I received the news of the passing of Ambassador Ade Adefuye with great sadness. He and my husband developed a warm friendship in Washington.
He was a very dedicated and hardworking man who represented the country with sterling patriotism and passion.
Ambassador Adefuye was much respected in the diplomatic community for his strong intellect and deep knowledge of Nigeria and Africa.
I interacted closely with him in the course of my job as Minister of Finance and I saw firsthand his dedication to the task of helping diplomats and investors understand Nigeria and appreciate the country’s many positives. He participated robustly in many sessions with investors especially on infrastructure and agriculture financing.
And of course he was always ever ready to speak up and defend the country whenever necessary. But he also had a great sense of humour and, during tense moments, Ambassador Adefuye could be counted upon to say something to relieve the stress.
A strong family man, he took great pride in his wife and children who always stood by him and gave him strength.
Our thoughts are with the Adefuye family at this difficult time and we pray that the memory of his worthy life would comfort and strengthen them in their grief.
Adieu Ambassador.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Abuja, August 29, 2015
