Since his demise was announced on July 26, there has been an outpouring of encomiums on the late Ambassador Blessing Akporode Clark. He was many things in his lifetime, and it’s no surprise that, like the elephant, he has been described differently by different people. He made his mark essentially in the Foreign Service of Nigeria. He rose to the very enviable rank of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He especially had a distinguished service in the diplomatic community where he represented Nigeria in Ethiopia, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and Switzerland, among others. The height of his service was his appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, where the Nigerian state benefitted from his wealth of experience.

As a distinguished alumnus of the Nigerian diplomatic service, he remained useful in shaping the country’s foreign policy until death came calling. He was a member of the Presidential Advisory Council for more than two decades. Ambassador Clark was at the University College, Ibadan at the same time with the late Chief Bola Ige, the late Gamaliel Onosode and Professor Wole Soyinka, among others.

Till date, his contribution to the fight against apartheid is recognised as he, at the United Nations, headed a Special Committee against Apartheid at a time when the horrible discrimination against blacks in South Africa was an opprobrium that had to be eliminated at all cost. He also served as chairman of the global body’s Committee on Peace-Keeping, thus ensuring that Nigeria’s voice was heard loud and clear at the international level in matters regarding enforcing peace in many parts of the world.

It is to his credit that, despite his wide connection locally and internationally, he refused to be tarred with the brush of partisan politics. He served under many administrations and various political parties as an official and unofficial adviser on foreign policy to the Presidents. And, despite the involvement of his elder brother, Chief Edwin Clark in partisan politics, he refrained from being drawn in, believing rather that the Nigerian image must be preserved among the comity of nations.

He came into the Foreign Service at a most inauspicious moment in 1961 when Nigerian students in the United Kingdom were up in arms against the Tafawa Balewa administration for tying Nigeria to British apron strings with the infamous Anglo-Nigeria Defence Pact. He came in after a distinguished spell with the Western Region Public Service that was the envy of others as the late Chief Simeon Adebo, largely regarded as cerebral, professional and committed was fully in charge.

In spite of the circumstances in such giddy moments, he joined in quickly rallying the diplomatic service to recover from the blow. The diplomats had to find a way of shielding the politicians who, soon after independence were at war.

Clark worked, he worked for Nigeria. He also lived a full and fulfilled life. The people of Kiagbodo will miss his presence at social and development circles. Old students of Government College, Ugheilli will miss his wise counsel. The Ijaw who have long been engaged in a tough battle with governments that have failed to give them their due will miss the standing of Ambassador Clark as a shining light. But, perhaps the Nigerian state more than any other has lost a giant in the departed diplomat.

As all men, Ambassador Akporode Clark has departed this side of the Great Divide. His footsteps will however remain visible in the sands of time. Julius Caesar’s statement, ‘I came, saw and conquered,’ fittingly applies to the late diplomatic giant.

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