Jerry Agada, former education minister, dies at 68

A former minister of state for education and chairman, Benue State Civil Service Commission, Jerry Agada, is dead.

Agada, an educationist and author, died Tuesday morning at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi, aged 68.

Though no official statement has been issued by the family, the former president of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) took ill a week ago and was on admission when he passed on, according to a close family source.

Born November 11, 1952 at Orokam in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, Agada was also chairman, Governing Board of the National Commission for College of Education (NCCE).

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A career civil servant, Agada was appointed the executive secretary, Benue State Examinations Board in 1996. He rose to the peak of his career and became permanent secretary, Benue State Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture in 1999.

He served in the same capacity in the Ministry of Education, Benue State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Benue State Bureau of Political Affairs before his retirement in 2006. He also contested the governorship election in Benue in 2007.