Ex-Minister Collapses And Dies On His Way To Wife’s Birthday Party

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, on Wednesday evening, died after he collapsed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way from the United States of America.

Maduekwe, who arrived Nigeria after attending the graduation ceremony of a relation, was billed to celebrate his wife’s 70th birthday tomorrow.

The senator representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, an ally of the late ambassador, told the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday that the late Maduekwe was on his way from the United States and was billed to attend the wife’s 70th slated for tomorrow.

He also confirmed that Maduekwe collapsed at airport, on his arrival from the US and was rushed to the Turkish Hospital in Abuja, where he eventually died.

The deceased was, in April, appointed the secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Maduekwe served as Minister of Transport in the administration of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and later as national secretary of the PDP before being posted to Canada as Nigeria’s Ambassador.

Chairman of PDP’s BoT, Senator Walid Jibril, expresed shock and disbelief at the news, adding that he had not been officially informed of the development.