A member of The Guardian Editorial Board, diplomat and elder statesman, Patrick Dele Cole, yesterday passed in London at age 86.

Born on August 4, 1940, Cole made significant contributions to diplomacy, journalism, historical scholarship and national development.

His leadership stint in journalism at Daily Times, when he introduced an editorial board modelled after the American system, separated the formulation of the newspaper’s institutional opinions from the conventional arrangement in which the editor and features writers worked together on editorials. This was equally reflected in his debates and stance at The Guardian Editorial Board.

His contributions to the board brought a more structured approach to opinion writing and editorial independence of the board away from the newsroom.

When he celebrated his 86th birthday in August 2026, he called for a new generation of principled leadership anchored on integrity, service and hope.

According to Cole, Nigeria’s future depends on young people who reject corruption, ethnic division and transactional politics.

The renowned politician, journalist, historian, and diplomat, while reflecting on the leadership crisis confronting the country, said Nigeria’s greatest hope lies in raising young people with strong moral values capable of transforming the nation.

Born on August 4, 1940, in Abonnema, in the Kalabari Kingdom of present-day Rivers State, Cole’s journey from a small Niger Delta community to some of the world’s leading academic institutions helped prepare him for a life spent navigating Nigeria’s political establishment and international affairs.

He began his education at St Bartholomew’s School, Enugu, where he studied from 1946 to 1953, before attending Baptist High School, Port Harcourt, from 1954 to 1958, and Ibadan Grammar School from 1959 to 1960.

In 1962, he left Nigeria to pursue higher education at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, where he studied until 1965.

He subsequently moved to the United Kingdom, attending the University of Cambridge from 1966 to 1970. His academic career continued at King’s College, Cambridge, where he was a fellow between 1970 and 1973 and earned a doctorate in history.

He also spent time as a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, United States, before returning to Nigeria to join the federal civil service.

Cole entered public prominence in 1975, when he was appointed a non-executive director of the Daily Times. He had been serving in the Cabinet Office and was associated with the intellectual circle around General Olusegun Obasanjo, then a senior figure in Nigeria’s military government.

His appointment came at a difficult moment for the newspaper group. The government of General Murtala Mohammed had acquired a 60 per cent controlling stake in the Daily Times through the government-owned NICON Insurance, following years of tension between the newspaper and the military establishment.