Former Minister of Education, Prof Fabian Osuji is dead. He died on Wednesday morning, according to a family member who confirmed his death.

He had returned from the United States on Saturday where he had been holidaying, and was treated for undisclosed ailments.

Born Fabian Ngozichukwu Chinedum Osuji on 20 January 1942, he attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri, Government College, Umuahia, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu State and the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

He performed his Post-Doctoral Research at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London.

He became a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan in 1973, a post he held till 1981.

He was also a Visiting Scientific Fellow at the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

He became a Dean of the College of Science, Dean of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and member of the Governing Council of Imo State University.

He was appointed Professor of Applied Biology, at St. John’s University, New York (CUNY) USA (1997-1999).

He was also a Visiting Professor at several universities in Nigeria and worldwide.

Known as a scholars’ scholar, he published 35 papers and books to his credit.

He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2022 when family and friends gathered to extol the virtue of a man highly regarded as a sound educationist.

The former educationist died aged 82. (The Whistler, excluding headline)