Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who served as Abia State’s first governor, passed away at the age of 72 after a brief illness at a hospital in Abuja on Thursday.
Dr. Onu was Abia State’s first civilian governor, serving from 1992 until the government of Sani Abacha overthrew Ernest Shonekan’s administration in 1994.
Before his political career, Dr. Onu was a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, he entered national politics during the transition to civilian rule under former President Ibrahim Babangida from 1991 to 1993.
Dr. Onu served as Minister of Science and Technology from November 2015 until his resignation in 2022, which he followed by contesting the 2022 presidential primaries under the All Progressives Congress (APC), losing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
His passing is deeply mourned by the Igbo community and Nigeria at large, recognizing Dr. Onu as a consummate politician and selfless philanthropist dedicated to nation-building.
He leaves behind a legacy of exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
