One year ago to this day, Adefuye's heart stopped beating,
leaving the world of time. If Nigeria is still the indispensable nation in
Africa, he was the indispensable A Nigerian diplomat.
When the news of his death got to me this day last year, it
was unbelievable Ambassador Adebowale Adefuye, that great, pulsing, vital frame
quiet at last.
To countless numbers around the world, that was how things
felt with the death of Ambassador Adebowale Adefuye, Nigeria's diplomat
extraordinary. On August. 26, Adefuye was rushed to a hospital in Washington,
D.C., and notwithstanding hours of constant care, died, aged 68, on the evening
of August 27.
In every way, Adefuye was a big man — handsome,
broad-shouldered, with a capacious mind and a generous heart.
He was a skilful actor in the international arena whose
imaginative skills and unyielding resolve, won for the country plaudits
globally.
Restoring honour was something of a Adefuye skill. Adefuye’s posting to the United States of
America (USA) came on the heels of the international infamy caused by the
action of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian who attempted to blow up a
Northwest Airlines flight headed from Amsterdam to Detroit on December 25,
2009. This development earned Nigeria the odious membership status of America’s
terrorism watch list. The consequence was that the US authorities had to
subject Nigerians to all sorts of humiliations and indignities at the major
United States airports.
In his drive, his boldness, his determination to do anything
he could to get Nigeria off that ignoble list, he demonstrated the best of
Nigerian policy — actually, more than that, the best of the Nigerian character
and diplomacy.
His doggedness paid off when the then Secretary of State,
Mrs. Hilary Clinton, announced the good news that Nigeria was removed from
ignominious list. This became the first achievement of Adefuye.
That same big spirit was evident in a part of the Adefuye’s
résumé that, I would guess, will be little noticed in most obituaries: his
dynamic leadership role used in strengthening the US-Nigeria Bi- National
Commission bringing investment worth over $15 billion to Nigeria.
He was one of the kindest man I know. I only saw him get
angry once. The genesis of the anger stemmed from U.S Republican Senator John
McCain’s comment in U.S newspaper the Daily Beast when the Boko Haram
Schoolgirls kidnapping story gained traction in 2014.
McCain had in a statement said that the U.S Military should
invade Nigeria and free the girls without waiting for permission from Nigeria’s
president, whom he referred to as “some guy named Goodluck Jonathan.”
Coincidentally, I was with him and I noticed the visibly
anger signs, within a couple of minutes he had written a response which he
shared with me.
He wrote, “The ranking Arizona Senator and former Republican
presidential candidate has inexplicably seized on the pain of a distressed
nation not only to show contempt to our country but also denigrate the office
and person of His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.”
“One wonders what could have happened if the 2008 elections
have gone the other way and McCain became the President of the most powerful
nation in the world,” he said. “The good Lord has a better plan for the people
of the world.”
“We will like to call on his well paid staff to brief him
properly on Nigeria and accord our country as well as the Office of the
President the respect they deserve,” Adefuye wrote.
He did everything to make America help Nigeria in the fight
against terror, at time he was frustrated. He once said that the United States
is letting down an old ally in its hour of need, and Nigeria's people and
government feel abandoned.
It was evident in the way he brought together State
Department officials and the diplomatic community in Washington, even a known,
once inveterate opponent of Nigeria in the U.S Congress.
It was evident in the days and months he laboured long and
often thanklessly in what I think he regarded his most difficult task of all,
bringing a measure of peace, stability and security to Nigeria.
Adefuye’s last major assignment was to receive President
Buhari with his delegation during the official visit to the United States last
July. The late Ambassador facilitated Mr. President’s several meetings with US
leader, Barack Obama and his Vice President, senior state officials and
representatives of America’s business community. The success of this visit was
largely attributed to Ambassador Adefuye’s skills as a diplomat and a great of
Washington.
President Buhari was so happy that he extended his tenure
for another month with feelers that Adefuye would be called upon to serve the
country in another capacity.
Adefuye was a friend of mine. He was a father, brother and a confidant.
Just two weeks before he passed, I saw him — and his devoted
aides at his office, where he sent me on errand to his relation at First Bank,
Folake Ani—Mumuney, the Head Corporate Communications.
I also had the opportunity of meeting him at a dinner event
where he proposed a toast with generosity, affection, self-deprecation and the
sort of comic timing that made you think he had missed his true profession.
I liked him enormously. But for all that he did over nearly
40 years of service to his nation, and indeed to all humankind, I admired him
much, much more. A great hush, indeed.
*Femi Soneye, is the Publisher of PerSecond News
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Pix: Amb. Adebowale Adefuye
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