Nigeria’s immediate past Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Gbenga Ashiru, has died in South Africa after a protracted illness.

Ambassador Ashiru, who was aged 66, was Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister from 2011 to 2013.

During his tenure, he was known to have highlighted the need to increase awareness about the country’s economic potential. He also championed what he termed citizen diplomacy, which involved taking more interest in the treatment of Nigerians abroad and protecting ther interests.

In 2013, he ordered the repatriation of some South African citizens in retaliation of the ill treatment meted out on some Nigerians on account of not possessing the yellow fever vaccine card before arriving in South Africa.

Before his appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister, the late Olugbenga Ashiru was Nigeria’s envoy to the United Kingdom, Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea, South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho and Swaziland.

•Adapted from a Channels TV report. Photo shows late Olugbenga Ashiru.