A former Minister of Labour and Chairman of First Bank Nigeria prince Sulaimon Ajibola Afonja is dead
The oyo born Prince passed away on Sunday night at the age of 82.
Afonja who is the chairman of integrated Dimensional System, IDS, and others company died Sunday night at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.
He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of First Bank plc and was appointed as Minister of Labour under the interim government of Chief Earnest Shonekan
He attended Kingston University, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom where he bagged a degree in Accounting in 1970.
After he graduated from the university, he started work with John Mowlem & Co, a UK-based construction firm with notable works at Buckingham Palace, the House of Commons, 10 Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge, the Manchester Metrolink and the Dublin Port Tunnel, among many other high end constructions
He first served as a subsidiary company accountant between 1971-1972 and then became the Group Assets Management Accountant in 1972, a position he held for three years before he returned to Nigeria in 1974.
A prominent Oyo socio – political group, Oyo Global Forum – OGF Statement while mourning the passage of the illistrious son wrote:
On this dark day in Oyo, we mourn the loss of Prince Ajibola Afonja, former Labour Minister and Chairman of First Bank Nigeria, who passed away on Sunday night, aged 82. Although a national figure with tremendous influence, he was particularly light for the Oyo community where he made pioneering efforts as an industrialist. His legacy of generosity and open-heartedness touched countless lives, and his presence will be profoundly missed.
Until his last month, Daddy IDS, as he was affectionately known, as a reference to his manufacturing company, remained hardworking, dedicated to realizing one of the most transformative business visions for the country’s economy. It was the E-Customs project.
His absence leaves a void that will be difficult to fill, but his spirit of generosity and leadership will continue to inspire us. For all of us that he inspired, we shall honor his memory by carrying forward the values he embodied and continuing his legacy of service and compassion, the values that guide OGF, which he supported during his lifetime.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, the entire Oyo community, and friends and associates throughout the world during this time of mourning.
