Nigerian Ambassador To U.S, Ade Adefuye, Dies in Hospital

A former professor of history who served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, has died in Washington, DC. He reportedly died at a yet to be disclosed hospital in the USA.

He 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.

The historian 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.  

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).