Nigeria’s former military Vice President, Mike Akhigbe, is dead, his elder brother, Alemon Akhigbe told the News Agency of Nigeria

He was 68 and battled cancer till Monday when he died in the United States.

He was a retired Vice admiral of the Nigerian Navy. He served as Chief of General Staff (Vice President of Nigeria) during Abdulsalam Abubakar led military government from 1998 till the democratic rule of 1999 began.

He also served as governor of Ondo and Lagos state.

He is from Edo state. He died a lawyer, a profession he took up after retirement from the military. His interest in law was in Maritime and Real Estate. He was also a real estate investor.

Mr. Akhigbe attended the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Royal Naval School of Maritime Operations Dryad, Southwick the United Kingdom, Command and Staff College Jaji, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru and University of Poitiers, Rouan, France.

In a tribute to the late military officer, the Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday described the death of retired Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe, as a loss of a brother, confidant, friend and comrade-at-arms.

A statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Mark recalled their days at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), noting that “Mike was fearless and very diligent in our course.”

“He took these attributes to all the formations where he was privileged to have been posted either in his core military postings or political offices,” he said.

The statement also said the late Mr. Akhigbe’s death was a huge personal loss to Mark, the members of Course 3, the Armed Forces, Edo and the nation.

“But we cannot question God. He alone gives life and takes it when he so desires. We are bound by His decision to take our brother and friend at this time.”

Mr. Mark, who is the Chairman of Course 3 Alumni of the NDA, said: “We are consoled that while Mike was with us, he lived his life in the service of God and mankind.”

He prayed that God would grant the family the fortitude to bear the very painful departure.

RIP to the Sailor's Sailor .... RIP SIR