BY CHUKWUMA NNAM
Dr Obadiah Mailafia, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is dead. He died on Saturday midnight after a brief illness at the age of 64.
Spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Luka Binniyat confirmed Mailafia’s death.
Binniyat said Mailafia, who took refuge in Markudi, Benue state, following alleged persistent harassment by the Department of State Security Services (DSS), fell sick on Saturday and was rushed to an Abuja hospital.
“You know, following his harassment by the DSS, he has been taking refuge from place to place,” Binniyat said.
“The last place he went to take refuge is Markudi. Yesterday (Saturday), he took ill and he was rushed to the hospital that he normally attend in Abuja. “This morning, he was pronounced dead.”
Also confirming his death, Fani-Kayode on his Twitter page wrote: “I am saddened by the passing of my dear friend & brother Mr Obadiah Mailafiya who was one of the most powerful and progressive voices in our country. I was informed that he passed on this morning. He was a great nationalist, a believer in Nigeria, a kind and gentle soul.”
Mailafia was appointed deputy governor of CBN in 2005 from the African Development Bank (AfDB) where he served as the chief economist responsible for Strategic Planning and Corporate Reporting.
The former deputy governor, who was the Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2019 election, was a known government critic and had advocated for public sector and exchange rate reforms.
Mailafia was born on December 24, 1956, in the Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.