Henry Adefope

Who was Henry Adefope?

Major General Henry Edmund Olufemi Adefope was the foreign minister of Nigeria, and an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee.

Adefope was educated at Glasgow University, graduating in general medicine in 1952. He worked as a doctor from 1953 to 1963, and was then commissioned in the Nigerian Army in 1963. He rose to the rank of Major General and served as Director of Medical Services. He later became Minister of Labour and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Adefope also served in a variety of positions in sports administration, including terms as the President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee from 1967 to 1976 and as Vice-President of the Commonwealth Games Federation from 1974 to 1982. In 1985 he was elected to the IOC. While with the IOC, he has been a member of the commissions that selected the host cities for the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games. He was investigated, but exonerated in regards to the 2002 Winter Olympic bid scandal.