Former presidential candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 1993, Chief Harry Akande has died at 77.
The Nigerian billionaire passed on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
Born in 1943, Akande ran the most elegant campaigns by a presidential candidate in Nigeria, when he flew round the country in helicopters to pitch to voters, even though he didn’t finally make it to the seat of power.
As an international business mogul, he ran operations across the West African region with large investments in many countries.
In a statement, a relative of the deceased, Olumide Akande said he died after a brief illness.
He wrote “In the early hours of Saturday December 5, 2020, our patriarch Chief Harry Ayodele Akande passed away following a brief illness.
“Chief Harry Akande was an astute businessman of international repute whose legacy and influence cut across continents.
“But by far his greatest passion was for a better Nigeria that guaranteed equity and justice for all. It is our fervent hope that this will be a reality in the not too distant future.
“His passing is a huge shock to his immediate and extended family, friends and associates. We are all grappling to make some sense of it.
“As we seek the repose of his gentle soul, we ask you to in turn to uphold us in your prayers while we pass through this very turbulent period of our lives occasioned by the loss of someone as dear as him.”
