NATIONAL: Ex-Minister, Martins-Kuye, dies at 78

 A FORMER Minister of Commerce and Industry, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, has died.

Martins was said to have breathed his last about 10.05am today at his Lagos residence located at Victoria Garden City.

“I can confirm to you that he passed on about 10:05 this morning. It was a painful loss to us, but, we give glory to God for the impactful life that he lived while he was alive because he touched the lives of many people.

“He died in his residence at Victoria Garden City, Lagos.

“We are about to convey his remains to his home town where he would be hopefully interred by 4 pm, according to Islamic rites.” one of his children’s was quoted by Punch to have said.

The late Martins-Kuye was born on August 1942 in Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu constituency of Ogun State. He was a product of the Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan, where he studied Sociology between 1965-1968.

He left the shores of Nigeria for the USA to study Economics at the Harvard University Business School, where he graduated in 1983.

The Ago-Iwoye born politician was appointed as Minister of Commerce and Industry on April 6, 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his cabinet.

Martins-Kuye was a senator in the aborted Nigerian Third Republic.

He was appointed Minister of State for Finance in June 1999 during the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo, serving until June 2003.