Shonekan: Buhari directs flags to fly at half-mast for three days

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that national flags should be flown at half-mast in honour of the late Ernest Shonekan, former head of the interim national government. 

Shonekan died in Lagos on Tuesday. He was 85 years old.

In a statement, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, said the national flags will be flown at half-mast from January 12 to January 14.

“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 reads.

Born on May 9, 1936, Shonekan was a British-trained lawyer and industrialist.

Shonekan was head of the interim government after Ibrahim Babangida, former head of state, refused to hand over power to MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election.

After Babangida ”stepped aside”, Shonekan was in charge of the government but was in office for only three months, before he was ousted by late Sani Abacha, former military ruler, through a coup.

You can read more about him here.