JUST IN: Prominent Nigerian Politician is dead

The former military administrator of Kano State and former football administrator, Brig. General Dominic Oneya (rtd), has died at the age of 73, OSUNREPORTERS NEWS gathered.

In a statement on Wednesday by media aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim, stated that Brig, Gen Oneya died on Thursday after a brief illness.

Oneya was the former Chairman of then-Nigeria Football Association (NFA), now Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He was also the military Governor of Kano from August 1996 to August 1998 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

Oneya was also the Administrator of Benue State from August 1998 to May 1999 during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, handing over power to the elected executive governor George Akume on 29 May 1999. He hails from Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta, and was born on 26 May 1948 in Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos state, attended the Baptist Academy, Yaba, Lagos (1962–1967), then enlisted in the Nigerian Defence Academy in May 1969, earning a commission in the Infantry Corps in September 1971. He attended University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) 1977–1980, earning a B.Sc degree in physical education. He attended the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna (1983–1984) and the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (1987–1988).