Sunday Afolabi

Chief Sunday Afolabi (1931 – 10 May 2004) was a Nigerian politician who served in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Internal Affairs from 1999 to 2003. He also served as Minister of Education in the cabinet of President Shehu Shagari from 1982 to 1983. He previously served as deputy governor of Oyo State from 1979 to 1982 under Governor Bola Ige.

Background Sunday Afolabi was born in Iree, Osun State, of Yoruba origin.

His traditional titles are Oloye Bada of Ile-Ife and Oloye Asiwaju Apesin of Oshogbo.,

Afolabi attended Offa Grammar School in Kwara State (1948–1950) and Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta (1951–1953). He became an Accounts Clerk at United African Company (1953–1954), then worked at Bank of British West Africa, later called Standard Bank and now First Bank of Nigeria (1954–1961). He was Chief Accountant at the University of Ibadan (1961–1978).

Afolabi was a member of the defunct Social Democratic Party in the lead-up to the abortive Third Nigerian Republic (1989–1993), and the Peoples Democratic Movement led by Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. He became a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 in the lead up to the Fourth Nigerian Republic.

He was strong proponent of the National Identity Card project, to be used for the 2003 Federal and State elections.

In December 2003 Afolabi stood trial along with his successor as Internal Affairs minister Mohammed Shata, former Labour Minister Hussaini Akwanga and others on charges that they had sought bribes worth some $2m from the French firm, Sagem in connection with the $214m contract to produce identity cards.

He and the other accused were granted bail on 31 December 2003.

Afolabi died of a kidney related illness in London in May 2004 at the age of 73.