Group Captain Adebayo Hamed Lawal (14 September 1941-23 June 2024)

Group Captain Adebayo Hamed Lawal was a Nigerian Air Force officer and former Governor of Benue State, serving from July 1978 to October 1979 during General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military administration.

Early Life and Education

Born on 14 September 1941 in Offa, present-day Kwara State, Lawal attended Government College, Ibadan, from 1955 to 1962.

Military Career

In 1963, he joined the Nigerian Air Force and trained as a military pilot in West Germany, graduating in 1964. Over the years, he held key postings, including:

Commander, Port Harcourt Base (1969-1970)

Commander, Kano Base (1972-1973, 1975-1977)

Commander, Makurdi Base (1977-1978)

Governor of Benue State

In July 1978, Lawal was appointed Military Governor of Benue State. His tenure was marked by his role in ensuring a peaceful transition from military to civilian governance. On 1 October 1979, he handed over power to Aper Aku, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) candidate, as part of the transition to the Second Republic.

Death

Group Captain Adebayo Hamed Lawal passed away on 23 June 2024 at the age of 83.