ABUJA (Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Report) – The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced with deep regrets the sad news of the transition to greater glory of the immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru which occurred on Saturday November 29, 2014 at the Muelmed Med-Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa.
The report from the Publicity Department of the Ministry on Tuesday December 2, 2014 indicated that the Deceased Olugbenga Ashiru was born on August 27, 1948 in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State of Nigeria and began his diplomatic career in June 1972. It added that while in the diplomatic service, he was the First Secretary of the Embassy of Nigeria in Tokyo, Japan from 1974-1977; the Senior Counselor of the Embassy of Nigeria in Stockholm, Sweden from 1979-1982 and the Charge d’ affaires of Nigeria to Bangui, Central African Republic from 1984-1985 as well as the Minister Plenipotentiary of the High Commission of Nigeria to the Court of St. James in London from 1985-1988.
“The Late Minister of Foreign Affairs also served as Nigeria‘s Principal Envoy in the position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pyongyang in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from 1991-1999 and the High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pretoria in South Africa with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland from 2005-2007,” the report indicated.
“Olugbenga Ashiru held watch at the Tafawa Balewa House as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2013. During this period, he deployed economic diplomacy as a way and means of lending support to the administration’s Transformation Agenda. Under him also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs undertook the compilation and publication of the Ministry’s maiden Annual Report, amongst other milestones.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nurudeen Mohammed (Dr) as well as the Permanent Secretary, Danjuma N. Sheni and the entire officers and staff of the Ministry have extended their heartfelt condolence to the family and friends of the Late Olugbenga Ashiru, praying that God Almighty should grant him eternal rest.
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