By Milcah Tanimu

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the former Minister of Science and Technology who resigned from the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in pursuit of the presidential primaries in 2022, has sadly passed away.

His demise was confirmed today, April 11, by BBC Igbo, reporting that he breathed his last at a hospital in Abuja at the age of 72.

Dr. Onu, a distinguished American-trained scientist, was a standout graduate of the University of Lagos, where he achieved a First-Class Degree in Chemical Engineering. He furthered his academic pursuit, obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in the same field. Notably, he also served as the inaugural governor of Abia State.

Prior to his political journey, Dr. Onu held a significant academic position as a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, where he eventually became the pioneering Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering. His entry into national politics dates back to the transitional period toward civilian rule under former President Ibrahim Babangida, spanning from 1991 to 1993.

Having been elected governor in 1991, Dr. Onu’s tenure was truncated by the overthrow of Ernest Shonekan’s administration by the late Sani Abacha in 1994. Undeterred, he continued his political engagements and made several bids for the presidency, notably in 1999 under the banner of the All Peoples Party (APP), later known as the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).