By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Governor of Kwara State and veteran pro-democracy advocate, Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, has died at the age of 84.
Family sources confirmed that Adebayo passed away in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja. Born on February 24, 1941, in the Igbaja community of Kwara State, Adebayo was a key figure in Nigeria’s political history, known for his steadfast commitment to democracy and national development.
Adebayo’s political career spanned decades. He served as governor of Kwara State briefly in 1983 and was elected senator on the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) platform in 1979. Between 2003 and 2006, he was Minister of Communications under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Earlier in his career, Adebayo was Commissioner for Education in Kwara State from 1975 to 1978.
A staunch opponent of military rule, Adebayo played an active role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. He rejected a ministerial offer from the regime in 1993 and was forced into exile in Canada in 1996 following a wave of political repression.
Adebayo is remembered for his principled stance against authoritarianism and his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.
