Adekunle Lawal
Encyclopedia
Adekunle Shamusideen Lawal (8 February 1934 – 27 November 1980) was a Nigerian Navy officer. He was appointed military governor of Lagos State
, Nigeria
in July 1975 after the coup that brought General Murtala Muhammed to power. Lawal held the position of Lagos State Military Governor until 1977 when he was transferred to become governor of Imo State
in 1977. He held this position until July 1978, after which he resumed his career in the Nigerian Navy.
Lawal started his early education at Holy Cross Cathedral School, Lagos, Nigeria. His secondary education was completed at the Methodist Boys’ High School in Lagos
, after which he went on to receive his Advanced Level Certificate of Education (A'Levels) in three subjects. He attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, from where he graduated in 1963 with B.Sc.(Eng) Honors. He has a CMarEng and FIMarEng (Chartered and Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering).
Lawal joined the Royal Nigerian Navy in September 1963 as a Sub-Lieutenant. In 1964 he was promoted to Lieutenant. In March 1964 he attended a Marine Engineering course with the Royal Naval Ships in Rotterdam, Holland. In 1966 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. From 1969 to 1971, Adekunle Shamusideen Lawal attended the Defence Naval Staff College in Wellington, India, where he received his M.Sc.(Eng). He was Chief of Material in the Nigerian Navy from 1973 to 1978 and was a member of the Supreme Military Council S.M.C. from 1972 to 1975 during the General Yakubu Gowon administration. He was also appointed to the Board of the Nigerian Port Authority as a full Board Member from 1972 to 1975. Captain Lawal also served as the Chief Engineer on numerous naval vessels including the NNS OGOJA, NNS BEECROFT and the NNS Nigeria during his time with the Nigerian Navy.
Lawal voluntarily retired from the Nigerian Navy as an Admiral in 1980 and after an illness he died in November 1980. He is survived by his wife Mrs. Taiwo Adefunmilayo Lawal, whom he married in Lagos in 1965 and his six children.
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
in July 1975 after the coup that brought General Murtala Muhammed to power. Lawal held the position of Lagos State Military Governor until 1977 when he was transferred to become governor of Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
in 1977. He held this position until July 1978, after which he resumed his career in the Nigerian Navy.
Lawal started his early education at Holy Cross Cathedral School, Lagos, Nigeria. His secondary education was completed at the Methodist Boys’ High School in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, after which he went on to receive his Advanced Level Certificate of Education (A'Levels) in three subjects. He attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, from where he graduated in 1963 with B.Sc.(Eng) Honors. He has a CMarEng and FIMarEng (Chartered and Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering).
Lawal joined the Royal Nigerian Navy in September 1963 as a Sub-Lieutenant. In 1964 he was promoted to Lieutenant. In March 1964 he attended a Marine Engineering course with the Royal Naval Ships in Rotterdam, Holland. In 1966 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. From 1969 to 1971, Adekunle Shamusideen Lawal attended the Defence Naval Staff College in Wellington, India, where he received his M.Sc.(Eng). He was Chief of Material in the Nigerian Navy from 1973 to 1978 and was a member of the Supreme Military Council S.M.C. from 1972 to 1975 during the General Yakubu Gowon administration. He was also appointed to the Board of the Nigerian Port Authority as a full Board Member from 1972 to 1975. Captain Lawal also served as the Chief Engineer on numerous naval vessels including the NNS OGOJA, NNS BEECROFT and the NNS Nigeria during his time with the Nigerian Navy.
Lawal voluntarily retired from the Nigerian Navy as an Admiral in 1980 and after an illness he died in November 1980. He is survived by his wife Mrs. Taiwo Adefunmilayo Lawal, whom he married in Lagos in 1965 and his six children.