Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri has expressed unhappiness over the passing of Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology between 2000 and 2007, Prof. Turner Timinepre Isoun.
Governor Diri, in an announcement by an aide, Daniel Alabrah, stated the late Professor of Veterinary Medicine was a tutorial colossus whose contributions to scholarship and nationwide improvement have been excellent and immeasurable.
Describing his dying as an enormous loss to the nation, the state and the Ijaw nation, the Bayelsa governor recalled his pioneering function as the primary Vice Chancellor of the then University of Science and Technology (now Rivers State University), Port Harcourt, within the previous Rivers State.
He stated Isoun laid the strong foundations for the nation’s first college of science and expertise and went on to engender an ICT revolution within the nation throughout his tenure as a federal minister.
He said that the Odi-born scientist can be drastically missed for his candour, sensible counsel and dedication to Ijaw socio-cultural values.
Governor Diri prolonged the condolences of the federal government of Bayelsa State to his household and group, urging them to take solace within the late elder statesman’s invaluable contributions to nationwide improvement.
Isoun, who served as Minister of Science and Technology throughout the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had been acknowledged as a driving drive behind the nation’s area and ICT revolution.
He spearheaded the institution of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) simply as he was instrumental within the creation of Galaxy Backbone Plc, an ICT authorities firm tasked with harmonising communication networks and constructing a strong nationwide broadband spine.
Under his steering, Nigeria additionally recorded main developments in area expertise, together with the launch of the nation’s first satellites, corresponding to NigeriaSat-1 and Nigcomsat 1R.
Isoun, who served as chairman of the Ijaw National Congress (Central Zone), equally performed a pivotal function within the creation of Bayelsa State out of the previous Rivers State in 1996.