Veteran broadcaster, corporate leader, academic, and diplomat Dr. Christopher Olusola Kolade has passed away.
Gatekeepers News reports that the veteran broadcaster, born on December 28, 1932, in Erin-Oke, Osun, died peacefully on Thursday at the age of 93.
The deceased was the son of an Anglican missionary. He attended Government College, Ibadan for his secondary education before proceeding to Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Kolade began his professional life as an education officer in the Western Region of Nigeria in 1955. He later joined the broadcasting industry, rising through roles at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to become Director-General.
In the private sector, he joined Cadbury Nigeria in 1978, eventually becoming Chief Executive and later Chairman of the company. He also served as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2002 until 2007.
After his diplomatic service, Kolade returned to academia. From 1995 to 2002, he lectured on corporate governance, leadership, and human resource management at Lagos Business School (LBS), part of Pan-Atlantic University, and also taught at the School of Media & Communication (SMC).
He later became Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Pan-Atlantic University’s Governing Council, and at the time of his death, he was Chancellor of McPherson University, Ogun State.
Throughout his life, Kolade championed integrity and ethical business practice in Nigeria. He chaired organisations such as Integrity Organisation Ltd GTE and The Convention on Business Integrity Ltd GTE, and also led efforts in corporate governance reforms.
He was honored with national and international distinctions, including the Order of St. Augustine medal, and conferred the national title of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2000.
Dr. Kolade’s legacy lives on through the Christopher Kolade Centre for Research in Leadership and Ethics (CKCRLE), which upholds his lifelong commitment to leadership, ethics, and service.