Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the late Chief Padcal Dozie as one of the nation’s most intrepid entrepreneurs.
Late Chief Paschal Dozie died early Tuesday, the passing Obasanjo said was received with mixed feelings of sadness and gratitude to God.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former President said he was “sad because we will miss his contribution to the building of a new Nigeria of his dream, but I am grateful to God for such a life well spent in the service of our fatherland.
“We thank God for his life. He lived to the ripe age of 85, and in the course of this, he was able to make an impact, not just at the family level but also within the community and his profession.
In his tribute, Obasanjo said the late Dozie was “a serial entrepreneur who rose to become one of the major figures and icons in the Nigerian business and entrepreneurial community in the 20th and 21st centuries in Nigeria.
He was a former Chairman of the MTN Foundation, former Board Member of the African Capital Alliance, founder and the main inspiration behind the defunct Diamond Bank, and former President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, among others. I am impressed by his humility and his humanism.
He had friends across the social strata, and he did not discriminate, irrespective of age or social status. Through all of the businesses he ventured into, he created thousands of jobs for many Nigerians, irrespective of tribe and religion.
To Obasanjo, “I celebrate a man who lived a life of purpose, a life of achievement and who impacted the lives of many Nigerians by creating jobs and opportunities for generations who I believe will always remember him as one of those diamonds that Nigeria produced. Indeed, the great outpouring of sympathy for the family and his loved ones since his death was announced is also an eloquent testimony to the enduring, nationwide bonds of comradeship and friendship which Paschal forged in his many years of service to our nation. He was a great man!
“My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time as they mourn the passing of this illustrious son of Africa.
“On behalf of my family and my behalf, I express sincere condolences and pray God to grant them all the grace to bear this great loss.
“May the gentle soul of the dear departed rest in perfect peace.
