Former Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Turner Isoun, has died at the age of 87.
He passed away during the weekend in Abuja.
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri described his death as a great loss to Bayelsa State, the Ijaw nation and Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Yenagoa by his spokesperson, Daniel Alabrah, Governor Diri praised Isoun for his years of public service and his contributions to national development.
He said the late professor of veterinary medicine left a lasting legacy through his work in education, science and public administration.
According to the governor, Isoun was committed to learning and played an important role in developing policies that advanced Nigeria’s science and technology sector.
Diri also recalled that Isoun was the first Vice-Chancellor of the former University of Science and Technology in Port Harcourt, now Rivers State University.
He said the late academic helped lay the foundation for the institution, which became Nigeria’s first university dedicated to science and technology.
Isoun later served as Minister of Science and Technology under former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2000 to 2007.
During his time in office, he led several initiatives aimed at improving Nigeria’s information and communication technology sector, as well as the country’s space programme.
His tenure was linked to the establishment of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), which was created to promote the growth of information technology in Nigeria.
He also played a key role in the establishment of Galaxy Backbone Plc, the government-owned ICT company responsible for improving communication infrastructure and expanding broadband services across public institutions.
Nigeria also made progress in space technology during his tenure, with the launch of some of the country’s first satellites, including NigeriaSat-1 and NigComSat-1R, strengthening the nation’s presence in space technology.
