Former Kwara Governor Cornelius Adebayo Dies At 83

Wednesday June 25, 2025

Former Governor of Kwara State and one-time Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, is dead, Channels NEWS reported.

He passed away on Tuesday morning after a brief illness.

A family source, who requested anonymity pending an official statement, confirmed the news to Channels Television via telephone.

Born on 24 February 1941 in Igbaja, now part of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Adebayo had a distinguished academic and political career.

He attended All Saints Anglican School in Oke-Onigbin and Provincial Secondary School in Ilorin before proceeding to Barewa College, Zaria (1962–1963).

He later studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1964–1967), and the University of Ghana, Legon (1967–1969).

In 1969, he began lecturing at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and, by 1973, became Head of the English Department at the Kwara State College of Technology.

Adebayo served as Commissioner for Education and, later, Commissioner for Information and Economic Development in Kwara State from 1975 to 1978.

He was elected Senator under the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in 1979 and became Governor of Kwara State in 1983.

His tenure was cut short by the military coup of 31 December 1983 led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari.

In 1999, Adebayo was appointed Minister of Communications under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, where he contributed to key reforms in the telecoms sector.

Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced by the family.