Tamunoemi Sokari David-West pass on

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tam david west pass on

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Nigerian Former minister of petroleum and consultant virologist, Prof Tamunoemi Sokari David-West, is dead.

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Tamunoemi Sokari David-West, who was also an ex-commissioner for Education, was said to have died few hours ago at the age of 83.

A close family source told  us that the ex-minister and Professor of Virology was not ill the last time she interacted with him,

The source, however, could not immediately disclose where the late Octogenarian passed on.

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He was once the minister of Petroleum under Muhammadu Buhari military administration.

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West was also at a point in his life the minister of Mines, Power and Steel under Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s regime.

Buhari reacts as Tam David West dies at 83

President Muhammadu Buhari has expresses deep sorrow over the death of his ally and friend, a man he usually called “the indomitable Tam David-West.”

Professor Tamunoemi Sokari David-West, 83, was a consultant virologist of national and international standing.

He served as Commissioner of Education in the old Rivers State, Minister of Petroleum and Energy under the Muhammadu Buhari military regime, and Minister of Mines, Power and Steel under Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime.

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Reacting to his death, Buhari commiserated with the David-West family, the people of Buguma, Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State, the academia, and all those who loved “the forthright Tam David-West.”

A statement signed by his Media Aide, Femi Adesina quoted the President as saying: “He had an indomitable spirit, stood resolutely by whatever he believed in, and was in a class of his own.”

Buhari prayed that God will rest the soul of the committed nationalist, urging all those who believed in the ideals he espoused to approximate same, for the betterment of Nigeria, and humanity in general.

How Tam David-West Died

A family source on Monday gave a hint as to how a former Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Prof Tam David-West, died at a private suite at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State.

The source who pleaded anonymity said the octogenarian died around 11:05 am, Monday after spending about 11 days at the private suite of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan at age 83.

He added that the deceased was rushed to the hospital when he suddenly fell sick but did not disclose the cause of death.

As at the time of filing this report, the source said the children of the deceased, who mostly reside in Rivers state had been contacted and are already on the way to Ibadan, the Oyo state capital city.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of UCH, Mr. Toye Akinrinlola, who confirmed the death also gave the time the deceased breath his last to be around 11am, Monday.

He also declined comments on the cause or situation that led to the death of the deceased.

History of Tamunoemi Sokari David-West culled from Wikipedia

History of Tam David-West

Academia

David-West was born in BugumaKalabari, in what is now Rivers State. He received his higher education at the University of Ibadan (1956–1958) and earned a BSc degree at Michigan State University (1958–1960), an MSc degree at Yale University (1960–1962), and a PhD degree at McGill University (1964–1966). David-West was consultant virologist and senior lecturer at the University of Ibadan in 1969 and was subsequently promoted to professor of virology in 1975

Government

David-West served in Nigerian government as commissioner of education and a member of the Executive Council of Rivers State (1975–1979), as a member of the fifty-person Constitution Drafting Committee for the Federal Military Government of General Murtala Muhammed (1979), as federal minister of petroleum and energy under General Muhammadu Buhari (1984–1985), and as minister of mines, power, and steel under General Ibrahim Babangida (1986). He was eventually removed as minister and arrested by the Babangida regime for allegedly contributing to the economic adversity of the country; He was discharged and acquitted of these charges by Nigeria’s Special Appeal Court on 8 August 1991

Politics

David-West has been an outspoken and controversial critic of Nigerian government policy since his purge and arrest under the military regime of General Babangida. David-West criticized the unconstitutionality of the advisory council established by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010, and he voiced caution against government unreservedly opening its doors to United States intelligence.Although he is not affiliated with any political party, David-West supported Chibuike Amaechi of the right-wing-leaning People’s Democratic Party for reelection as governor of Rivers State.

Publication

David-West is the author of academic papers in virology that have appeared in scholarly journals such as Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology (1966),Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (1973), Intervirology (1974),[7] and Journal of Hygiene (1974). He also wrote the book Philosophical Essays: Reflections on the Good Life (1980), in which he describes himself as a follower of British analytic philosopher and social critic Bertrand Russell. David-West’s lecture in philosophy “God, Nature and the Universe” (1981) was delivered at the University of Ibadan

 

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