Ernest Shonekan Biography
On August 26, 1993, he became the interim head of the state of Nigeria from August 26 to November 17 of that year; he was also known as the Abese of Egbaland from 1981 (along with a slew of other titles).
Formerly, Shonekan served as chairman and CEO of The Niger Firm successor United African Company of Nigeria, which at the time was the largest African-controlled company in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ernest Shonekan Age
Ernest Shonekan was born on the 9th of May 1936. He is currently 85years of old at this moment of writing.
Ernest Shonekan Career
During British colonialism, Shonekan worked for the United Africa Company of Nigeria, a subsidiary of the United Africa Company. Assistant legal adviser: He advanced through the ranks of the corporation and was elevated to this position. At the age of 40, he became a deputy adviser and was elected to the board of directors. Upon being promoted to chairman and CEO in 1980, he immediately set about building an extensive network of corporate and political contacts across the world.
Ibrahim Babangida appointed Shonekan on January 2, 1993, as head of the transitional council and as head of government. At the time, the transitional council was intended to be the penultimate step before the Third Nigerian Republic was handed over to a democratically chosen government.
Shonekan discovered that the government’s finances were in shambles, and he was unable to fix them. Talks for restructuring the government’s foreign debt commitments have to be held constantly.
Following the annulment of the June 12 elections, Babangida resigned in August 1993. He signed a decree establishing the Interim National Government, headed by Shonekan, who was sworn in as head of state after the decree was signed.
Following the annulment of the election, Shonekan was unable to contain the ensuing political turmoil. During his short time in office, he attempted to schedule a new presidential election and a restoration to democratic governance, but his government was stymied by a nationwide workers’ strike. Shonekan’s temporary administration was seen as illegitimate by opposition leader Moshood Abiola. Babangida’s political prisoners were freed under Shonekan’s leadership. The administration of Shonekan proposed a bill to abolish three important military directives. Babangida weakened the interim administration by handing it over to the military’s command.
Shonekan had pushed for the forgiveness of Nigeria’s debt, but the majority of Western nations had slapped sanctions on the country following the annulment of the election. Non-oil foreign investment dwindled as a result of the spiraling price of oil and the accompanying rampant inflation. Additionally, the government launched an examination of the accounts of NNPC (the oil company), an organization that was plagued by operational inefficiencies. While serving as temporary president of Nigeria, Shonekan was an Executive at Royal Dutch Shell.
ECOMOG’s peacekeeping operation in Liberia has Shonekan trying to determine a timeframe for the departure of troops from the mission. The Minister of Defense and Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sani Abacha, exercised total authority over the armed forces of the country.
Ernest Shonekan Exit From Office
Abacha overthrew Shonekan in a palace coup in November 1993, just three months into his term in office.
When he created the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in 1994, he was advocating for private sector-led economic growth in Nigeria.
Later, he became an elder statesman and is now the third-oldest living Nigerian head of state after Yakubu Gowon and Elizabeth II.
Ernest Shonekan Wife
During the lifetime of Ernest Shonekan, he was married to Mrs.Margaret Shonekan and was blessed with beautiful kids.
Ernest Shonekan Death
At the age of 85, Shonekan passed away at the Evercare hospital in Lagos’ Lekki district.
Net Worth
We don’t have information about his current net worth now.
Is Ernest Shonekan Still Alive?
Ernest Shonekan is not alive anymore, we pray that his perfect soul rests in peace.