Professor Turner Isoun, the former Minister of Science and Technology, has died at age 87. His passing in Abuja on July 15 has drawn tributes from Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who remembered him as a remarkable scholar and political figure.
Isoun held his ministerial position during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo between 2000 and 2007. Governor Diri, speaking through his representative Daniel Alabrah, praised the late academic for his significant impacts on national development, science, and education.
Recognized as an intellectual leader, Isoun was the inaugural Vice-Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, instrumental in establishing the country’s first institution of that type. During his tenure as minister, he directed major initiatives such as the formation of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the founding of Galaxy Backbone, and the expansion of the national satellite project.
Additionally, Isoun was a strong proponent for the Ijaw people and was involved in the efforts that resulted in the formation of Bayelsa State in 1996. Governor Diri has offered his sympathies to the Isoun family and the Odi community, encouraging them to find comfort in his substantial public legacy.
