Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has described the late Chief Oludolapo Ibukun Akinkugbe as an icon, hero, ardent patriot and one of God’s special gifts to Nigeria.
Late Akinkugbe, whose passing was announced on Monday at age 96, was the senior brother of late Professor Ladipo Akinkugbe, a bosom friend of the former President who passed on to eternal glory in 2020 at 87.
In a condolence message made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi on Monday, Obasanjo said, “his demise got to me with the feeling of a sense of personal loss as he was the elder brother of my late bosom friend, Professor Ladipo Akinkugbe, who passed on to eternal glory in 2020 at 87 and whose life and path intertwined with mine in many respects.”
According to Obasanjo, “Chief Olu Akinkugbe was an icon and a hero in the true sense of these words. We thank God for his illustrious life of exemplary leadership, ardent patriotism and life-long devotion to the cause of upholding the highest standards of conduct in his business endeavours and within our society.”
Obasanjo remarked that, Chief Akinkugbe was one of God’s special gifts to the nation and lived an enviable, rich and fruitful life which many aspire to emulate and pray to attain.
“His contribution in the area of pharmacology in Nigeria is legendary. He made a great change in the country’s crucial health sector in different capacities. He was the pioneer General-Secretary of the defunct Nigerian Union of Pharmacists (NUP) and brought international recognition to the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) when he was invited to serve on
the Council of the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association (CPA).
“He was also the first Nigerian Chairman of Procter and Gamble Nigeria Plc as well as former Chairman of Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline). We are proud of him for his achievement and contribution to the socio-economic and
political development of our nation.
The former President, who is presently in the United States of America for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly session, recalled that he felt much of “the impact of Chief Akinkugbe’s wise counsel.
“An employer of labour, a philanthropist, Chief Akinkugbe’s selfless services to the country and exemplary leadership will be greatly missed by his community, Local Government Area, State and the nation in general” he added.
