Good night, Ambassador Olujimi Jolaoso (1925-2016)

The only word that can adequately capture this personage is ‘elegance’. Olu Jolaoso is the epitome of elegance. Elegant in looks, in style, in taste, in manners, in conduct, and in character.

I first met him at Igbobi College long after he was a student there. He had come, as was then the practice, as a pupil teacher, on vacation job. He was my teacher. As a boy, we treasured the image of this extremely good looking teacher in front of the blackboard, chalk in hand. He had such an arresting look and I, in particular, admired him and wished I would one day be like him.

He was a teacher, in the mould of C.O.D Ekwensi. Both of them were part-time teachers at Igbobi College. To them, teaching was a passion; a vocation. Paradoxically, it was also a pass time; a hobby to be savoured and enjoyed. Moulding the minds of young boys and passing on knowledge meant a good deal to them.

When in his final year, I went up to the University College Ibadan, Olu Jolaoso was there. I now see him in my mind’s eye on the athletic field. An elegant and majestic figure, turning the curve of the 220yards track with such effortless grace, like a powerful thoroughbred, breasting the tape to win. So he equally did in the 100yards sprint. He and his colleagues, including Godfrey Eneli, quartet in the 440yards relay race, were the great athletes in our university days. They made us feel extremely proud in the West African inter-Universities Games that were then in vogue. Olu Jolaoso on the sports field was an elegant sight to behold.

Fate brought us together once again, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations in 1958. Providence brought teacher and student together as colleagues. The elegance in character shone through. In all the years we spent together in the Ministry of External Affairs, Olu had absolutely no difficulty accepting me as a colleague. Never at any time, never once did he give the impression that he was older in age, experience and in maturity. We got along very well in our private and official lives. Never any sign or flicker of condescending attitude towards me.

In a fulfilling and glorious career, otherwise sadly punctuated by memories of intrigues by colleagues, Olu remained the decent man of honour he was. Through the vicissitudes of life in the ministry, Ambassador Olu Jolaoso could be counted upon as a team player, loyal to his colleagues, loyal to the core in fighting injustice.

I could recall when six of us were about to be summarily dismissed from the service for dare having the courage and temerity to challenge constituted authority on a cause we deeply believed in, Olu stood firmly with us, his colleagues. Fortunately, destiny intervened. Despite our betrayal, we survived. Most of us reached the apex of our career in God’s own appointed time.

What an irony it is in this nation that our earliest days happened to be the best, the most glorious. Olu belonged to that generation of Nigerian diplomats, career and non-career, now with hind-sight, adjudged to be the best; difficult to surpass. This was the generation of Chief Olumide Omololu, Alhaji Abdulmaliki, Ade Martins, M.T. Mbu, Francis Nwokedi, L.O.V Anionwu, D. C. Igwe, John Mamman Garba, Simeon A. Adebo, Adedokun Haastrup, Gabriel Onyegbula, Isa Wali, Sule Kolo, Chukwuemeka Ifeagwu, Chike Chuwkwurah, Leslie Harriman, Philip Asiodu, John Ukegbu, J.T.F Iyalla, Aminu Sanusi, Edwin Ogbu, Alhaji Muhammadu Ngeleruma, Tayo Ogunsulire, Edward Enahoro, Olu Sanu, Soji Williams, Ime Ebong, Victor Adegoroye, George Dove-Edwin, B.A. Clark and many others, sadly gone ahead. These were, in essence, the pioneers of the Nigerian Diplomatic Service of which Olu Jolaoso was a proud and distinguished member.

Olu served in various capacities as a young officer at home and abroad including being Chief of Protocol of the Federation. He was our Ambassador to the then Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ambassador to Western Germany, to Tubman’s Liberia, and finally to the United States. In all these countries, he served with elegant dignity.

Olu spoke my dialect fluently – Aniocha Ibo ethnic group. I sometimes wonder whether he was more fluent in it than in his own native Yoruba. I share the same distinctive dialect with Marcie, his most devoted, most beloved wife and companion, whose lineage is from my clan and home town, Ibusa, in Delta State.

What type of grave could swallow up such outstanding elegance? Men such as Olu can never be swallowed up; can never die. Their spirits live forever.
May his soul rest in peace.
• Ambassador Olisemeka is former Minister of Foreign Affairs