Among the class of former presidents and heads of state, Chief Ernest Shonekan is one of the statesmen whose legacy as the Chairman of the Interim National Government (ING) cannot be forgotten in Nigeria’s history. In this piece, SUNNY IDACHABA describes him as a statesman who put his feet firmly on the ground against all odds when the unity of Nigeria was on the edge of a precipice.
Egba people in Ogun state of Nigeria do not lack great men. The number of prominent people produced by that state who have made – and continue to make the nation proud – is numerous. Some of them include Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Wole Soyinka, Chief MKO Abiola and the Kutis.
Of course, one of them is Chief Ernest Shonekan who died in January 2022 at a fulfilled old age of 85. He was a personality that can be described from many angles judging from the tremendous impacts he made in so many fields of human endeavours, especially in the private sector.
Aside from his impressive track records in the private sector, he was the chairman of the Interim National Government (ING) hurriedly put in place by the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, when he was forced to step aside in 1993. Shonekan was in that capacity from August 26, 1993, to November 17, 1993, precisely three months.
Prior to his appointment as the ING chairman, he was a successful business man. He made his mark as the chairman and chief executive of the United African Company of Nigeria (UAC), a major conglomerate in manufacturing, services, logistics and warehousing, agricultural and real estate.
He began his professional career at the UAC, originally a British company formed in 1929 that traded in West Africa. The company grew into one of the largest African-controlled groups on the continent and got listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as UAC PLC. Shonekan moved through the ranks of the company to become its chairman and chief executive, just about the same time he was appointed as the ING chairman. This traditional title holder of Abese of Egba land, no doubt, demonstrated leadership skills during his 82-day tenure as the head of ING.
ING Chairmanship
Controversies surrounded Chief Shonekan’s appointment as the ING chairman. For instance, some critics argued that his appointment was not necessarily because of his impressive performance at the UAC, but a ploy by the military government to use him to douse the escalated ethnic restiveness among the Yoruba speaking nation, especially those from Egba ethnic extraction where MKO Abiola, the winner of the disputed June 12,1993, Presidential Election came from. It was said to be a smart move by the military to have found him suitable for that position.
Shonekan’s appointment was an attempt to show that there was no political marginalisation of the Yoruba people, a move couched in public scepticism. Despite that, he forged ahead and continued to meet with different segments of the country with a view to uniting and returning the country to the path of peace and democratic governance.
At some points, he was unable to exert authority that could create a virile democratic transitioning plan, which was the primary purpose of his tenure. This was largely because of disenchantments and distractions like the recurrent industrial strike actions by the labour unions.
There was also a general indifference among the citizens towards him and that administration because many felt he had no competence to head a socio-economically and politically troubled country messed up by the military junta that imposed him on the country.
Also, his efforts at lobbying Nigeria’s creditor Western nations for debt cancellation were rebuffed because of the annulled elections. His timetable for the withdrawal of the Nigerian troops from the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) was also rebuffed because in actual fact, he was not in control of the military architecture.
Although he knew that the task of managing the country at that time was enormous, but a good manager that he was, he never shied away from the challenge despite the tension in the country. He was willing to reform the governance structure better than he met it; he made spirited efforts to repeal some decrees introduced by the regime that appointed him.
Within the period, he cultivated international business and political connections which could have helped Nigeria in terms of economic development, but he did not last long in power to actualise the laudable vision.
He was a man of calm disposition and measured approach in his actions. For instance, against all odds, and contrary to the desire of the military, he released a number of detained activists who were imprisoned by the military and allowed exiled opposition leaders to return home.
Even though his government was short-lived because of a coup led by the ambitious General Sani Abacha, his tenure had a legacy, one of which was the fact that he highlighted the importance of democratic governance and the rule of law in a country that had been ruled by the draconian rules for years.
After his ouster, he started what is still well recognised in the country as the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in 1993. The idea was conceived as a platform for bringing together private sector leaders and senior public sector officials to discuss the future of the Nigerian economy and proffer possible solutions.
The summit which is held yearly provides the government and private sector an opportunity to review the progress made in economic reforms. It also deliberates on practical ways to manage issues which may have constrained effective policy implementation.
According to Jabulani Sikhkhane, editor of the South African version of The Conversation, Shonekan became an un-elected leader of the largest black democracy in the world, neither through election nor a coup.
“The military government of Gen. Babangida appointed him after a bungled transition effort to take the country from military to civilian rule. Shonekan had made an indelible impression on the then junta led by Babangida when he assumed the head of government affairs to supervise a smooth and peaceful electoral transition into a democracy. The world and Nigerians were watching to see whether this democratic transition would succeed.
“Shonekan was the first head of government in Nigeria to be appointed. His predecessors had assumed the position, either after an election or after a coup,” he said.
Continuing further, Jabulani said, “Despite contrary views about his acceptance of the ING chairman position, nevertheless, he was a stabilising factor for the economy and Nigeria’s peace. While his time as the head of the Interim National Government was short, he said during his inauguration that he was committed to restoring peace and stability to the country and was putting the cards together when through a coup, he was asked to vacate office.”
Another commentator and follower of the late Egba chief, Chiamaka Dike, equally captured the life of the late elder statesman. According to her, Shonekan6 was a boardroom guru before being hand-picked as the chairman of the ING.
According to her, “Ibrahim Babangida, then military president, decided to step aside after nullifying one of Nigeria’s most successful general elections purportedly won by Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO). The transitional board was designed to be the final phase leading to a scheduled handover to an elected democratic leader of the Third Nigerian Republic.
“The annulment generated a lot of controversies and threw the country into a state of chaos. Many human rights groups rose to challenge the action, but the head of state sent the military to quell the crisis.
“In August 1993, when the situation worsened, Babangida resigned from office and signed a decree establishing the Interim National Government led by Shonekan who was subsequently sworn in as Head of State. Shonekan was appointed to head an Interim National Government (ING) that was expected to usher in a new democratically-elected government to appease the South-west then who felt aggrieved, but his stay was short-lived with Abacha’s military coup.
“His tenure as head of government was characterised by controversy. He was largely unacceptable, especially by people from the South-west who refused to accept the nullification of the June 12, 1993 election. In his few months in power, he tried to schedule another presidential election and a return to democratic rule while a national workers’ strike hampered his government. Inflation was uncontrollable, and most non-oil foreign investments disappeared.
“His government in any way initiated an audit of the accounts of NNPC, the oil giant, an organisation that had much operational inefficiency before he was toppled by General Sani Abacha,” he stated.
Many leaders paid glowing tributes to this man when he died. For instance, former President Goodluck Jonathan said the deceased would be remembered for his great wisdom, peaceful disposition, as well as his significant contributions to the growth of the economy of the nation.
In a condolence message to his family and the government of Ogun state, Jonathan described him as “An elder statesman, well-loved for his sincerity and sense of purpose. As a leader, Chief Shonekan was well respected because of the enormous goodwill he brought into governance. He was a compassionate and determined administrator, a peacemaker and bridge builder who stepped in to lead the nation at a very difficult time in the history of its political evolution.
“Before he assumed office as the head of the Interim National Government in 1993, Chief Shonekan had become a boardroom guru, having established himself as a foremost industrialist and one of the leaders of the business world,” Jonathan said.
He laid aside his comfort and peace so that Nigeria should not disintegrate. That is why he remains an unforgettable hero in Nigeria today.