Gideon Maxwell
November 20, 2025
Olusegun “Segun” Awolowo Jr., the grandson of Nigeria’s legendary statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has died at the age of 62.
His passing, announced on 20 November 2025, has sparked a profound outpouring of grief, admiration, and reflection across the nation, a testament to a life lived in service, dignity, and humility.
Segun Awolowo, the former Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), held this position from 2013 to 2021.
During his tenure, he was widely recognised for advancing Nigeria’s non-oil export sector, promoting trade growth, and championing initiatives that strengthened Nigeria’s presence in regional and global markets..
Family’s heartfelt farewell
In a deeply moving statement, the Awolowo family announced their loss:
“With extremely heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Olusegun Awolowo.
He was the world’s most phenomenal husband, father and grandfather, steady, wise, endlessly loving, and the constant anchor of our family.
A painfully loyal servant to Nigeria, he dedicated his life to the service of his country with vision, integrity, passion, and unwavering commitment. He was a true family man, a great friend, a wonderful servant of God, and a deeply beautiful human being.
He loved his family. He loved his work. He loved his country. And he lived every day with purpose, humility, and a generous spirit that touched everyone who knew him.
We are shattered by this loss, but forever grateful for his life, his legacy, and the love he poured into all of us. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”
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That portrait of Segun, steady, wise, deeply loving, and purpose-driven, resonates strongly with how many Nigerians are responding to his passing.
A life of purpose and service
Born on 27 September 1963, Segun Awolowo came into the world under poignant circumstances: his father, Segun Awolowo Sr., had died just two months earlier in a road accident.
He pursued his education with the same determination that would later define his professional life: primary schooling at Mayhill Convent, followed by secondary school at Igbobi College (Yaba) and Government College (Ibadan), and ultimately an LLB degree from what is now Olabisi Onabanjo University.
He was called to the bar in December 1989, beginning his legal career with work at Abayomi Sogbesan & Co. and GOK Ajayi & Co.
Over the years, he served in public roles under several administrations: as Special Assistant on Traditional Institutions and Legal Matters in the Obasanjo administration, and later under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he worked in the FCT Administration as Secretary for Social Development and Secretary of Transport.
His most prominent public service role came between 2013 and 2021, when he served as Executive Director / CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
Under his stewardship, the Council pursued non-oil export growth, local production, and broader trade promotion. In 2021, his peers elected him President of the ECOWAS National Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs), a recognition of his regional influence in trade development.
Voices of condolence: National leaders and institutions respond
Segun Awolowo’s death has elicited tributes from across Nigeria’s political and civic landscape, highlighting not just his pedigree, but also the depth of his personal impact and national service.
President Bola Tinubu was among the first to pay tribute, issuing a statement through his Information and Strategy office.
He described Segun’s passing as “unfortunate” and “a tragic loss not only to the Awolowo family, but also to the entire country.”
Tinubu lauded Segun as “someone who exemplified the Awolowo pedigree in appearance, character and demeanour,” and noted that, like his grandfather, he was a lawyer committed to defending truth and justice.
The President also highlighted Segun’s long service at NEPC, calling him the longest-serving executive director in its history.
He extended his condolences to Segun’s wife, children, and his mother, Sisi Abah Folawiyo, while also commiserating with Ogun State, the South-West region, and all Nigerians.
Tinubu concluded his message with a prayer: “May his soul rest in peace.”
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, speaking from his home state, called the death “a deeply profound personal loss.”
He remembered Segun as “a gentleman par excellence, a voice of courage, and a consummate public servant.”
Abiodun said he received the news with “utter disbelief” and that he would forever treasure their acquaintance.
He praised Segun’s affability, intelligence, and gentle nature, qualities that endeared him to many, and reflected on the young man’s resilience: born shortly after his father’s death, Segun rose above early personal grief to build a life of service.
Abiodun closed his tribute with a prayer: “May his gentle soul rest in sweet repose.”
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu also issued a heartfelt condolence.
Sanwo‑Olu described Segun Awolowo as “a patriotic Nigerian, who served his country with vision, integrity, passion and unwavering commitment.”
He offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the Awolowo family, and prayed that God would grant them the strength to bear their “irreparable loss,” while asking for “eternal rest” for Segun’s soul.
Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State joined the chorus of mourning, calling Awolowo’s passing “a painful and sad loss to Nigeria.”
Makinde extended his sympathies to Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu (publisher of the Tribune), the broader Awolowo family, and the Tribune’s management.
He lauded Segun as “a great mind and a great ambassador of the Awolowo family,” someone who “made good marks wherever he went.”
The governor prayed that God would grant repose to his soul.
Former Governor James Ibori of Delta State expressed personal devastation at Segun’s death.
In a statement, he said: “I am utterly devastated by the news of Segun’s death… He carried the Awolowo name with dignity, humility, and purpose. Nigeria has lost one of its finest gentlemen.”
Ibori paid particular tribute to Segun’s leadership at NEPC, noting how he championed export growth, especially in non-oil sectors, and helped open new global markets.
On a character level, Ibori said, “He was gentle, soft‑spoken, principled, but never weak in conviction.
He believed in service, not spectacle.” He prayed that Segun’s “legacy of excellence, dignity, and national service” would inspire future generations.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who described Segun as both a friend and “associate,” said he was “heartbroken” by the loss.
In his condolence message, he called him “a great friend, a great public servant, and a jolly-good fellow whose company everyone cherished.”
The governor said the death was “truly devastating,” and noted that Segun would be “sorely missed for every good thing that he stood for.”
He encouraged family and friends to find solace in Segun’s legacy of public service and devotion to his loved ones, and prayed for God’s comfort for his family, including his elderly mother.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council — Divine Mandate Team, also paid tribute. In a statement signed by their leadership, they said Segun’s death is “a monumental national loss.”
They highlighted his work at NEPC as ushering in “a golden era of strategic reforms” that repositioned Nigeria’s non-oil export sector and empowered young entrepreneurs across the country.
They described him as “a bridge‑builder, a calm but resolute reformer, and an embodiment of responsibility and service to humanity.”
The NUJ team prayed for divine comfort for the Awolowo family and for Segun’s soul to “rest in perfect peace.”
While many mourn the “irreplaceable loss,” there is also a consensus that his legacy provides a model worth emulating. His life, as described by his family and public figures, offers a blueprint for committed service, purpose, and the peaceful exercise of influence.
Final Thoughts
The death of Olusegun “Segun” Awolowo Jr. is being felt not just as the loss of a member of one of Nigeria’s most storied families, but as the passing of a voice of stability, humility, and sincere public commitment.
Segun lived a life rooted in purpose: serving his country, uplifting others, valuing family, and embodying the Awolowo ideals in his character and work.
His tenure at NEPC and his regional role in ECOWAS reflect a professional commitment that went beyond personal gain, he believed in Nigeria’s potential and worked concretely to advance it.
In these days of grief, the tributes offer more than sympathy, they reflect respect, admiration, and recognition that Segun’s life will continue to inspire.
As the nation mourns, his legacy remains a light: a reminder that true leadership is not always loud, but often enduring.
May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
