Molade Okoya-Thomas is dead

Billionaire business man, sports lover and philanthropist, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, has died.

His death was announced on social media by leading entertainment-industry figures.

Okoya-Thomas was 79 years old.

Born in Lagos on June 8, 1935, Okoya-Thomas (pictured right, with Razak Okoya in 2014) started his primary education in his native Lagos state, attending Princess School Lagos, proceeding to Baptist Academy Lagos before going beyond the shores of Nigeria to get tertiary education.

His name would not be forgotten in the history of Lagos state, not because streets are named after him but because of he has carved his name in gold in the history of the state.

For sports lovers, the name Okoya Thomas means Table Tennis, as the white-cap chief of the Oba of Lagos, the Asoju Oba, he single-handedly sponsored a Table Tennis championship consistently for 45 years before handing over to his son in 2013.

As the son Late Hussam Okoya-Thomas, the first Baba Adinni of Furabay Mosque, Olowogbowo, Lagos, and the first indigenous employee of CFAO, a multinational company engaged in the sale of manufactured goods, especially automobiles and pharmaceutical products.

Hussam Okoya-Thomas, the father, worked with CFAO for 52 years before his death.

Until his death, he was chairman of many organisations, such as CICA (Nigeria) Ltd., Transcap Nigeria Ltd., Oktom Investment Ltd., Itochu Nigeria Ltd., Chiyoda Nigeria Ltd. and Anchoria Investment & Securities Ltd. He also served as director of NFI Insurance Company Plc and GatewayBank Plc.

He was awarded City Voice’s Lagosian of the year award in 2013 for his meritorious service to the state, fending off competition from Nigerian billionaires, Folorunsho Alakija and Aliko Dangote.

As a graduate of Balham & Tooting College of Commerce London and Columbia University, New York, the accountant returned to Nigeria in 1981 to work for CFAO rising to become the chairman of the revered multinational.

He was a serving chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU) till his death.