Reports reaching voiceofnaija.ng have it that the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Ademola Rasaq Seriki is dead. He was 63.
THEWILL reports that the late Ambassador died on Thursday, at about 2am in Madrid, from cancer.
His family confirmed the sad development in a statement on Thursday.
The statement, signed by his children, reads: “Innā lillāhi-wa-innā-ilayhi-rājiun
“It is with heavy hearts and profound gratitude to Almighty Allah that we announce the loss of our much loved and admired patriarch, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, His Excellency, Ambassador Ademola Rasaq Atanda Seriki (CON) on December 15th, 2022.
“He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Madrid, Spain.”
Born 30 November 1959, Ademola was a politician, teacher, businessman, and public administrator.
In 1978, Seriki started his career as a clerical officer in the Lagos City Council, City Hall, Lagos, and had a brief stint at the International Bank for West Africa Ltd (IBWA), now Afribank.
He proceeded to New York where he studied for and earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Management from the City University of New York.
He also attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he completed a Senior Executive Education and earned a certificate in National and International Security.
Upon completion of his studies, from 1984 to 1986 Seriki became a teacher and counselor at New York’s John F. Kennedy High School, Walton High School, and Springfield Gardens High School, teaching accounting and business mathematics.
Seriki was a qualified teacher in business, accounting and mathematics.
From 1986 to 1987, he worked at the Rochester, New York, firm of Koskolowsky and Co. (certified public accountants), as Assistant Manager (Auditing).
He was also Customer Representative/Assistant Manager at Dollar Dry Dock Bank, New York City.
On returning to Nigeria, Seriki joined Equity and Trust Finance Company Limited, from 1987, as business manager until he was appointed chairman of the Lagos State Sports Council in 1992; a position he held until 1994.