Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, passed
on yesterday, Saturday November 29, in a South African hospital after a long battle with a terminal disease said
to be brain tumour.
He was 66 years old.
Confirming his demise, one of the deceased’s brothers,
Professor Oladapo Ashiru, told journalists:
“It is true. He died at about five minutes to 6pm today (yesterday).”
“He had been ill for some time. We still don’t know why he
had the problem (illness), probably due to frequent exposure to sunlight or
frequent use of telephone.
“He recovered after a procedure and I was with him in South
Africa in November 2013. He was full of energy and was raising fund for his
church in Victoria Island. He was looking forward to getting back (to Nigeria).
“I told him that he would still be of use to the country in a
different capacity. He was supposed to write his memoir when he gets back.
Unfortunately, he had a relapse. His family spent Christmas with him in South
Africa and just a day before the date he planned to come back, he had a relapse.”
The deceased was born on August 27, 1948 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun
state. The graduate of the University of Lagos was Third Secretary at the
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972. He also served as Nigerian
Ambassador to South Korea in 1991.
He was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, with
concurrent accreditation to Lesotho and Swaziland, in 2005.
May he find peace in the beyond… Amen!
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