Antonio Deinde Fernandez

Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez
Born 1936
Lagos, Nigeria
Died (aged 78)
Belgium
Nationality Nigerian
Occupation
  • bureaucrat
  • Business magnate
  • diplomat
Years active 1966–2015

Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez (1936 – September 1, 2015) was a Nigerian Business magnate, Diplomat and Permanent Representative of Central African Republic to the United Nations.[1] He was considered one of the richest men in Africa.[2] In addition to a variety of other chieftaincy titles, he held the title of the Apesin Ola of the Egba clan of Yorubaland.

Background

Fernandez was born in Lagos, Nigeria to the Fernandez family that originated from Brazil.[3] He attended St Gregory's College, Lagos for his secondary education but left after his second year for the United States of America.[4]

Diplomatic career

He started his diplomatic career in 1996 as Consul of the Republic of Dahomey (now Benin Republic).[2] In 1982, he served as advisor to the Angolan Government on Economic matter. He held this position for two years until his appointment as Deputy Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations in 1984.[5]

Business interests

Fernandez ran an oil company called Petro Inett which obtained a 50% share with South African-based Energy Africa Limited in a deal with the state oil company for exploration rights in a 4,700 km2 area of Angola's coast in 1996.[2] In 1992, he was appointed as Special Adviser to the President of Mozambique on International Economic Matters, a position he held for three years.[6]

Personal life

He was formerly married to Aduke Fernandez, whom he divorced in July 2003 following a £ 300m divorce suit in Scotland filled on July 1, 2003 by her counsel. Lord Brodie presided over the case. He was asked by Aduke through her counsel, Charles Macnair QC, to compel Chief Fernandez to pay her a lump sum of £ 5m and an allowance of £75,000 monthly for 3 years but the case was dismissed by the court.[7] She died in 2013.[8]

Prior to Aduke Fernandez, he was married to Princess Abiola Dosunmu, the current Erelu Kuti of Lagos.[9] Following their divorce, the chief went to court in an effort to get the princess to stop using his last name socially. He was ultimately successful.

At the time of his death, he was married to Princess Halima Maude of Kano. [10]

Death

Fernandez died on September 1, 2015 in Belgium after an undisclosed illness of several months[11] and was buried at Ixelles Cemetery in Brussels on September 18, 2015.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Billionaire Dehinde Fernandez Loses Another Wife". global excellence online. Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "The mystery of £170,000, smear rumours and Nelson Mandela". The guardian News. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Adekoya, Femi. "Deinde Fernandez dies at 79". Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "ADIEU CHIEF FERNANDEZ by Chief Abiola Johnson( lagospolitics.com )". Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "Supreme Court Roundup - Justices to Rule on Illinois Bias Case". New York Times. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Meet the Nigerian heiress who wants to be the next Rihanna". Nypost. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "Millionaire chieftain sued for 300m pounds in record divorce fight". Herald Scotland News. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  8. ↑ Lanre Odukoya (April 19, 2014). "Deinde Fernandez and his Kano eye-popping boulevard". New Telegraph. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015.
  9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erelu_Kuti
  10. ↑ www.encomium.ng |Publisher=Encomium |title=Erelu Dosunmu refuses to talk about late husband, Fernandez |date=September 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ Mfonobong, Nsehe. "Nigerian Multi-millionaire Deinde Fernandez Is Dead". Forbes. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Revealed: Why Late Billionaire, Deinde Fernandez Was Buried In Belgium". City Scoop Nigeria. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
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