Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, a historian who served
as Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, has
died in Washington, DC, SaharaReporters just
learned. Mr. Adefuye died at a yet to be disclosed
hospital in the US, a source in the US told our
correspondent. 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.
Mr Adefuye died at a hospital in
the US, a source in the US told our correspondent.
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.
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 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). www.saharareporters.com/2015/08/27/nigerian-ambassador-us-ade-adefuye-dead

Rip

Goodby sir