The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN) has mourned the passing of Christopher Kolade, its founding president. The elder statesman died on October 8, 2025 at the age of 92.

In honour of his legacy, the Society’s delegation, led by Muhammad K. Ahmad, chairman/president, alongside Omotola Bamigbaie-Elatuyi, chief operating officer, paid a condolence visit to the late Kolade’s family residence, where they paid glowing tributes in remembrance of a visionary whose life was dedicated to integrity, service, and nation-building.

Others in the delegation were Olusegun Osunkeye, a former president and board chairman, SCGN; Uto Ukpana, company secretary, MTN Nigeria/member, SCGN; Adedayo Amzat, group managing director, Zedcrest Group/member, SCGN; Alex Adedele-Adedipe, partner, DOA Law/member, SCGN; Femi Shobanjo, managing director, NGX Regulation Limited/partner, SCGN; Sunkanmi Balogun, managing director, Fewchore Finance Limited/member, SCGN; Tunde Lemo, (fellow, SCGN), and Michael Otu, company secretary, Zenith Bank Plc/member, SCGN.

They described the late Kolade as a great leader and a moral compass, a teacher, and a statesman whose influence extended across generations.

According to SCGN, as the pioneer president/chairman of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, Kolade laid the foundation for what has become a leading voice in promoting ethical leadership, transparency, and sound governance practices across Nigeria and beyond.

Kolade’s career, while alive, spanned several key sectors, including broadcasting, corporate leadership, and diplomacy, from serving as director-general of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, to his role as chairman and chief executive of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, and later as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

He exemplified excellence, integrity, and ethical stewardship. A devoted educator, Kolade was also widely respected for his work in shaping future leaders through his teaching at the Lagos Business School and the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University. His lectures on leadership, values, and governance continue to influence a new generation of professionals committed to public service and private sector accountability.

According to Ahmad, SCGN’s president, said: “Dr Kolade was a towering figure whose legacy is woven into the fabric of our institution and the broader governance landscape in Nigeria.

“His life was a testament to humility, principle, and the power of doing what is right. The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria will forever be guided by the path he charted for us.”

“The Society remains grateful for his foundational leadership and pledges to uphold the values and standards he so passionately championed. As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate a life well lived, a life that leaves behind a legacy of purpose, discipline, and unwavering ethical conviction,” Ahmad added.