Adebayo Lawal

This article is about military officer Adebayo Lawal. For the politician, see Bayo Lawal.

Group Captain Adebayo Hamed Lawal (14 September 1941 – 23 June 2024) was Governor of Benue State, Nigeria from July 1978 to October 1979 during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo.^[1]

Adebayo Hamed Lawal
Military Governor of Benue State
In office July 1978 – 1 October 1979
Preceded by	Abdullahi Shelleng
Succeeded by	Aper Aku
Personal details
Born	(1941-09-14)14 September 1941 Offa, Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
Died	23 June 2024(2024-06-23) (aged 82)

Adebayo Hamed Lawal was born in Offa, in present-day Kwara State. He attended Government College, Ibadan (1955–1962). He enlisted in the Nigerian Airforce in 1963 and was trained as a Military Pilot in West Germany, graduating in 1964. Postings included Commander, Port Harcourt Base (1969–1970), Commander Kano Base (1972–1973) and (1975–1977) and Commander, Makurdi Base (1977–1978).^[2][3]

He was appointed Military Governor of Benue State in July 1978, holding the position until October 1979.^[2][1] He oversaw the peaceful transition from military rule to civil rule, handing over power to the National Party of Nigeria candidate Aper Aku on 1 October 1979.^[4]

Lawal died on 23 June 2024, at the age of 83.^[2]