Nigerians pay tribute to late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu

Nigerians pay tribute to late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu
Ehimen Oghuman, Lagos 

Nigerians have continued to pay tribute to Late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, former Chief of General Staff and Vice President to Ex-President Ibrahim Babangida who passed away at the age of 72 on Wednesday, August 17 at his Lagos residence after a prolonged illness.

He served as Chief of Naval staff at the inception of General Muhammadu Buhari’s military regime in 1984 before he was elevated in 1986 to position of Chief of general Staff under the Babangida Administration.

Reacting to the news of his death, Ex President, General Ibrahim Babangida expressed shock describing him as a brother, a confidant and a highly reliable and trusted Nigerian who gave the government and people of Nigeria his full loyalty.

Similarly, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole has described Aikhomu’s death as a huge loss to the people of Edo State and the Nation as a whole. He described the Late Admiral Aikhomu as a leading personality in Edo politics and a father figure who contributed his quota to the up-liftment of the state.

The Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola described the death of aikhomu as a great loss to Nigeria.

Speaking while on a condolence visit to the former Chief of general Staff family in Apapa, Governor Fashola noted that the story of modern Nigeria cannot be complete without mentioning the good contributions of Aikhomu.

Biography

The late Aikhomu was born in October 1939 in Irrua-Ishan, Okpebho in Edo state.

He had his early education at Irrua Government School Edo state, after which he attended Yaba Technical Institute (Now Yaba College of Technology).

From there, he moved on to the Higher College Yaba, after which he proceeded to the Royal Britannia Naval College, Dartmouth, England. He went on further to attend the Royal Naval Engineering College, Maradon England, Long Gunnery Specialist Course India, Defence Services staff Course, Wellington India and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies.

He joined the Nigerian Navy on December 1, 1958, where he rose to the rank of Chief of General Staff in 1986 and then to the post of Vice President under the Babangida regime

He remained in the administration as Vice President with direct influence in the running of the federal government and a liaison for the Civilian State Governor. He bade farewell to the public service in 1996 upon the exit of Ibrahim Babangida.

Since then, he remained largely at the background until the advent of fourth republic politics where he remained at the background as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, which he left for the All Nigerian Peoples Party A.N.P.P, where he rose to the post of Chairman, Board of Trustees.

The Late Augustus Aikhomu was decorated with numerous awards and honours, most notable is the conferment on him with the prestigious Grand Commander Of The Order Of Nigeria G.C.O.N in 1987.

Williams