The late Alhaji Abdulganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq, (SAN), OFR
By Anthony Maliki
Alhaji Abdulganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq, the father of the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, died in an Abuja hospital in the early hours of Saturday, July 25, 2020. He was born November 13, 1927 in Onitsha, present Anambra State. Here are some things to know about the illustrious late elder statesman.
1. He was the first Commissioner of Finance for Kwara State after the state was formed in 1967 under Yakubu Gowon’s military administration.
2. He was the first lawyer from the Northern part of Nigeria.
3. He studied at the United African School in Ilorin from 1935 till 1936.
4. In 1938, he started at CMS Central school, Onitsha and left in 1943 at the end of his primary education.
5. He started his secondary education at the Kalahari National College, Buguma in 1944 and was there till 1945 when he left to attend African College, Onitsha till 1947.
6. He was a foundation student at the University College, Ibadan (now University of Ibadan) in 1948.
7. Abdulganiyu was called to bar on February 8, 1955 at the Inner Temple, London.
8. After his return to Nigeria, he was made a special member of the Northern House of Assembly from 1960-1962 following Nigeria’s independence.
9. He was Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Ivory Coast from 1962 to 1964.
10. He was a member of the Federal Parliament from 1964 to 1966 as the Federal Cabinet Minister of State for Transport.
11. Abdulganiyu was Kwara State Commissioner of Finance, Health and Social welfare from 1967 to 1972.
12. Abdulganiyu was appointed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1985.
13. He was married to his first wife Raliat and had six children: Muhammad Alimi, Abdul Rahman, Khariat, Isiaka, Aisha and AbdulRauph.
14. He was also married to an English lady called Loretta Kathleen who was his second wife. The marriage inherited two step-children whom he adopted, a son Vincent BataTunde Macaulay and a daughter Clare Louise Macaulay.
15. But he had three daughters with Kathleen, Mary Yasmin, Katherine Amina and Suzanne Zainab.
16. Besides, he also has another daughter called Rissicatou from Benin.
17. He was President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2000 to 2003.
18. Vice-President, Nigerian Stock Exchange from 1983 to 2000.
19. He was the Mutawali of Ilorin and Tafida Zazzua
(With agency reports)
