Paul Unongo
Paul Iyorpuu Unongo | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Mines and Steel Development | |
| In office December 1979 – February 1982 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paul Iyorpuu Unongo 26 September 1935 Kwande, Northern Nigeria Protectorate (now in Benue State, Nigeria) |
| Died | 29 November 2022 (aged 87) Jos Plateau State, Nigeria |
| Political party | National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (1959–1966) Nigerian People's Party (1970–1985) Social Democratic Party (1989–1993) All Nigeria Peoples Party |
| Spouse(s) | Victoria Avarave Unongo Elizabeth Unongo |
| Children | 22+ |
| Alma mater | University of Alberta |
| Profession | teacher, politician |
Paul Iyorpuu Unongo (September 26, 1935 – November 29, 2022), commonly known as Wantaregh Paul Unongo among his kinsmen, the Tiv people, was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, statesman, teacher, and philanthropist. He founded the Community of Tiv Students and is regarded as one of the fathers of modern Tiv politics.
Unongo served as the Minister of Steel development during Nigeria's Second Republic. Before going into politics, he was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, where he played a key role in establishing and consolidating the Department of Psychology and its degree-awarding programs.
In 1975, he was selected as one of fifty distinguished Nigerians, often referred to as the 'Fifty Wise Men,' by General Murtala Muhammed to draft a constitution for modern Nigeria as the country transitioned to civilian rule. Unongo also participated in the 1994 Constitutional Conference, where he chaired the States Creation Committee.
Alongside notable figures like Tunji Otegbeye, Solomon Lar, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, and his role model, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Unongo helped form the Nigerian People's Party (NPP), becoming its inaugural secretary general. He was a devoted political admirer and student of Nnamdi Azikiwe and served as the official opposition leader to J.S. Tarkaa in Benue State.