Former Governor of Kwara State and one-time Minister of Communications, Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, has passed away at the age of 84.

His death was confirmed early Wednesday morning in Abuja by family sources.

Born on February 24, 1941, in Igbaja, Kwara State, Adebayo’s public service career spanned several decades, marked by notable contributions to governance, education, and pro-democracy activism.

Adebayo served briefly as Governor of Kwara State in 1983, before the military coup that ended Nigeria’s Second Republic. Prior to his governorship, he was elected as a Senator in 1979 under the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Between 1975 and 1978, he served as Commissioner for Education in Kwara State, where he was widely credited with initiating key reforms to improve educational standards and access.

In the 1990s, Adebayo emerged as a prominent figure in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a pro-democracy movement that campaigned vigorously against military rule. He was a vocal advocate for the restoration of the June 12, 1993 presidential mandate believed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola and subsequently annulled by the military regime.

In a widely praised act of principle, Adebayo in 1993 rejected an offer to serve in the cabinet of General Sani Abacha, citing the regime’s authoritarian posture. His defiance made him a target of state repression. In 1995, following a bomb blast in Ilorin, he was arrested alongside other NADECO members. In 1996, amid renewed threats from the military, Adebayo fled into brief exile in Canada.

He would later return to public service in Nigeria, most notably as Minister of Communications, where he contributed to the liberalization and expansion of Nigeria’s telecom sector in the early 2000s.

Adebayo’s legacy is defined by his principled leadership, unwavering commitment to democracy, and service to education and national development.

Tributes have begun to pour in from across the country, with political leaders, civil society groups, and former colleagues praising his courage, intellect, and patriotism.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in the coming days.