Dele Cole: Nigeria has lost one of its finest intellectuals, says Obasanjo

Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo paid tribute to Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole, who died at 86, calling him a distinguished intellectual and trusted ally. Cole served as Obasanjo’s special adviser on international relations from 1999 to 2007, helping restore Nigeria’s diplomatic ties after years of isolation and advance its interests abroad. Obasanjo also credited him with contributing to the diplomatic and economic strategies behind Nigeria’s historic Paris Club debt relief. He praised Cole’s journalism career, including his tenure as managing director of the Daily Times, where he introduced an independent editorial board.