Former Aviation Minister, Graham Douglas, Dies at 82
Blessing Ibunge
A prominent politician and four times federal Minister in Nigeria, Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas, is dead.
The illustrious son of Kalabari kingdom from Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area in Rivers State, reportedly died early hours of yesterday in Abuja, a few days to his 83rd birthday.
A native of his community, who confirmed his death to THISDAY, could not disclose the cause of his death, but stated that his demise was a shock to the community.
However, it was gathered that the renowned politician died in a private hospital in Abuja.
Born on May 8, 1939, in Abonnema, Douglas was brother to Napo Graham-Douglas, who was the first indigenous Attorney-General of Nigeria,
He attended secondary schools in Lagos and Port Harcourt. He studied at Acton Technical School, London (1963 – 1965) and then at the University of Lagos (1965 – 1969). He earned a BSc. in Botany and Zoology.
The four times minister worked with the Nigerian Petroleum Refinery Company, Port Harcourt (1969 – 1977), and became managing director of Togiscani Nigeria, a construction company (1978 – 1985) and later CEO of Road Haulage Company and Magroad Enterprises.
He was also chairman of Binterteco Nigeria, Pabod Finance and Investment and Waterglass Boat Yard. In 2000, Graham-Douglas was appointed Provincial Grand Master of the Freemason’s Lodge in Calabar.
In 1986, Graham-Douglas was appointed Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Culture by the Rivers State government. In this role, he completed the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, founded the Sports Institute of Isaka and initiated construction of the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.
He also gained approval to establish the Rivers State College of Science and Technology. He created, produced and directed the first Rivers Carnival, Carnival ’88, with the theme of Unity in Cultural Diversity.
In 1989, the military government of Ibrahim Babangida appointed him Federal Minister for Social Development, Youths and Sports. During his tenure, the separate Ministry of Women Affairs was established. He was moved to the Ministry of Aviation, where he oversaw the deregulation of the aviation industry.
He was also a member of the Special Tenders Board, which developed the Abuja FCT.
In 1992, Graham-Douglas became chairman of the Southern Minorities Movement, one of the groups that eventually merged into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was a candidate in the PDP primaries for the presidential nomination in 1998, losing to Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was appointed Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity in June 1999 by President Olusegun Obasanjo. In July 2000, Graham-Douglas was re-deployed to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In November 2000, he headed a delegation that visited China, where he signed the 2000-2002 Executive Plan of Cultural and Educational Exchange between China and Nigeria. In December 2000, he hosted the Africa Travel Association’s Fourth Ecotourism Symposium in Abuja.
