Prominent Nigerians have paid glowing tributes to the late boardroom guru, Mr. Gamaliel Onosode, who died yesterday in Lagos at the age of 82.
Former Vice President of Nigeria and APC chieftain, Atiku Abubakar, described Onosode as a man of integrity and an exemplary disciplined man.
In a statement released from his media office in Abuja, the Turakin Adamawa said “Onosode was a big man who didn’t necessarily look the part. He was in trim, good shape and his tastes were simple. From the private to the public sector, many organizations in Nigeria will today be mourning the loss of one of their own.”
Former Commonwealth Secretary, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, described the late Onosode as an icon, adding that “an iroko in the corporate world has fallen.”
“Mr Gamaliel Onosode was a true symbol of integrity in the boardroom. He was an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best of Nigeria’s national values,” he stated.
Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has expressed sadness over the death of the foremost technocrat and industrialist whom he called Gam.
He said: Mr. Onosode was one of the few Nigerians who ruled the boardroom. A quintessential businessman, he was also a master in his field and deeply religious. It was not, therefore, surprising that he rose to become a leading boardroom player in Nigeria’s corporate environment.
“He will be remembered for the dexterity he brought to bear when he served chairman and board member of several multinational companies. I wish to convey my deepest condolences to the Onosode family on behalf of the good people of Lagos State. This is indeed a sad loss”.
In his own tribute, former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Oefe Ibori, described the late Elder Gamaliel Onosode, as “an authentic conscience of the nation” and described his death as an irredeemable loss to the Nigerian business firmament, the Urhobo nation, Delta State and Nigeria as a whole.