The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) held a retirement send-off ceremony in Abuja to honor Ambassador Oluremi Oluyide, the immediate past Director of the Planning, Research, and Statistics Department, for his decades of service to Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.
The event, which drew senior government officials and members of the diplomatic community, served as a formal recognition of Oluyide’s career across the Ministry’s headquarters and various Nigerian missions abroad.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, characterized Oluyide as a diplomat defined by “exceptional competence, integrity, and professionalism.” He noted the retired ambassador’s intellectual depth and urged the next generation of foreign service officers to adopt similar levels of discipline.
Ambassador Adebayo Adeyemi, representing the Permanent Secretary, described the honoree as a “hardworking, humble, and brilliant officer.” He emphasized that honoring such figures aligns with the Ministry’s goal of upholding high professional standards in Nigerian diplomacy.
Further tributes were paid by Ambassador Esther Erewa, Director of the Policy Division, who noted that Oluyide’s leadership significantly strengthened the institutional capacity of Nigeria’s foreign policy implementation. Colleagues and dignitaries echoed these sentiments in various goodwill messages, describing him as a strategist and a mentor.
In his response, Ambassador Oluyide thanked the Ministry and its stakeholders for their support throughout his tenure. He urged active-duty officers to maintain resilience and professionalism in their national service, adding that he remains willing to contribute to Nigeria’s development even in retirement.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of awards and a formal toast to mark the end of his official tenure in the Nigerian Foreign Service.
