta Environmental Survey, Global Missions Board, Nigeria Baptist Convention.
Public service
Onosode was Presidential Adviser on Budget Affairs and Director of Budget (1983). He is a Fellow of the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank, the Nigerian Institute of Management, of which he was President (1979–82). He was also a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, having been elected to membership of its Board of Fellows in 1998.
In addition, Onosode was immediate past and inaugural President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, immediate past Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Uyo and immediate past and inaugural President and Chairman of Council of the Association of Pension Funds of Nigeria. He was an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and holds Honorary D.Sc. degrees of Obafemi Awolowo University (1990), the University of Benin (1995), and the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (2003) as well as Honorary D.D. degree of The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso (2002).
Deacon Onosode is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, and has contributed immense time to see through philanthropic and governing matters concerning the university. He was the former Pro-Chancellor of the University and Chairman of its Governing Council.
Christian walk
He was also a devout Christian and started Good News Baptist Church in his Sitting Room on February 1, 1984. Good News Baptist Church is now a large church of over 2000 people and has become a force to reckon with in the Nigerian Baptist Convention in terms of missions and evangelism. Gamaliel Onosode was the inaugural Chairman of the Global Missions Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention. In addition, Onosode is Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, Nigeria’s oldest degree awarding theological institution, which in 2008 marked 110 years of its existence while the University of Ibadan was 60 years old.
Buhari mourns
Reacting, President Muhammadu Buhari extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the foremost administrator and technocrat.
He also commiserated with the government and people of Delta State and the Nigerian Baptist Convention on the passing away of their illustrious son and evangelist.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, Buhari said Onosode, apart from being a colossus in Nigeria’s private sector, also excelled in public service on various occasions.
He said Mr Onosode would be long remembered as an exemplary citizen and leader who made very significant contributions to national development.
He was a man of peace – Dogara
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday, commiserated with the government and people of Delta State over the demise of Chief Onosode.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, Dogara said Nigeria had lost one of finest and sound technocrat and administrator.
According to Dogara, “the late Onosode was a gentleman, who distinguished himself in business and politics as a devout Christian and deacon of the Baptish church.”
PDP mourns
The acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus,on Tuesday, on behalf of the party family nationwide,
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said.
“The PDP is indeed deeply saddened by the loss of this great Nigerian, a highly respected statesman and organis ed corporate administrator who made immense contributions towards the economic and political development of our dear nation.”
He was an icon of best of Nigeria’s national values – Anyaoku
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, described Onosode late Gamaliel Onosode as a true symbol of integrity, an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best of Nigeria’s national values.
“An iroko in the corporate world has fallen,’’ he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while reacting to the passing away of the late former presidential adviser.
“Gam, as he was called by his contemporaries, was a true symbol of integrity in the boardroom. He was an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best on Nigeria’s national values,’’ Anyaoku said.
He also said Onosode was outstanding in his support for religious activities.
UI ASUU eulogies late Onasode
Professor Olusegun Ajiboye, chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan, described the late Onasode as an exemplary human and an advocate of excellence.
Ajiboye, who was reacting to the news of the death of Onosode told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday that he was knowledgeable about everything and a big technocrat of note.
He said that as the former Pro-chancellor and the Chairman governing council of the University of Ibadan, Onasode performed creditably.
Onosode was straight till the end – Atiku
Former Vice President of Nigeria and APC chieftain, Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday described the late Onosede as a man of integrity and an exemplary discipline.
Reacting to the death, Atiku, in a statement released by his media office in Abuja, said Onosode was not only straight in all his business dealings, but carried himself with admirable composure, standing straight and tall and speaking loudly and clearly right up till his 80s.
“Onosode was a big man who didn’t necessarily look the part,” Atiku says. “He was in trim, good shape and his tastes were simple,” he stated.(Tribune)
