A Gentleman Departs
Nigeria on 8 October 2025 lost one of its most respected elders, Dr Christopher Olusola Kolade, CON — a teacher, most notably at the Lagos Business School, broadcaster, corporate leader, diplomat, and mentor whose quiet strength shaped generations of Nigerian professionals.
He died peacefully at 92, according to his family, marking the close of a life devoted to integrity and public service.
Kolade was, in the truest sense, a business statesman — a man who believed that leadership and ethics must coexist, and that every role, public or private, carries a moral duty to serve.
Early Life and Education
Born 28 December 1932 in Erin-Oke, Osun State, the son of an Anglican missionary, Kolade grew up in a disciplined Christian home that valued honesty and service.
He attended Government College, Ibadan, and later graduated from Fourah Bay College, Freetown, in 1954 with a BA degree, followed by a Diploma in Education (1955).
From 1955 to 1960 he worked as an Education Officer in the Western Region — teaching at Government College, Ughelli — before moving into Nigeria’s emerging broadcast industry.
Broadcasting: The Voice of Professionalism
Kolade joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) at a time when radio and television were national instruments of enlightenment.
He rose from Regional Controller (Western Region) to Director of Programmes and eventually Director-General of NBC.
He brought professionalism and intellectual rigour to public communication, insisting that broadcasting should educate and inspire.
Under his watch, NBC became a training ground for journalists who valued ethics as much as eloquence.
His broadcasting years also gave him an abiding belief in the power of communication and character — principles that later defined his corporate life.
From Broadcasting to Boardroom: Cadbury Nigeria
In 1978 Kolade moved into business as Administration Director at Cadbury Nigeria Plc, one of the country’s leading multinationals.
He became Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and later Chairman of the Board, serving until 2002.
At Cadbury, he transformed corporate culture by prioritising transparency, discipline and people development.
He was known for walking the factory floor, engaging directly with workers, and listening to their concerns — a practice that won him deep loyalty and respect.
Kolade believed business leadership must begin with the leader’s personal integrity.
As he once told the Harvard Business School Nigerian Association:
“The most important factor in management is the person of the manager.
The values and character of the manager are central to decision-making.”
His mantra was equally simple and profound:
“Everywhere I go, in every situation I find myself in, I ask myself — what value am I adding?”
This question, he explained, guided not only his career but his life.
Under Kolade, Cadbury became a beacon of corporate governance and employee welfare. He often told young executives that profit was meaningless without trust, and that discipline without empathy bred resentment.
Advocate for Integrity in Business
Beyond the Cadbury boardroom, Kolade championed business ethics across Nigeria.
He founded and chaired The Convention on Business Integrity (CBI) and Integrity Organisation Ltd GTE, dedicated to promoting transparency and ethical corporate governance (Integrity Organisation).
He also helped establish faith-based initiatives like Managing Business for Christ (MBFC) and Apostles in the Marketplace (AiMP) to encourage Christian professionals to live out ethical principles in business.
“Men are like streams,” he once said. “They become crooked when they choose to follow the wrong paths.” (Twitter @cbingr)
Kolade’s idea of business success always included moral impact — creating value without violating virtue.
He believed Nigeria could build a reputation for corporate integrity if leaders refused to compromise.
Mentor and Builder of People
Kolade’s influence was most visible in the people he mentored. At Cadbury, he encouraged employees to pursue education and professional growth. In one widely shared story from BusinessDay, a factory worker recalled how Kolade’s speech inspired him to return to school — an event that transformed his life.
To younger professionals and students, Kolade was approachable and deeply curious about their work. He was known for responding personally to letters and mentoring future leaders who would later run banks, media houses, and development agencies.
Despite his many titles, he was famously humble. Asked why he rarely granted interviews, he once told a journalist, “My story has been used enough. Let’s make room for new ones.” That quiet dignity defined his leadership.
Diplomacy and Public Service
In 2002, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Kolade as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a role he held until 2007.
During his tenure, he strengthened Nigeria-UK relations and was respected for his professionalism and calm demeanour in representing the country abroad.
On his return, he was appointed Chairman of the SURE-P ( Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme ) Committee, tasked with ensuring transparency in the use of fuel-subsidy savings. He later resigned, citing differences over accountability — a decision that reinforced his reputation as a man of principle (Premium Times).
Scholarship and Institutional Leadership
A natural teacher, Kolade joined the faculty of Lagos Business School (LBS) and later became Pro-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos. He lectured in leadership, corporate governance, and human resources management, mentoring business leaders who continue to cite him as their moral model.
He also served as Chancellor of McPherson University, Ogun State, and founded the Christopher Kolade Foundation (CKF), which supports girls’ education and ethical leadership programmes (ckf.org.ng)
Honours and Recognitions
Kolade was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2000 and the Order of St Augustine medal by the Archbishop of Canterbury (1981). He was President of the Nigerian Institute of Management (1985–88) and the Institute of Personnel Management (1988–93).
He was a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management and the British Institute of Management.
He also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the World Association for Christian Communication, and as Chair of the Governing Council of the International Institute for Communications.
His name has been synonymous with moral authority in Nigeria’s public life for more than half a century.
Philosophy and Quotes: In His Own Words
Kolade rarely spoke for effect, but his words always carried moral clarity.
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On Leadership:
“The true test of leadership is not what you gain but what you give — what value you add to the lives of others.”
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On Ethics:
“Men are like streams. They become crooked when they choose to follow the wrong paths.” (Twitter @cbingr)
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On Responsibility:
“Everywhere I go, I ask myself what value am I adding.” (Facebook S.Worte Talks)
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On Public Service:
“You cannot build a nation on lies, injustice and corruption. If we are to build Nigeria, we must first build ourselves.” (Christopher Kolade Foundation)
These principles formed the core of his teaching at LBS and his public lectures worldwide.
Passing and Legacy
Dr Kolade passed away on 8 October 2025 at the age of 92. His family described him as a man of “faith, love and service to God and humanity.” Tributes poured in from the church, academia, the business community and the media, each echoing the same theme — integrity.
For many Nigerians, his name evoked trust in a society often burdened by cynicism. To his students, he was “Papa Kolade,” the professor who signed emails with blessings and corrections in equal measure.
Kolade leaves behind his wife, Beatrice Kolade, their children and grandchildren, as well as countless mentees who now occupy positions of influence in Nigeria and beyond.
Remembering Christopher Kolade
Christopher Kolade’s life and times form a rare continuum of faith, discipline and vision. From the chalkboard to the microphone, from the boardroom to the embassy, he proved that leadership is a moral calling — not merely a career path.
As Nigeria reflects on his passing, his own words remain his epitaph:
“If you want to change Nigeria, start with yourself.”
A businessman, teacher, diplomat, and pastor of principles, Dr Christopher Kolade leaves a legacy etched not in monuments but in people — the leaders he inspired, the institutions he built, and the standards he set.
