Like all mortals, Chief Antonio Deinde Fernandez bade bye to mother earth five years ago, precisely September 1, 2015 at the age of 86.
He was said to have battled an undisclosed ailment for some months before he lost the struggle to stay alive. In reference to the Biblical saying that “the memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot,” the family of the late billionaire, particularly his daughter, Teju Phillips, has continued to keep his memories alive.
Society Watch gathered that the former Lagos State commissioner hosted a few friends on the occasion of the anniversary of her father’s death last week.
During the brief event, prayers were offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
In life, the late billionaire, a mining tycoon, who was appointed the representative of the Central African Republic, at the United Nations in 1997, lived big and had a larger-than-life image. When the news of his passing broke, many were shell-shocked.
It was not because the flamboyant businessman didn’t live a fulfilled life or that he didn’t live to old age, but it was because his colourful lifestyle even beat a kingly living.
Perhaps, this explains his several aliases like Olori Oluwo, Olori Ogboni Agba, ambassador extraordinaire. He created his own world and literally lived it alone. Described as reclusive, he lived big wherever he landed in any part of the world; and he had almost an incomparable taste for the good things of life.
The Lagos State-born plenipotentiary, whose roots were traced to Brazil, had become wealthy very early in life and remained so till he breathed his last.
He had imposing mansions all over the world and owned a number of private jets and yachts too. The multi-lingual and exceptional businessman owned a French castle in France, which was once used by Napoleon Bonaparte, the emperor of France.
