Edwin Clark’s Loses His Brother Akporode

Ambassador Blessing Akporode Clark, a foremost diplomat, is dead.
The deceased who passed on at 92, in Lagos, on Tuesday was a brother to Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader.

A statement signed by Dr. Christopher C. Clark said the late nonagenerian was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York.

The statement read, “The Bekederemo-Fuludu-Clark family of Kiagbodo Town in the Burutu Local Government Council of Delta State, announce with profound sadness, the passing onto glory of Nigera’s foremost Diplomat, Ambassador Blessing Akporode Clark, CON, today, 26th July, 2022 in Lagos. He was aged 92 years.

At several times in his Diplomatic career, he was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York.

He was one of Nigeria’s leading multilateralists, and rose to become Permanent Secretary of the then Ministry of External Affairs. He was, one of the critical global personalities in the fight against Apartheid and Racial Discrimination; and a leading world expert on Disarmament. Since 1999, until his death, he served as Member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Foreign Relations.