Sad to note that the Nigeria’s
ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, has been reported died in
Washington, DC hospital, Thursday.
A former
professor of history, Mr. Adefuye was in 2010 appointed by former President
Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s ambassador in the US. An outspoken person and
fierce defender of Nigeria, the deceased diplomat tackled critics of Nigeria in
the US. He vociferously lobbied against Nigeria’s classification as “a country
of interest” in America’s terrorism watch list.
Mr. Adefuye
hailed from Ijebu-Igbo, born in 1947, and studied at the University of Ibadan where
he earned his first degree in 1969 as well as a PhD in history in 1973. He also
received a Fulbright Fellowship that enabled him to do research work at
Columbia University, the University of North Florida, and the University of
Florida in Gainesville.
Ambassador
Adefuye, who wrote several history texts, taught at the University of Lagos,
earning a professorship and heading the History Department 1985 to 1987.
Prior to his
appointment to Nigeria’s Embassy in Washington, DC, Mr. Adefuye served as his
country’s ambassador to Jamaica (where he was concurrently accredited to Haiti
and Belize) from 1987 to 1991. In 1991, he was appointed Nigeria’s Deputy High
Commissioner in the U.K., leaving to work for fourteen years as a Deputy
Director at the Commonwealth. On leaving the Commonwealth, the former professor
accepted a position as an advisor at the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS).
Mr. Adefuye was
recalled to Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as President.
He was still waiting to hand over to a new ambassador when he suddenly died
today