Former minister, Rasheed Gbadamosi, dies at 72

Former Minister of National Planning, Rasheed Gbadamosi, has died at the age of 72.

The foremost industrialist, writer and art collector had been living with the effect of a stroke since 2015 and had gone abroad for treatment.

He was said to have died in Nigeria.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, confirmed the death, writing on Twitter, “LASG mourns the passing of a leading industrialist, art patron, former minister and Co-Chairman of Lagos@50, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, 72.

“Chief Gbadamosi will be remembered for being a true Lagosian, a nationalist and art aficionado.”

Ayorinde said the remains of the deceased, who was appointed co-chairman of the Lagos@50 anniversary committee alongside Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, will be interred on Thursday at 2pm.

Gbadamosi served commissioner for establishment and economic development in Lagos State in his 20s.

The late Gbadamosi was educated in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Educated at the University of Manchester and the University of New Hampshire for his first and second degrees, Gbadamosi was chairman of Bank of Industry, Vono Products Plc, AIICO Pension Managers, Lucky Fibres (Nigeria) Plc, Ragolis Waters Ltd, Secure Electronic Technology Plc, Sparnoon Nigeria Ltd., Syndicated Metal Industries Ltd. and a Managing Director at R.A.G & Co. Ltd.

He was on the Board of Directors at Cappa & D’Alberto Plc, Premium Health Ltd. and Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON)

The former chairman of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) authored the book Trees Grow in the Desert, which has been widely performed.