President Bola Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to the late Dr. Christopher Kolade, describing him as “an icon of integrity, patriotism, and excellence” whose life exemplified service, leadership, and moral uprightness.
In a statement personally signed by him on Thursday, President Tinubu said he received the news of Kolade’s death “with profound sadness,” praising the 92-year-old diplomat, broadcaster, and corporate leader as “one of Nigeria’s intellectual treasures and a custodian of our enterprise history.”
“Dr. Kolade was among the finest of men — exceptionally brilliant, statesmanly, diligent, and with unimpeachable integrity,” Tinubu said. “He was not only a boardroom icon, serving as Chief Executive and later Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, but also a patriot and an uncompromising advocate of transparency and accountability in governance.”
Kolade’s distinguished career spanned decades of public service, from the colonial era through Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. He served as Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and later as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, leaving what Tinubu described as “ineffaceable stamps of distinction in every endeavour.”
The President also commended Kolade’s humanitarian work through the Christopher Kolade Foundation, highlighting his advocacy for ethical leadership and support for people living with sickle-cell disease. “He lived not for wealth or fame but for impact,” Tinubu said. “He immortalised himself through uncommon service to our nation and humanity.”
Kolade, who died peacefully on October 8, 2025, at the age of 92, was also the pioneer Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and a respected voice on ethics and corporate governance at the Lagos Business School.
In a tribute, Oba Ayodeji Akintola, the Alua of Erin-Oke, described Kolade as “a rare gem” whose moral excellence brought pride to his hometown, Erin-Oke, Osun State.
Born on December 28, 1932, to an Anglican missionary, Kolade attended Government College, Ibadan, and later Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, where he completed his higher education.
His family, in a statement, expressed gratitude for “his incredible life of faith and service.”
