Former Nigeria Attorney General Olu Onagoruwa dies at 80

A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Olu Onagoruwa, is dead.

Mr. Onagoruwa, who first made a name as a human rights activist, was confirmed dead on Friday morning.

He served as Attorney-General of the Federation under the military government of Sani Abacha between 1993 and 1994.

He had been suffering from stroke since the brutal killing of his son, Toyin Onagoruwa, in December 1996 by yet unknown gunmen.

The death of his wife few years ago also compounded his health problem.

Mr. Onagoruwa was appointed the AGF by the late Mr. Abacha, in November 1993.

He, however, left the post months later due to disagreements with the then military government.

Respected across Africa, Mr. Onagoruwa was part of those who drafted the Ethiopian constitution in 1994.

The lawyer studied at the University of London for his LL.B; LL.M and PhD degrees. He returned to Nigeria to attend the Law School.

His core practice areas included Constitutional law, Legislative Matters, Banking and Insolvency, Oil and Gas, Telecommunication Law and litigation.

He wrote several books and has to his credit over 250 published articles.

Before becoming the Attorney-General of the Federation, he set up the Onagoruwa Chambers through which he championed the rights of citizens, becoming a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1993.

He was for many years the legal adviser of the Daily Times Newspaper under the control of the late Babatunde Jose.

Mr. Onagoruwa struck the headlines at that time with the Minere Amakiri case in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The deceased hailed from Odogbolu in Ogun State .