Sunday Afolabi
Encyclopedia
Sunday Afolabi is a Nigeria
n politician who served in the Cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Internal Affairs. Later he stood trial for alleged bribery concerning contracts for the National ID card plan.
, of Yoruba
origin.
His traditional titles were Oloye Bada of Ile-Ife and Oloye Asiwaju Apesin of Oshogbo.,
Afolabi attended Offa Grammer School in Kwara State (1948 - 1950) and Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta
(1951 - 1953).
He became an Accounts Clerk at United African Company (1953 - 1954), then worked at Bank of British West Africa, later called Standard Bank and now First Bank of Nigeria
(1954 - 1961). He was Chief Accountant at the University of Ibadan
(1961 - 1978).
In the Nigerian Second Republic
(1979 - 1983) Afolabi was a member of Chief Obafemi Awolowo
's Unity Party of Nigeria
(UPN).
He served as deputy governor of Oyo State
when Bola Ige
was governor.
Later he moved over to the National Party of Nigeria
(NPN), and became Minister of Education in the Shehu Shagari
government.
Afolabi was a member of the defunct Social Democratic Party
in the lead-up to the abortive Nigerian Third Republic
(1989 - 1993). He became a member of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) in 1998 in the lead up to the Nigerian Fourth Republic
.
He was appointed Minister of the Interior in June 1999.
He said he did not beg to serve in the government, but the president voluntarily asked "me to pick any ministry of my choice". However, his appointment may have been because he was one of the few Yoruba supporters of Obasanjo.
He worked with Bola Ige to create the pro-Obasanjo Yoruba Council of Elders to support Obasanjo's bid for reelection in 2003.
As Minister of Interior, Afolabi reported that the government allocated NGN2.4 billion for prison reforms in 2001.
He was strong proponent of the National Identity Card project, to be used for the 2003 Federal and State elections.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
(ICPC) arrested Afolabi on 5 December 2003 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
In December 2003 Afolabi stood trial along with his successor as Internal Affairs minister Mohammed Shata
, former Labour Minister Hussain Akwanga and others on charges that they had sought bribes worth some $2m from the French firm, Sagem in connection with the $214m contract to produce identity cards.
He and the other accused were granted bail on 31 December 2003.
Afolabi died of cancer in London in May 2004. In June 2004, the court dropped all charges against him.
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...
n politician who served in the Cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Internal Affairs. Later he stood trial for alleged bribery concerning contracts for the National ID card plan.
Background
Sunday Afolabi was born in Irre, Osun StateOsun State
Ọṣun State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria. Its capital is Osogbo. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east partly by Ekiti State and partly by Ondo State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west by Oyo State. The state's current governor is Rauf Aregbesola, who was...
, of Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
origin.
His traditional titles were Oloye Bada of Ile-Ife and Oloye Asiwaju Apesin of Oshogbo.,
Afolabi attended Offa Grammer School in Kwara State (1948 - 1950) and Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
(1951 - 1953).
He became an Accounts Clerk at United African Company (1953 - 1954), then worked at Bank of British West Africa, later called Standard Bank and now First Bank of Nigeria
First Bank of Nigeria
First Bank of Nigeria is a Nigerian bank and financial services firm.First Bank traces its ancestry back to the first major financial institution founded in Nigeria; hence the name. The current chairman is Dr. Ayoola Oba Otudeko, OFR...
(1954 - 1961). He was Chief Accountant at the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
(1961 - 1978).
Early political career
Afolabi became a member and leader of the Action Group, Osun Division.In the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
(1979 - 1983) Afolabi was a member of Chief Obafemi Awolowo
Obafemi Awolowo
Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was a Nigerian politician, trade unionist, author and statesman. A Yoruba and native of Ikenne in Ogun State of Nigeria, he started his career as a regional political leader like most of his pre-independence contemporaries and was responsible for much of the progressive...
's Unity Party of Nigeria
Unity Party of Nigeria
The Unity Party of Nigeria was a Nigerian political party that was dominant in western Nigeria during the second republic. The party revolved around the political leadership of Obafemi Awolowo, a sometimes polemical but effective administrator. However, the party's main difference with its...
(UPN).
He served as deputy governor of Oyo State
Oyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
when Bola Ige
Bola Ige
James Ajibola Idowu Ige simply known as Bola Ige was a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He became Federal Minister of Justice for Nigeria...
was governor.
Later he moved over to the National Party of Nigeria
National Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
(NPN), and became Minister of Education in the Shehu Shagari
Shehu Shagari
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
government.
Afolabi was a member of the defunct Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a...
in the lead-up to the abortive Nigerian Third Republic
Nigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
(1989 - 1993). He became a member of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) in 1998 in the lead up to the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
.
Fourth Republic
Afolabi backed Olusegun Obasanjo's successful bid for presidency in 1999.He was appointed Minister of the Interior in June 1999.
He said he did not beg to serve in the government, but the president voluntarily asked "me to pick any ministry of my choice". However, his appointment may have been because he was one of the few Yoruba supporters of Obasanjo.
He worked with Bola Ige to create the pro-Obasanjo Yoruba Council of Elders to support Obasanjo's bid for reelection in 2003.
As Minister of Interior, Afolabi reported that the government allocated NGN2.4 billion for prison reforms in 2001.
He was strong proponent of the National Identity Card project, to be used for the 2003 Federal and State elections.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission , is a Nigerian agency that was inaugurated on the 29th of September 2000 following the recommendation of President Olusegun Obasanjo...
(ICPC) arrested Afolabi on 5 December 2003 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
In December 2003 Afolabi stood trial along with his successor as Internal Affairs minister Mohammed Shata
Mohammed Shata
Dr. Mohammed Shata PhD is a Nigerian politician who served in the Cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2003.-Obasanjo cabinet:...
, former Labour Minister Hussain Akwanga and others on charges that they had sought bribes worth some $2m from the French firm, Sagem in connection with the $214m contract to produce identity cards.
He and the other accused were granted bail on 31 December 2003.
Afolabi died of cancer in London in May 2004. In June 2004, the court dropped all charges against him.