Ogbonnaya Onu, former Minister of Science and Technology, dies at 72
By Emma Ogbuehi
The first civilian governor of Abia State and former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation under President Muhammadu Buhari, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, is dead.
Family sources told TheNiche that he died today, Thursday, in Abuja after spending three weeks in the hospital.
He was aged 72.
A political bigwig from the Southeast who spoke to TheNiche anonymously also confirmed the story.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that the former minister and governor of old Abia State is dead.
“He died this morning here in Abuja. It is so sad. Nobody heard that he was sick until he died. But family members said he has been in the hospital in the last three weeks.
“His corpse has been deposited in the mortuary and we are waiting for the family to tell us how to proceed from here,” our source said.
Meanwhile, condolences messages have started pouring in.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatization and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has expressed sadness over the passing of Dr. Onu.
Describing the frontline politician as a nationalist with passion for unity and progress of Nigeria, Kalu acknowledged the invaluable contributions of the former minister to nation building.
The former governor while admonishing the Onu family to take solace in the fact that their late patriarch lived a purposeful life, urged the deceased’s children and loved ones to sustain his worthy legacy.
In a condolence message which he sent to TheNiche, Kalu said, “The demise of former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, is a huge loss to Ndigbo and Nigeria in general.
“The late statesman was a consummate politician and selfless philanthropist who was committed to nation building.
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“Having served meritoriously in various capacities in the public sector, his wise counsel on national issues will be greatly missed.
“He will be remembered for his outstanding leadership qualities.
“The former governor will be greatly missed”.
Kalu prayed for eternal rest for the late politician.
Born on December 1, 1951, to the family of Eze David Aba Onu in Amata, Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of then Eastern region, later Imo State, then Abia State and now Ebonyi State, Onu was an academic, politician, author and engineer.
He was the first civilian governor of old Abia State and was the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Nigeria from November 2015 until his resignation in 2022.
He was the longest serving minister of the ministry.
He started his education at Izzi High School in Abakaliki, now the Ebonyi State capital where he obtained grade one with distinction in his West African School Certificate Examination.
He also sat for the High School Examination at College of Immaculate Conception (C.I.C) Enugu, graduating as the overall best student.
He proceeded to the University of Lagos and graduated with a first class degree in chemical engineering in 1976.
He went for his doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in chemical engineering in 1980.
Ogbonnaya Onu started his political career as an aspirant for a senatorial seat in the old Imo State on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
He contested for the position of Governor of Abia State in 1991 under the umbrella of the National Republican Convention and won.
He was sworn in as the first governor of the state in January 1992.
He was the first chairman, Conference of Nigerian elected governors.
In 1999, he was the presidential flag bearer for the All People’s Party but relinquished the position to Olu Falae after a merger of his party with the Alliance for Democracy.
Falae lost to General Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP.
He became the national chairman of the All Nigerian People’s Party in 2010.
In 2013, ANPP successfully merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Democratic People’s Party (DPP) and some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In 2015, he was appointed Minister of Science and Technology by President Muhammadu Buhari.