A former Nigerian minister of education, Prof Babalola Borishade, is dead. He died at the age of 71 in London after a brief illness on Wednesday.

He was initially rushed to Reddington Hospital in Lagos, last week from where he was taken to London. The cause of death was lung and heart –related.

Borishade was born in Usi- Ekiti on March 7, 1946 into the Ebi Ilotin family.

Between February 2001 and May 2003, he served as the Minister of Education.

In recognition of his contributions to Education in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large, Borishade was elected the Vice- Chairman of the E9 Group of the United Nations, President of the UNESCO International Conference on Education, as well as Chairman Education for All (EFA) Forum of African Ministers of Education.

In 2004, Borishade was appointed as Minister of State, Power and Steel.

Between July 2005 and November 2006, Borishade was Minister of Aviation, during which a Civil Aviation Bill was passed to replace the 1964 Act and the direct flight between Nigeria and the United States of America was restored.