He is 76 years old. He is a Billionaire. Reputed to have not one, but SIX Private Jets. He owns a Chateau in France, once occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France. Friend of Mobutu. Ally of Kofi Annan. Associate of Mandela and many more!
Nigeria’s business magnate and one of the richest men in Africa, Chief Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez, died on Tuesday, September 1, in Brussels, Belgium, at the age of 79. Sources close to the family, who expressed shock in his sudden demise, said he died of an age-related ailment.
This unbelievably rich man has some qualities and characters that can marvel anyone. Below are 11 things we compiled about the deceased Diplomat and permanent representative of Central African Republic to the United Nations.
1. Chief Fernandez was born in Lagos southwestern Nigeria into the Fernandez family that originated from Cuba and the first European migrant to Lagos State.
The Billionaire's famous Ovation Magazine cover where he featured in over 40 pages of his luxury lifestyle
2. He runs an oil company called Petro Inett which obtained a 50% share with South African-based Energy Africa Limited in a deal with the state oil company for exploration rights in a 4,700 km2 area of Angola’s coast in 1996
3. In 1982, he served as advisor to the Angolan Government on Economic matter. He was appointment as Deputy Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations in 1984. He was appointed as Special Adviser to the President of Mozambique on International Economic Matters in 1992.
4. He was formerly married to Aduke Fernandez, whom he divorced in July 2003 following a £300m divorce suit in Scotland filled on July 1, 2003 by her counsel. The court was asked by Aduke through her counsel, Charles Macnair QC, to compel Chief Fernandez to pay her a lump sum of £5m and an allowance of £75,000 monthly for 3 years but the case was dismissed by the court.
The Ambassador hosted Madiba Nelson Mandela on island in New York
5. Fernandez died on September 1, 2015 in Belgium in the presence of his wife, Haleema Maude Fernandez and is survived by 9 children.
6. He has 6 luxurious private jets. When he enters a restaurant or boutique, everyone else in the restaurant/boutique must leave because he cannot eat/shop with commoners. He owns a French castle in France which was once used by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor Of France. This rich man with a high level of wealth has various friends in high places.
7. He is from the popular Fernandez family of Lagos. Originally, the Fernandez's were descendants of freed slaves from Brazil, where Portuguese is the official language. Some of the first modern-styled buildings in Lagos were built by the Fernandezes, and these buildings are known for their spectacular Brazilian architecture.
Billionaire mogul, Fernandez (right) with former US President, George Bush
8. There was a time Ovation magazine featured him in 40 pages though he rarely visit Nigeria but has houses in Kano, a personalized tower in Lagos, New York, Scotland, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. But that’s not all, he has accounts in the Cayman Islands, France, Switzerland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Scotland and the United States.
9. He has been married more than once. But he is said to recently married to a beauty from Kano State simply identified as Haleema; She has a daughter, Mahreyah. She is said to be of the Alhaji Muhammadu Maude (also known as Maude Tobacco) family of Kano. Alhaji Maude was the Presidential Liaison Officer for Kano State during the Shehu Shagari presidency.
YEMOJA the ocean-going yacht was owned by Chief Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez
10. He is highly loved and respected by the Ogboni Confraternity and in Yorubaland. His family motto is: ‘Aguntan meji kii mumi ninu koto kan na’ which simply means ‘two rams cannot drink from the same container’ or ‘two captains cannot be on a ship’. In a divorce case with one of his former wives, he was said to have splashed 200,000 British Pounds on his seven-storey townhouse to buy 1,000 books of gold leaf to sophisticate the already sophisticated cornices and balustrades.
11. He does not stay at home. There was a time he left his home for a hotel for a very long time.
*Photo Credit: Dele Momodu on Instagram
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