Ibrahim Babangida had one of the most intellectually accomplished cabinet members and team in the history of Nigeria. He had the highest number of Professors in his cabinet. The include:

Ibrahim Babangida had one of the most intellectually accomplished cabinet members and team in the history of Nigeria. He had the highest number of Professors in his cabinet. The include:

Ibrahim Babangida had one of the most intellectually accomplished cabinet members and team in the history of Nigeria. He had the highest number of Professors in his cabinet. The include:

👉PROF. GORDIAN EZEKWE:
He was an inventor and mechanical engineer who contributed to science and technology development in Nigeria. As the head of the Rocket Group of the Biafran Research and Production Directorate, he was credited with supervising the invention of the Biafran rocket and building a refinery for producing fuel, kerosene and diesel during the Nigerian Civil War. He was also involved in the production of the Ogbunigwe, a series of locally mass-produced weapons systems often called Ojukwu Bucket during the war. It contained command detonation mines, improvised explosive devices, and rocket-propelled missiles.

Ezekwe played a major role in the strengthening of science and technology in Nigeria during the Babangida administration. Prof. Gordian Ezekwe was the first Nigerian PhD in Mechanical Engineering (1959)

👉PROF. OLIKOYE RANSOME-KUTI
A leading paediatrician and health reformer who brought healthcare to the grassroots by creating primary health care in Nigeria as Health Minister. He is widely credited with improving maternal and child health policy.

He was senior lecturer at the University of Lagos from 1967 to 1970 and appointed Director of child health at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. He became Head of Department of Paediatrics from 1968 to 1976. He was professor of paediatrics at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos until his retirement in 1988.

As minister under Babangida, he founded one of Nigeria’s largest health focused NGOs – Society for Family Health Nigeria primarily concerned with family planning and child health services at the time. He was minister until 1992, when he joined the World Health Organisation as its Deputy Director-General.

👉PROF. BOLAJI AKINYEMI
Best known as a diplomat and scholar who later became Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Akinyemi is credited with a strong role in shaping Nigeria’s external policy and international diplomacy.

He was appointed Minister of External Affairs by Babangida in 1985. While in this position, he originated the Technical Aid Corps (TAC), a programme which sent Nigerian professionals overseas to engage in volunteer work. It was designed to promote the country’s image and status as a major contributor to Third World and particularly African development. He also came up with the concept of the “Concert of Medium Powers”.

In his position as Minister of External Affairs, Akinyemi headed numerous Nigerian delegations among which were his country’s delegations to the United Nations General Assembly Session (1985), the Organisation of African Unity, Council of Ministers Session (1986), the Non–Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference (1986), the United Nations General Assembly Annual Session (1986), the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa (1986), the Budget Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity (1987), the Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity (1987), the United Nations General Assembly Session (1987), and to the Extra–Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity devoted to African debt (1987).

👉PROF. BABS FAFUNWA
He was a pioneer in Nigerian education, became the first Nigerian Professor of Education and promoted the use of indigenous languages and locally relevant curricula in schools.

During his time as Minister of Education between 1990 and 1992, he oversaw the establishment of the Nigeria French Language Village as an inter-university centre for French studies in Nigeria. His proposal led to the emergence of the Nigerian Certificate of Education and further broadened the acceptance of Colleges of Education in the university system.

👉PROF. JIBRIL AMINU
He was a respected cardiologist and academic who later served in key federal roles, including Education and Petroleum Minister, and was associated with major education reforms such as nomadic education.

Aminu held office as Federal Minister of Education and then Federal Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources during the Babangida administration. While he was Petroleum Minister, he was the President of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (1991) and President of the OPEC Conference (1991–1992).

On January 2, 2010, Aminu was installed the “Bobaselu of The Source” by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade.

👉PROF. TAM DAVID-WEST
He served in the Nigerian government as commissioner of education and a member of the Executive Council of Rivers State (1975–1979), as a member of the fifty-person Constitution Drafting Committee for the Federal Military Government of General Murtala Muhammed (1979), as federal minister of petroleum and energy under General Muhammadu Buhari (1984–1985), and as minister of mines, power, and steel under General Ibrahim Babangida (1986).

He was eventually removed as minister and arrested by the Babangida regime for allegedly contributing to the economic adversity of the country and for alleged bribery. He was, however, discharged and acquitted of these charges by Nigeria’s Special Appeal Court on 8 August 1991.