The Federal Government has ordered that the National Flag be flown half-mast from Wednesday till Friday in honour of former Head of Interim National Government (ING) Chief Ernest Shonekan.
This was contained in a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha on Tuesday evening.
“Following the death of the former Head of the Interim Government, Late Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan, GCFR, President Muhammadu Buhari, has directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast, effective from Wednesday 12th – Friday 14th, January 2022 as a mark of respect for the former Head of State who died on Tuesday 11th January 2022 at the age of 85,” the statement said.
Shonekan reportedly died on Tuesday in Lagos State at the age of 85, generating reactions from the leaders and citizenry.
He ruled the country during a brief stint as the Head of State of Nigeria between 26 August 1993 and 17 November 1993.
Shonekan initially assumed concurrently the positions of head of the transitional council and head of government under Ibrahim Babangida on 2 January 1993. At the time, the transitional council was envisioned as the final phase before a scheduled handover to a democratically elected leader of the Third Nigerian Republic.
Shonekan became aware of the government’s dire financial situation, which he was powerless to rectify. The government was pressed by international debt obligations and was forced to engage in constant debt rescheduling negotiations.
Babangida resigned from office in August 1993, following the annulment of the 12 June elections. He issued a proclamation establishing the Interim National Government, which was led by Shonekan, who was later sworn in as head of state.
On 17 November 1993, Shonekan was compelled to resign by his Minister of Defense, Sani Abacha. Abacha cited socio-political uncertainty under the Interim National Government as a reason for his resignation in his nationwide broadcast.
Shonekan died in Lagos at the age of 85. He was said to have breathed his last at Evercare hospital, in the Lekki area of Lagos state.
