An expose on Nigeria’s reclusive billionaire:
By Kemi Yesufu
Publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu on Tuesday night announced the death of Ambassador Deinde Fernandez via twitter. There is no better person to alert the world that one of richest men in the history of Nigeria and some would say, Africa had passed on at the age of 79. It was the Ovation publisher who first gave Nigerians a glimpse into the life of the highly reclusive billionaire.
And for those who followed Fernandez, a man acclaimed to be one of the wealthiest Africans in recent history, his life is akin to a fairytale. As a youngster growing up in old Lagos, the Isale-Eko area, he rode to and from school on a bicycle. But decades after, Fernandez bought his son, Koye, then a pilot in training an airplane for his 16th birthday. Koye once told a journalist of his father’s gift. “While 16 year olds like me got a car for their birthday, my father gave me a plane”. Happenstances such as this showed the enormous wealth Fernandez acquired, he was said to have owned six private jets, one of which is the Gulf stream G550. It is one of the best in Aeronautic engineering, luxury and comfort. This plane can fly from New York to Tokyo without refueling. “Of course, the entire flight crew of Chief’s airplanes are white, the same applies to his domestic staff”, a former staffer of the late mogul told Saturday Sun.
It was courtesy of Fernandez, the Baron of Dudley, (an estate of feudal Lords in Great Britain) immense resources and wide spread investments, that the British press in listing the richest men in the world added his name in the 80s. Fernandez’s lifestyle and his far reaching contacts in the world does not in any way contradict this position.
Early life
Born into the Olumebgon family in Lagos in the ’30s, Fernandez began his education in his home state at the Holy Cross Primary School, from there he proceeded to CMS Grammar School and Saint Gregory College, Obalende. On the completion of his secondary education, like most enterprising young men of that generation, he moved to the United States of America. He went on to the Colombia University and Graduate School of Business in New York State University where he was a member of the Masters degree class of 1972.While in undergraduate school, the man who was known as the son of Yemoja made his first million by selling to foreign businessmen in America, high in demand raw materials and minerals found in the continent of Africa. With the help of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Fernandez became the first black member of the New York City cocoa board. This signalled the beginning of an accomplished business career. The Lagos-born billionaire owns one of the world’s biggest diamond and gold mines in Zaire, Central Africa and Turkey.
Fernandez the diplomat
Quite a number of Nigerians who admire Fernandez have wondered how he came about the Ambassadorial title, the billionaire industrialist in his lifetime, used his money in fighting for many a just cause in different African countries. African leaders saw in the over six feet tall mogul, a dependable friend who could be counted upon to engage his time and resources in pursuit of the development of their countries. Little wonder he became the Ambassador Extra-ordinary/Plenipotentiary and Vice–Minister of Foreign Affairs of a country other than his home country.
It was not only the Central African Republic that made Fernandez who took his last title from the ancient city of Kano as the Garsan Fulani of Kano, its representative in the United Nations (UN). He also represented Mozambique, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Angola and other counties at various times. It is no wonder that in UN circles where the top level diplomacy and skilled bargaining is practised per minute basis, the Garsan Fulani interacted intimately with powerful world leaders. Among them are presidents of the United States like J.F. Kennedy, George Bush, the first black African UN Secretary General, Dr. Kofi Anan and the late Mobutu Sese Seko. He is said to have also used his own monies to house African diplomats and their embassies, the recruitment of skilled staff and payment of their salaries. Nigeria’s most celebrated diplomat, Ambassador Ibrahim Sulu Gambari once said of Fernandez: “Chief Fernandez’ network and support for the African group has not, however, limited his activities. Beyond the African group, he has continued to build bridges across other continents, he is a great philanthropist, a true African there is no way we can quantify his contribution to the continent”.
The Olori Ogboni of the universe
Despite his high level exposure, Fernandez was a traditionalist all his life. “While he was a young man in the US, he often canvassed the idea that Africa is the greatest continent on earth. Despite his style and panache, his impeccable taste which can only be compared to that of British or Saudi Arabian royalty, he remained an African at heart. He was very proud of the African culture, tradition and religious beliefs. He was the Olori Ogboni of the Universe and Oluwo of Lagos” said a close associate of Fernandez.
Living in a world with strong bias of western culture, the Apesin of Egbaland remained steady in his way of life as an African. His homes though in some of the most exquisite Chateaus in the world have artworks, paintings and insignias that depict a man strongly attached to his roots. But his traditionalism was balanced with a strong sense of opulence and luxury. Both on land and on sea, the Oluwo of Lagos surely knew how to live, with six luxurious aircraft and a beautiful yacht, the most talked about being the 154-foot Yemoja named after the Yoruba river goddess of the same name. In his lifetime, his worldwide contributions also earned Fernandez many distinguished awards and tittles. He held the Grand Officer de L’orde National du Leopard by Zairien government. From Central African Republic is the Grand Officer de L’orde du Merit Central Africa, Commandeur de l’orde National du Merit from Gabon. Others include Grand Officer De L’orde du Mono from Togo and Officer du Quissan Alauoite from Morroco.
No investment in Nigeria
There are varying opinions why Fernandez had no known investments in Nigeria. In fact, he was highly criticised for this. Some said that he didn’t make any attempt to invest in local companies, others say he has tried to invest in times past but had his hands burnt by unscrupulous individuals. He also bought shares in a few Nigerian banks. A source who knows the late mogul revealed that he held extensive talks with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo with the goal of investing billions of naira in the Aviation and Energy sectors but the talks were inconclusive. The source equally told Saturday Sun that some ministers in the Obasanjo administration met with Fernandez on the opportunities in the Nigerian solid minerals sector with the hope that he would bring in his wealth of experience in the extractive industries as per his ownerships of gold mines. Sadly, Fernandez didn’t ever set up a major business concern in his country of birth.
“This man loved Nigeria a lot, though many people will not believe this because he didn’t have business interest here, some may even say that we lost a son in him. But all of that is an incorrect assumption. Do you know that all his life, Chief and his children only use Nigerian passports. When it expires, they renew it,” Saturday Sun was told on Tuesday night.
Not such a happy family man
A hardworking man, Fernandez once told an associate that “while others are asleep that is when I work, when they are awake, I continue. Hard work pays and destiny counts, you cannot be what you aren’t destined to be”. But like many men who made it through hard work, Fenandez’s family life suffered. He has many loves and married women all of whom he had well reported divorces, except his last wife, Kano born Halima Maude, whom many believed influenced his choice of the ancient city as base in Nigeria. Nevertheless, he spent the last three to four years outside the country and this explains why he died in Belgium. He also was blessed with many children, with whom in some cases, he struggled to have good relationships. The most well known of his children are former Lagos Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs Teju Phillips and musician daughter, Abimbola.