Abdulganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq (A.G.F) (November 13, 1927 – July 25, 2020) was the first Commissioner of Finance for
Kwara State
Kwara State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Kwárà), is a state in Western Nigeria, bordered to the east by Kogi State, to the north by Niger state, and to the south by Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo states, while its western border makes up part of the internation ...
after the state was formed in 1967 under
Yakubu Gowon's military administration. He was also the first lawyer from the Northern part of
Nigeria. He was President of the
Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2000 - 2003 and Vice-President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 1983 - 2000.
Early life and education
Abdulganiyu was born in
Onitsha
Onitsha ( or just ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city located on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. A metropolitan city, Onitsha is known for its river port and as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and education. ...
on November 13, 1927 to Munirat and Abdul Rasaq. Both his parents were indigenous of
Ilorin
Ilorin is the List of capitals of states of Nigeria, capital city of Kwara State in Western Nigeria.. Retrieved 18 February 2007 As of the 2006 census, it had a population of 777,667, making it the List of Nigerian cities by population, 7th ...
,
Kwara State
Kwara State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Kwárà), is a state in Western Nigeria, bordered to the east by Kogi State, to the north by Niger state, and to the south by Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo states, while its western border makes up part of the internation ...
from Onokatapo and Yerinsa quarters (presently Adewole ward, Ilorin-West) respectively.
He studied at the United African School in Ilorin from 1935 till 1936. In 1938, he started at CMS Central school, Onitsha and left in 1943 at the end of his primary education. He started his secondary education at the Kalahari National College, Buguma in 1944 and was there till 1945 when he left to attend African College, Onitsha. He was at African College till 1947. He was a foundation student at the
University College, Ibadan (now
University of Ibadan) in 1948.
Career
Abdulganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq was called to bar on February 8, 1955 at the
Inner Temple, London.
After his return to Nigeria, he was made a special member of the Northern House of Assembly from 1960 - 1962 following the Country's independence. Following that, he was the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Ivory Coast from 1962 to 1964. He was a member of the Federal Parliament from 1964 to 1966 as the Federal Cabinet Minister of State for Transport. He then became the Kwara State Commissioner of Finance, Health and Social welfare from 1967 - 1972. Abdulganiyu was a member of the Capital Issues Commission from 1973 to 1978 and has also been a member of the International Commission of Jurists since 1959. He was the chairman of the Nigerian Council of human rights and has been the chairman since 1987.{{citation needed, date=May 2019
Abdulganiyu was appointed a SAN in 1985.
Personal life
AGF Abdul Razaq was married to his first wife Raliat AbdulRazaq and bore six children, Muhammad Alimi, Abdul Rahman, Khariat, Isiaka, Aisha and AbdulRauph.
AGF AbdulRazaq was married outside of his tradition to an English girl called Loretta Kathleen Razaq, who was his second wife. With this marriage, he inherited two step-children whom he adopted, a son Vincent BabaTunde Macaulay and a daughter Clare Louise Macaulay. He had three daughters with Kathleen, Mary Yasmin Razaq, Katherine Amina Razaq and Suzanne Zainab Razaq.
He also has another daughter called Rissicatou from Benin.
References
1927 births
2020 deaths
20th-century Nigerian lawyers
People from Kwara State
University of Ibadan alumni
People from Onitsha