Onosode was an icon of best of Nigeria’s national values, says Anyaoku

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku has described the late Gamaliel Onosode as a true symbol of integrity, an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best of Nigeria’s national values.

``An iroko in the corporate world has fallen,’’ he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while reacting to Tuesday’s passing away of the late former presidential adviser.

NAN reports that Onosode, a chartered stockbroker, administrator and financial consultant, had passed on early Tuesday.

``Gam, as he was called by his contemporaries, was a true symbol of integrity in the boardroom. He was an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best on Nigeria’s national values,’’ Anyaoku said.

He also said Onosode was outstanding in his support for religious activities.

``He was a man of God who deployed a significant part of his righteously acquired resources to supporting the church in his hometown of Ughelli and in Lagos where he lived an exemplary modest life,’’ Anyaoku said.

The former Commonwealth Secretary-General further said Onosode would be missed by the very many people whose lives he touched in many beneficial ways.

``Gamaliel was my best man at our wedding almost 53 years ago. My entire family, which enjoys close relationship with his family, joins his wife Susan and their children in mourning this virtuous man.

``We thank God for his remarkable and fulfilled life, and pray that his soul will ret in perfect peace,’’ Anyaoku said.

Onosode, an Urhobo-born financial consultant was born on May 22 of 1933 in Sapele, a sub-urban city in the current Delta.

He was educated at Government College, Ughelli and the University of Ibadan.

Onosode later emerged in the 1970s as one of Nigeria's leading educated chief executives, when he was at the helm of affairs at NAL Merchant Bank of Nigeria.

Over the years, he rose to become a leading boardroom player in Nigeria's corporate environment.

He was a Presidential Adviser to the then President Shehu Shagari and a former President of the Nigerian Institute of Management, and chaired several private and public sector businesses and initiatives.

These include Dunlop Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Presidential Commission on Parastatals and Nigeria LNG Working Committee and Nigeria LNG Limited and the Niger Delta Environmental Survey.

Onosode was a Fellow of the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank, the Nigerian Institute of Management and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

In addition, Onosode was immediate-past and inaugural President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, immediate past Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Uyo.

He holds Honorary D.Sc. degrees of Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Benin and the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

Before his death, he was Chairman of Delta State Think-Tank on Development, Global Missions Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and Governing Council of Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso.(NAN)