By Omotayo Edubi
Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan GCFR born 9 May 1936 in Lagos and died 11 January, 2022, was a Nigerian lawyer and a leader who served as the interim Head of State of Nigeria from 26 August 1993 to 17 November 1993.
Before his political career, Shonekan was the chairman and chief executive of the United African Company of Nigeria, a vast Nigerian firm, which at the time was as the peak being one of the largest African-controlled companies in Sub-Saharan Africa at the time.
Shonekan schooled at CMS Grammar School and Igbobi College and received a law degree from the University of London where he received his authentication to practice law and later furthered in Harvard Business School.
Shonekan joined the United Africa Company of Nigeria in 1964, at the time an auxiliary of the United Africa Company participated a major role in British colonisation.
He climbed through the positions in the company and was elevated as an assistant legal adviser and later a deputy adviser.
He joined the board of directors at the age of 40 and was made chairman and managing director in 1980, and went on to cultivate a wide array of international business and political connections.
On 2 January 1993, Shonekan assumed office concurrently as head of intermediary council and head of government under Ibrahim Babangida.
During that time the transitional council considered to be the final phase leading to a scheduled hand over to an elected democratic leader of the Third Nigerian Republic.
Shonekan learned of the dire condition of government finances, which he was unable to correct. The government was hard pressed on international debt obligations and had to hold constant talks for debt rescheduling.
In August 1993, Babangida resigned from office, following the dissolution of the 12 June elections.
He signed a decree establishing the Interim National Government led by Shonekan who was subsequently sworn-in as head of state.
In 1994, he founded the Nigerian Economic Summit Group an advocacy group and think-tank for private sector-led development of the Nigerian economy.
Since then Shonekan went on to feature prominently as an elder statesman. At the time of his death he was the third oldest surviving Nigerian head of state by age after Elizabeth II and Yakubu Gowon.