President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has described the sudden passing of Segun Awolowo Jr, a prominent public servant and grandson of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as a profound loss to the Yoruba nation and the country at large.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Senator Akpabio said the news of Segun Awolowo’s death came as a shock.
“The news of the demise of my friend and brother, Segun, came to me when I least expected it. I am deeply shocked. But who are we to question the will of our Creator? He determines the beginning and end of every life,” he said.
The Senate President extended his condolences to the Awolowo family of Ikenne, Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun and the people of the state, describing the death as an irreplaceable loss.
“His untimely departure is a significant blow to our nation. My heart goes out to his wife, children and the entire family during this difficult moment.”
Senator Akpabio described Segun Awolowo Jr as a brilliant lawyer, a devoted family man, and a gentle soul whose contributions to national development would endure.
“Segun’s impact on the legal profession, public service and society will be remembered for generations,” he stated.
“On behalf of the people of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District and the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I pray that his soul rests in perfect peace. May his family, friends and associates find strength in the cherished memories he leaves behind,” the Senate President added.
Segun Awolowo Jr, born on 27 September 1963, was the son of Segun Awolowo Sr, who died at the age of 25 in a car accident on the old Ibadan–Lagos road. His grandfather, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, served as Premier of the Western Region and is remembered as a visionary leader whose policies reshaped education and economic development.
A respected public administrator, Segun Awolowo Jr served three Nigerian presidents—Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Muhammadu Buhari—in various advisory and leadership capacities.
He was a former Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and, in 2021, was unanimously elected President of the National Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) of ECOWAS member states.