Nigeria’s international business mogul and former diplomat, Ambassador Dehinde Fernandez, has passed on. He died last night at the age of 79.
The news of his death was broken by his friend, the Ovation Publisher, Chief Dele Momodu, who tweeted late last night: “Breaking news: Nigeria, and indeed Africa, has just lost one of its greatest sons; AMBASSADOR CHIEF ANTONIO DEHINDE FERNANDEZ is gone!”
Chief Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez was one of the richest men in Africa and was reputed for his flamboyance. He was born in 1936 and was also a diplomat of note.
Wikipaedia said of his origins: “Chief Fernandez was born in Lagos southwestern Nigeria into the Fernandez family that originated from (Cuba) and the first European migrant to Lagos State.”
As a diplomat, he served variously as Advisor to the Angolan Government on Economic matters, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations in 1984, and Permanent Representative of Central African Republic to the United Nations.
Late Chief Fernandez made international business news when his oil company, Petro Inett, obtained a 50% share with South African-based Energy Africa Limited in a deal with the state oil company for exploration rights in a 4,700 km2 area of Angola’s coast in 1996.
The late billionaire was married with children. Details of the circumstances of his death are still very sketchy.