Christopher Kolade: I lost a mentor, a friend, by Ikechukwu Amaechi

I was successful the mediate of a gathering on October 9, erstwhile my person and colleague, Emeka Duru, sent maine a cryptic message: “What is going connected Iyke? I americium conscionable speechmaking connected Facebook that Dr. Christopher Kolade is dead! Please tin you assistance america corroborate that?”

I froze. While praying fervently that it should beryllium a fake news, I inactive braced myself for the worst. Though I had not seen him this year, the past clip I visited him successful his Ogudu GRA home, helium was successful bully shape. I started moving the telephone and my worst fears were confirmed minutes later. That saddened maine nary end, not needfully due to the fact that helium died. At 92, and lone 2 months distant from his 93rd birthday, Dr. Kolade enjoyed the bountiful grace of God. And I besides cognize that helium was 1 of the fewer men, who, with equanimity, reconciled himself with the information of his ain mortality agelong earlier helium transited.

I was bittersweet that our beleaguered state has mislaid a antheral of honour and integrity, 1 of the precise fewer remaining successful the state wherever evil outpaces each virtuousness that defines quality essence. I was saddened due to the fact that successful his death, the youths of this state person mislaid their top advocate. I was saddened due to the fact that TheNiche mislaid its astir loyal scholar and a friend. Nigeria mislaid a large lad whose beingness was a survey successful the virtues of discipline, humility, and excellence. Above all, I mislaid a mentor and a friend.

I had the privilege of knowing Dr. Kolade personally and sharing galore backstage moments with. And contempt his immense estimation that ever went earlier him successful each helium did, you needed to beryllium adjacent to admit the extent of his altruism, his virtuousness, selflessness and patriotism.

Of course, I knew him adjacent earlier we met. But travel to deliberation of it, who didn’t? It is either you heard of his exploits successful the classroom, newsroom, boardroom oregon diplomacy. Born successful 1932 successful the bucolic assemblage of Erin-Oke, Osun State, ‘Mr. Integrity,’ arsenic helium was fondly called, saw it all, ordinarily earning a bragging right. But for him, a devout antheral of uncommon humility, longevity was an unmerited favour from God and each praises indispensable spell to Him.

His was a beingness of unthinkable accomplishments. A teacher, journalist, head par excellence, boardroom doyen, diplomat and academic, Kolade who started his nationalist work aft graduating from the celebrated Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, arsenic a assemblage epoch Education Officer successful the mid-50s, went into broadcasting erstwhile Nigeria gained independency successful 1960. In his 18-year (1960-78) sojourn successful the media space, helium reached the highest – Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, NBC. A antheral with the Midas touch, his stint astatine Cadbury Nigeria Plc., wherever helium was the managing director/chief enforcement serviceman and aboriginal president is inactive adjudged the aureate epoch of the multinational company.

The communicative was the aforesaid erstwhile erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo tapped him successful 2002 to proceed to the United Kingdom arsenic Nigeria’s High Commissioner. When helium retired mid-year 2007 from the position, Britain knew that a antithetic benignant of diplomat had travel to town.

Before helium near for the United Kingdom, helium was connected the Faculty of the Lagos Business School arsenic lecturer successful Corporate Governance, Leadership and Human Resource Management from 1995 to 2002. After his diplomatic circuit of duty, helium returned to the Lagos Business School to proceed his teaching and probe programme and successful February 2009, helium was appointed Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Pan-African University. He besides served arsenic the Chancellor of McPherson University successful Ogun State.

For his contributions to federation building, helium was awarded the nationalist honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, successful 2000. He was a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters, the Nigerian Institute of Management of which helium was President from 1985 to 1988, and the Institute of Personnel Management successful Nigeria wherever helium served arsenic President from 1988 to 1994.

Many radical successful Kolade’s intimidating shoes would beryllium boastful. Not him! He believed God lone gave him opportunities successful life. For his devotion, successful 1981, helium received the medal of the Order of St. Augustine from the Archbishop of Canterbury and helium was besides a Lay Canon Emeritus of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Diocese of Guildford successful the UK.

I met Dr. Kolade for the archetypal clip successful 2019 erstwhile Prof Anya O. Anya delivered TheNiche yearly lecture and we wanted him to seat the lawsuit but nary of america knew however to scope him. Then astir a period to the lecture, I went backmost to Prof Anya to enquire if helium could assistance america scope Dr. Kolade. He promised that helium would. Two days later, helium called to accidental that Dr. Kolade ha...