A family source, who broke the news to reporters in Benin City yesterday said he died after a brief illness, according to the Nation.
Until his death, he was the Odionwere (village head) of Iruekpen community in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
A statement by the deceased’s son and President of St. Gregory’s College Old Boys’ Association, Dr John Abebe, said the nonagenarian died on Thursday, according to the Punch.
The statement partly reads: “In his lifetime, he joined the United African Company Nigeria Limited as a young clerk and rose through the ranks to become the first Nigerian Chairman/Managing Director of the company. He was also the first Nigerian Personnel Director of UAC in 1959.
“He was at various times the pro-chancellor and chairman of council of three Nigerian universities: the University of Benin, the University of Nsukka and the University of Calabar.
“On his retirement from the UAC, he became the first Nigerian Chairman of the Nigerian Breweries. A devout Catholic, he was a Papal Knight of the St. Gregory’s and Supreme Knight of St. Mulumba.”
The statement adds that the deceased was survived by his wife of nearly 75 years, Mrs Theresa Abebe, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
