A four-time Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas is dead. Africa Update gathered that the renowned Statesman from Rivers transited to glory on Monday at a private hospital in Abuja aged 82.
One of the founding fathers of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF and Ijaw icon would have celebrated his 83rd birthday on May 8.
Chief Graham-Douglas was born on May 8, 1939, in Abonnema in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, to a native court judge in Abonnema and his brother, Nabo Graham-Douglas was the first indigenous Attorney-General of Nigeria.
In 1989, the military Administrator of Ibrahim Babangida appointed him Federal Minister for Social Development, Youths and Sports.
He was later moved to the Ministry of Aviation, where he oversaw the deregulation of the aviation industry.
Graham-Douglas was also a member of the Special Tenders Board, which developed the Abuja FCT.
In 1992, Graham-Douglas became chairman of the Southern Minorities Movement, one of the groups that merged into the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He was a candidate in the PDP primaries for the presidential nomination in 1998 but lost to Olusegun Obasanjo. He was later appointed Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity in June 1999.
In July 2000, Graham-Douglas was moved to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. While in November 2000 he headed a delegation that visited China, where he signed the 2000-2002 Executive Plan of Cultural and Educational Exchange between China and Nigeria.
In December 2000, he hosted the Africa Travel Association’s Fourth Ecotourism Symposium in Abuja. Back in his home state, he was able to organize the first ever CANIRIV which was a cultural festival in 1988. Before his demise, Alabo Graham Douglas, was battling with some age related health conditions and has had several surgeries within and outside the shores of the country. TOG as he was fondly called by close friends and associates was married to Muriel and blessed with several children and many grandchildren.
