Former Minister of Petroleum, Rilwanu Lukman dies at 75

Former Minister of Petroleum, Rilwanu Lukman has died. He died this morning July 21st in Austria. He was 75. 

Alhaji Lukman was a renowned engineer who held several ministerial positions in Nigeria before becoming Secretary General of OPEC from 1995 to 2000. He was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources by late President Yar’Adua in December 2008 and held the position until March 2010.

Lukman was made a Knight of the British Empire (KBE) in 1989 and Officer of the Legion d’Honneur of France in 1990, as well as being conferred with the First Class rank of the Order of the Liberator from the Republic of Venezuela. He was the first African ever to be honored with the Fellowship of the Imperial College, University of London.