By Bukola Hameed
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Demola Seriki, has passed on.
The Former Minister of state for Defence died at the of age of 63.
He had concurrent accreditation as a permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
A statement signed by his children, said the Lagos politician passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2022, in Madrid, Spain.
“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 Seriki (CON) on December 15th, 2022, the statement reads.
“He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in Madrid, Spain.”
Early Career
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.
As a junior public servant, Seriki was not satisfied with his clerical job, because his secondary school qualification would not guarantee him promotion into the senior ranks of public service. So, 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.
