Doyen of diplomacy and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who chaired UN Special Committee Against Apartheid in South Africa, Ambassador Blessing Akporode Clark has bowed out at the age of 92.
Hailed as B.A Clark by many admirers, the highly revered career Diplomat and former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was among early Nigerian Diplomats who helped the country formulate its Foreign Policy after gaining independence from erstwhile colonial masters–Britain.
The news of Amb. B.A Clark’s shocking death broke late Tuesday, throwing the kith and kin in the global diplomatic circles into deep mourning.
The Clark family confirmed the passing of the diplomacy doyen in a statement signed by Dr. Christopher C. Clark.
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.”
The statement which noted that he is survived by his elder brother, Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark Clark and other members of the family, added that “Since 1999, until his death, he served as Member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Foreign Relations.
“Ambassador Clark was a mentor to Nigeria’s Diplomatic Service, and for 50 (fifty) years, helped to shape Nigeria’s foreign policy.
“Further details will be announced by the family in due course.”
The New Diplomat reports Amb. B.A Clark is the middle sibling between Chief E.K Clark, the Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the late literary giant, Prof. JP Clark.
Amb. Clark had served as Permanent Representative of Nigeria to United Nations (Geneva) and concurrently as the nation’s Ambassador to Switzerland.
His works were instrumental in helping Zimbabwe (formerly known as Rhodesia) and Namibia gain independence.
The late diplomacy giant also served as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to Organization of African Unity and Ambassador to Ethiopia, focusing on decolonization of Africa, and socio-economic development.
His fight against Segregation and Blacks’ suffering saw him made salient contributions to advance the course of freedom for apartheid South Africa as he chaired the Anti-Apartheid Committee at the UN.
Amb Clark served at the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs, then in Lagos in various critical departments. At different times, he was made Director for International Economic Co-operations, Director for International Organizations and Deputy Permanent Secretary. He was part of the intellectual apparatchik that defined Nigeria’s National interest and formulated the country’s foreign policy on attainment of independence.
Clark retired as Permanent Secretary, (Director General, Service Matters) of the Ministry of the External Affairs as it was being called at the time.
Delta-born B.A Clark, upon his graduation from University of Ibadan joined the Western Regional Service in 1957. But his diplomacy career took off in 1961 as he moved into Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, just about the time when Nigeria — a young nation then — was trying to assert its global power and diplomacy after independence.
Within the global diplomatic community, Amb. B.A Clark is famed for helping to shape the concept of multilateralism which seeks to boost cooperation and partnership among several nations as against bilateralism — between two nations.
In a tribute he wrote to celebrate B.A Clark’s 91st birthday last year, Retired Career Diplomat, Amb. Godknows Igali has this to say: “With such an ebullient credential, Clark became one of the leading multilateral diplomats during the 1960s, 1970, and into the 1980s. Conference upon conference around the world, his highly sharpened intellectual skill, and witticism, perfect belles-lettres, in both English and French placed him on an edge over most diplomats around the world on his days. He became much sought after on almost all fields of global affairs and helped to set the agenda for what world leaders will talk amongst themselves in the 21st century.”
