Ishaya Audu

Ishaya Sha'aibu Audu (March 1, 1927 – August 29, 2005) was a Nigerian doctor, professor, and politician.[1] A Hausa Christian, he served as Minister of External Affairs (Foreign Minister) from 1979 to 1983 under Shehu Shagari.[2]

Ishaya Sha'aibu Audu
Minister of External Affairs of Nigeria
In office
1979–1983
Preceded byHenry Adefope
Succeeded byEmeka Anyaoku
Personal details
BornMarch 1, 1927
Anchau, British Nigeria
DiedAugust 29, 2005(2005-08-29) (aged 78)
United States
Political partyNational Party of Nigeria
RelationsVictoria Abosede Audu, wife
ResidenceZaria, Kaduna State
Alma materUniversity College, Ibadan
OccupationDoctor, academic, and politician

Early life, education, and career in academia

Audu was born on March 1, 1927 in Anchau, a village near Zaria, Kaduna State, to a father who had converted from Islam to Christianity.[3] Initially educated at St. Bartholomew’s School in Wusasa, he moved to Yaba Higher College in Lagos[3] and then to University College, Ibadan (renamed University of Ibadan) in 1948. In 1951, he left for the University of London in England, where he stayed until 1954. In 1955, he studied at the University of Liverpool (also in England). It was in 1958 that he married his wife, Victoria, with whom he would father six children.[4]

Audu lectured in Internal Medicine at the University of Lagos in 1962 and was promoted to the position of Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University in 1966.[4] He had been the personal physician of Ahmadu Bello whom the university is named after.[3] He also travelled to the United States where he was employed as an associate research professor at the University of Rochester, New York, and wrapped up his education at the Ohio University in Athens, Ohio from 1964 until 1968.[4] Ishaya Audu was the vice presidential candidate of the Nigeran People's Party which had Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as its presidential candidate in 1979 presidential Election.

Political career

Audu was a member of the Nigeria Peoples Party when President Shehu Shagari gave Audu the position of Minister of External Affairs in 1979.[4] He also served as Nigeria's Ambassador to the United Nations. After the 1983 overthrow of Shagari's government by General Muhammadu Buhari (and the replacement of the Second Republic with military dictatorship), Audu was detained for a year.[5]

Family

He was happily married to Victoria Obosede Ohiorhe with six children.[6]

Later life

After his release Audu took up private practice at his own hospital in Samaru; he also founded his own church.[3] He died on August 29, 2005 while in the United States with his son, Paul Audu.[4]

References
  1. Taiwo, Gidado (November 16, 2012). "Daily Trust". Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. Chila Andrew Aondofa (2019-09-30). "ISHAYA AUDU: The legacy of Selfless Service". The Abusites. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  3. Ozigi, Albert. "Tribute to prof. Ishaya Audu". Daily Trust Online. Media Trust Nigeria, Limited. Archived from the original on 2006-11-04. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
  4. Onyekwere, Joseph (2005-09-05). "A Medical Icon Goes Home". Newswatch Communications. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
  5. Aluwong, Jeremiah (2019-11-10). "Nigerians in History: Ishaya Shuaibu Audu • Connect Nigeria". Connect Nigeria. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
  6. Admin (2016-11-16). "AUDU, Reverend (Prof) Ishaya Sha'aibu". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
Political offices
Preceded by
Henry Adefope		 Minister of External Affairs
1979– 1983		 Succeeded by
Emeka Anyaoku
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