April 14, (THEWILL)- Architect turned diplomat, Tom Ikimi recently clocked 80. A man of commanding might and a goal-getter, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs during the regime of late General Sani Abacha in 1995, decided to celebrate his landmark age with a thanksgiving service that took place at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Benin City, Edo State.
The service was conducted by the Archbishop of Benin, Most Reverend Dr. Austine Akubeze who was joined by Archbishop Emeritus of Ibadan, Most Reverend Felix Akaba Job; Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and Bishop of Uromi, Most Rev. Donatus Oguns among other clergymen. This was followed immediately after with a grand reception that had quite a number of Edo and Delta State elites in attendance. Some of them included Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi; Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme; former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori; Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki; former Edo State governor, Lucky Igbinedion; the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion; Edo PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo and his wife, Ifeyinwa; Senator Ben Obi; Former Minister of Women Affairs, Josephine Anenih, former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, among several others.
Ikimi, who holds the chieftaincy titles of Inneh of Igueben and Akinrogun of Ife, has been credited with the success of the Nigeria-led ECOMOG force during the war between Sierra Leone and Liberia. His diplomatic prowess and his goal-getting nature came to the fore in the restoration of late President Ahmad Tejan Kabba to power in 1997. Kabba was in exile in neighbouring Conakry for 10 months, under the protection of Guinea’s former President Lansana Conteh. Ikimi as Foreign Minister had met with Charles Taylor of Liberia. His convincing style of presentation of facts, led to the commencement of a peaceful restoration of sanity in Liberia, despite Taylor’s intransigence and lust for power.
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