LAUSANNE, March 13, 2012 - The
International Olympic Committee (IOC) was greatly saddened to learn of
the death of former IOC member from Nigeria Henry Edmund Olufemi Adefope
on Sunday at the age of 84.
Major General
Adefope served as an IOC member from 1985 to 2006, after which he was
made an IOC honorary member. Mr Adefope played an active role in the
world of sport, heading numerous sports organisations in Nigeria and
Africa, including the National Olympic Committee of Nigeria from 1967 to
1976. In 1973, Mr Adefope chaired the Organising Committee for the 2nd
All-Africa Games in Lagos, and he was Vice-President of the Commonwealth
Games Federation from 1974 to 1982.
He belonged to the
following IOC commissions: Tripartite, Apartheid and Olympism, Medical,
Study for the Preparation for the 1996 Olympic Games, Enquiry for the
Games of the XXVII Olympiad in 2000, Evaluation for the Games of the
XXVIII Olympiad in 2004, and Sport and Environment.
A medical graduate
of Glasgow University, Mr Adefope started his career as a doctor, and
rose to become Director of Medical Services (and hold the rank of Major
General) in the Nigerian Army. He was Nigeria’s Minister of Labour from
1975 to 1878 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1978 to 1979.
A lifelong sports fan, he played football, tennis and cricket, among others.
The IOC expresses its deepest sympathy to Mr Adefope’s family.
