Tamunoemi Sokari David-West, professor of virology, social critic, federal minister, died on November 11, 2019 at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. He was 83. The exact cause of death was not disclosed. Thus David-West ended his life in Ibadan, a city in which he was admitted as a student in 1956 and in which he spent his entire academic career.
He lived and enjoyed the academic life, which glued him to the Ibadan campus. Indeed, on his 80th birthday, he explained that though life on campus may be without the frills and luxuries of the outside world, especially to a two-term federal minister, he still preferred that life because it guaranteed him freedom of thought. “You may not have money, but you will command respect,” he said.
David-West was true to his beliefs and throughout his life he guarded that freedom, spoke his mind and, as he said, he did not exhibit the usual signs of affluence Nigerians have come to associate with former high office holders. But he was respected, admired and sometimes held as a patriot and a fearless critic who spoke truth to power.
He was born in Buguma, Kalabari in the Rivers State on August 26, 1936. He was educated at the University of Ibadan (1956-58) before he proceeded to the Michigan State University where he was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree (1958-60). He earned his Master’s degree from Yale University (1960-62) and his Doctorate from McGill University (1964-66). In 1969, he was engaged by the University of Ibadan as a Consultant Virologist and Senior Lecturer, and in 1975 he was promoted Professor of Virology.
His public service in government began also in 1975 when he was appointed the Commissioner of Education and a Member of the Executive Council of the Rivers State. He served till 1979 when the new civilian administration of the Second Republic began. He was also named among the 50-person Constitution Drafting Committee by the Murtala Muhammed administration of 1975-76. In 1984, he became Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy appointed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari who was then the military Head of State of Nigeria. He served till 1985 when the Buhari regime was overthrown in a putsch which brought to power the regime of Ibrahim Babangida who actually retained him but transferred him to be the Minister of Mines, Power and Steel, a position he held till 1986 when he left the government.
Disaster struck, however, in 1991 when, out of the blues, he was indicted, arrested and put on trial for the crime of contributing to the economic adversity of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It was one of those nebulous offences designed as political witch-hunt or to settle scores or silence critics or put away enemies. After a puerile show trial that was a travesty of justice, David-West was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for life. Thus he became one of the many Nigerians jailed for an offence he did not commit.
The issue was a petroleum production deal entered into by the Shehu Shagari administration between 1979 and 83 with a New Jersey Company, Stinness. The arrangement was for Stinness to lift Nigeria’s crude, process, sell and both sides would periodically reconcile their accounts. The deal went cold following Shagari’s overthrow. The Nigerian side was headed by the Managing Director of the NNPC, who sat down with Stinness and after three sessions arrived at the agreement that Nigeria was entitled to $93 million. The total deal amounted to $150 million. The Nigerian side pressed Stinness to round off Nigeria’s figure to $100 million, which Stinness accepted. Five years later, the rumour mill began to spread that David-West had an under-the-table deal to keep $57 million for himself. He was acquitted on appeal but he had endured nine months of torture and humiliation in Nigeria’s worst jails.
When he died last week, tributes flowed freely. President Muhammadu Buhari used the word ‘indomitable’ to describe him. The former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, hailed him as a fearless Nigerian nationalist who spoke truth to power. Many Nigerian leaders had words of praise for his service to the country. He authored so many professional articles in learned journals but his most popular book remains his “Philosophical Essays.” He also wrote a laudatory tribute to Muhammadu Buhari whom he supported vigorously for years.
Among his wise sayings, which were making the rounds at his death, is: “any person who sees no fault in you as a leader, suspect him.” He also declared: “the deification of a mortal is no less sinful or odious than the desecration of a deity.” We condole his family and the Nigerian nation for the loss of a great patriot. May his soul rest in peace.