A luminous epoch in public and private sectors has ended with the death of a former Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex Dangote Managing Director, Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju.
Sundry media reports quoting family sources said that Makoju died at the Nizamiye hospital in Abuja, on Monday morning, from a heart-related issue.
The 73-year-old had also served as Special Adviser (Electric Power) to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was also the Special Adviser to the President/Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, from 2009 to 2018.
Makoju retired as the Group Managing Director/ CEO of the Dangote Cement PLC; on 31st January, 2020, a position he had held since April 2018.
Born 13 July, 1948, Makoju was the managing director/chief executive officer of the erstwhile National Electric Power Authority (NEPA)/Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN); Nigeria’s national electricity utility.
The septuagenerian worked in several world-class organisations including Shell-BP; Blue Circle (UK), and WAPCO, which he headed as Managing Director/CE for about a decade before taking up an appointment as Managing Director/CE of the National Electric Power Authority.
Makoju was appointed consecutively as Special Adviser to three presidents of Nigeria.
He was pioneer Chairman of the Board of the West African Power Pool for eight years and remained until death, an Honorary Member of the board.
He was also Chairman of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN).
Mr Makoju belonged to several professional bodies including the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Institute of Management and British Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
He held a number of awards including a national honour from the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) and a national honour from the Republic of Niger – Grand Commander of the Special Order of Merit (GCSO).
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