BREAKING NEWS!... Ashiru, ex-Foreign Affairs minister, dies in S’Africa

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, on
Saturday died in a South African hospital after a long battle with a
terminal disease said to be brain tumour. He was 66 years old.
One of the deceased's brothers, Professor Oladapo Ashiru, confirmed
the death to our correspondent on Saturday night.
He said, "It is true. He died at about five minutes to 6pm today."
The Professor of Anatomy/Consultant Reproductive Endocrinologist said
Olugbenga's death was a great shock to the Ashiru family.
"He was one of our illustrious sons; a gentle soul; a gentle man to
the core; an ambassador extraordinary, who rose to the peak of his
career."
He added that the family was proud of his performance when President
Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The professor said, "He had been ill for some time. We still don't
know why he had the problem (illness), probably due to frequent
exposure to sunlight or frequent use of telephone.
"He recovered after a procedure and I was with him in South Africa in
November 2013. He was full of energy and was raising fund for his
church in Victoria Island. He was looking forward to getting back (to
Nigeria).
"I told him that he would still be of use to the country in a
different capacity. He was supposed to write his memoir when he gets
back. Unfortunately, he had a relapse. His family spent Christmas with
him in South Africa and just a day before the date he planned to come
back, he had a relapse."
President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Ashiru, who was said to have
been nominated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2011. He was,
however, removed in 2013 in a cabinet reshuffle.
Ashiru had been actively involved in the diplomatic face-off between
Nigeria and South Africa in 2012 over the deportation of 125 Nigerians
for not possessing valid yellow fever vaccination certificates. The
stand-off was eventually resolved after Nigeria retaliated.
Ashiru, while handing over, said he had succeeded in securing 22 key
international appointments for Nigerians during his two-year stay in
office.
"I am leaving foreign ministry as a fulfilled man considering my
achievements in just two years," he had said.
The deceased was born on August 27, 1948 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state. The
graduate of the University of Lagos was Third Secretary at the Federal
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972. He also served as Nigerian
Ambassador to South Korea in 1991.
He was Nigeria's High Commissioner to South Africa, with concurrent
accreditation to Lesotho and Swaziland, in 2005.