THE Asoju-Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, is dead.
Aged 79, he died on Monday, according to the announcement by the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation.
He was the sponsor of the annual Asoju Oba of Lagos Table Tennis Championship.
The late Chief Okoya-Thomas, an accountant and industrialist par excellence, was born on June 8, 1935 in Lagos.
He had his early education, both the primary and secondary, at Princess School, Lagos (1942-1946) and Baptist Academy, Lagos (1956-1956) respectively, before proceeding to the Balham and Tooting College of Commerce, London, between 1956 and 1959.
In 1981, he studied at the Columbia University, in the United States of America.
The late Okoya-Thomas started work as an accountant at CFAO, Lagos, upon his return to Nigeria, before rising to become the director of the company in 1975, as well as the chairman in 1987.
He was also a director in several other business organisations like Transcorp, Nigerian Motors Industries Limited, Nigex Limited, Commercial Bank (Credit Lyonnais) Nigeria, Studio Press Nigeria Limited, among others.
The late Okoya-Thomas was also a member of many development organisations and Chambers of Commerce.
Okoya-Thomas, a philanthropist of note, was an ardent lover of sports, and he promoted several sports, especially table tennis and lawn tennis, which were his hobbies, with his resources.
Okoya-Thomas held different traditional titles, including the Asoju Oba of Lagos, Odofin of Ile-Ife, Babasuwa of Remoland, among others.
He also held the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), a national honour given to outstanding people in the country.
Jonathan, Atiku mourn
President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, said he received with immense sadness, news of the passing away of one Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurs, Chief Okoya-Thomas.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja, Jonathan extended sincere condolences to members of Chief Okoya-Thomas’ family, as well as his friends, associates, business partners within and outside Nigeria, and the people of Lagos.
President Jonathan urged members of the family and all others who mourn the successful businessman to be comforted by the knowledge that he lived a worthy and fulfilled life and left a legacy of great entrepreneurial achievements for his successors to build on.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Monday, mourned the demise of the foremost industrialist, saying the death was a huge blow to the community of Nigeria’s businessmen.
Atiku, in a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by his media office, noted that the late Okoya-Thomas was a visionary and astute businessman, whose contribution to Nigeria’s private sector economy would remain indelible.
According to Atiku, “although the late Okoya-Thomas left the stage at a prime age of 79, his death nonetheless is a huge blow to the community of businessmen in Nigeria.”
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