Nigeria’s celebrated geologist, scientist, professor of engineering and the winner of 2008 NLNG prize for Science, Professor Ajibola Ebenezer Meshida is dead.

Thelagostimes gathered that Prof. Meshida died on Saturday December 20 in Lagos after a brief illness. He was aged 78.

According to a close family source, the eminent scholar’s last days on earth were spent in the loving and caring company of his immediate family.

Before his death, Meshida was the recipient of many other awards and had worked with a number of international organisations.

In 2008, Meshida clinched the Nigeria LNG Prize for Science, also known as the Nigerian Prize, for his life work: his invention called Lateralite, a stabilisation flux for fine-grained lateritic soils to make Nigerian roads durable through the elimination of potholes and gullies.

However, eleven years after Meshida won the award and moved to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti from his erstwhile University of Lagos base, Nigerian roads continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate despite this homegrown solution.

He is survived by his wife, Funmi, a radiographer, five children – Kunle, Bukky, Bolanle, Banke and Gbenga, and many grandchildren.

While penning an emotional dirge to her father, Meshida’s last daughter, Banke Meshida-Lawal, the queen of makeup industry in Nigeria and brain behind BMPRO Line, remembered him as “the kindest, calmest, wittiest, most loving father. He was full of humour and the wisest cracks,” she wrote.

According to Meshida-Lawal, “The hardest part was watching you ebb away slowly but through it all, you remained strong. I’m thankful I was there. You instilled the best qualities in us, helped each and everyone hone their talents. Your love for music and the arts was instilled in all of us and I am here doing what I love most because you encouraged those art and photography lessons. Even as I failed woefully in Mathematics (who needed all those Algebra and Further Maths?), once you sat with me and explained it, I understood clearly and wished my teachers broke it down like you did.

“Your response to many of our dreams and aspirations was always in the affirmative. And your cackling laughter to our most ludicrous ideas let us know exactly how you felt. Mummy is so heartbroken but keeps repeating all you would have wanted — peace and unconditional love for family and good friends. Quick to forgive, stubborn, kind, cool, easygoing, funny, witty are some of the words I’d describe you with.

“Ultimately, you are with God, playing that beautiful violin of yours and taking your turn at the Grand Piano. Thank you Dad for everything. Rest well,” she wrote on her official Instagram handle.

As his last daughter, Banke Meshida-Lawal mourns, pens emotional tribute

+ Last days of the celebrated geologist, great inventor and winner of 2008 NLNG prize for Science

A close family source confirmed the death of the eminent scholar and disclosed that his last days on earth were spent in the loving and caring company of his immediate family.

In 2008, Meshida clinched the Nigeria LNG Prize for Science, also known as the Nigerian Prize, for his life work: his invention called Lateralite, a stabilisation flux for fine-grained lateritic soils to make Nigerian roads durable through the elimination of potholes and gullies.

However, eleven years after Meshida won the award and moved to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti from his erstwhile University of Lagos base, Nigerian roads continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate despite this homegrown solution.

In a country where almost every road is filled with potholes, an invention, the type made by Professor Meshida should have been an instant hit, adopted by those in government without fuss to solve the problem of bad roads.

Meshida was the recipient of many other awards and worked with a number of international organisations. He is survived by his wife, Funmi, a radiographer, five children – Kunle, Bukky, Bolanle, Banke and Gbenga, and many grandchildren.

His last daughter, Banke Meshida-Lawal, the queen of makeup industry in Nigeria and brain behind BMPRO Line, while penning an emotional dirge to her father, remembered him as “the kindest, calmest, wittiest, most loving father. He was full of humour and the wisest cracks,” she wrote.

According to Meshida-Lawal, “The hardest part was watching you ebb away slowly but through it all, you remained strong. I’m thankful I was there. You instilled the best qualities in us, helped each and everyone hone their talents. Your love for music and the arts was instilled in all of us and I am here doing what I love most because you encouraged those art and photography lessons. Even as I failed woefully in Mathematics (who needed all those Algebra and Further Maths?), once you sat with me and explained it, I understood clearly and wished my teachers broke it down like you did.

Your response to many of our dreams and aspirations was always in the affirmative. And your cackling laughter to our most ludicrous ideas let us know exactly how you felt. Mummy is so heartbroken but keeps repeating all you would have wanted — peace and unconditional love for family and good friends. Quick to forgive, stubborn, kind, cool, easygoing, funny, witty are some of the words I’d describe you with.

Ultimately, you are with God, playing that beautiful violin of yours and taking your turn at the Grand Piano. Thank you Dad for everything. Rest well,” she wrote on her official Instagram handle.