The sudden death has occurred of the Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), our very own Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm on Tuesday aged 63.
The sad news was announced early Wednesday by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC Ltd, Mallam Mele Kyari, describing Barkindo’s death as a great loss to his immediate family, NNPC Nigeria, OPEC and global energy community.
Kyari said in his twitter handlle, @MKKyari, at about 4.32am Weddnesday thus: ”We lost our esteemed Dr. Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm yesterday 5th July, 2022. Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly,”
Barkindo’s death came few hours after he was honoured at the State House, Tuesday by President Muhammadu Buhari, who lauded the outgoing OPEC Secretary General’s six-year tenure, describing him as a worthy ambassador of Nigeria.
Most devastated over the sad news is the Valuechain publisher, Musa Bashir Usman who had a WhatsApp chat with the OPEC scribe few moment before his death.
The deceased Nigerian-born global energy personality happened to be the alternate Chairman of the Valuechain Magazine’s Advisory Council.
Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo (20 April 1959 — 6 July 2022) was a Nigerian Oil and Gas diplomat.
He was the Secretary General of OPEC since 1st August 2016 till his death. He previously served as Acting Secretary General in 2006, represented Nigeria on OPEC’s Economic Commission Board during 1993 –2008, led the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation during 2009 – 2010, and has headed Nigeria’s technical delegation to UN climate negotiations since 1991. He was due to disengage from being the OPEC scribe by July 31st this year.