20th December, 2019
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Family, friends, associates, and relatives of Sir Henry Olujimi Boyo, a renowned Nigerian economic analyst and popular columnist, on Friday, 20th December, attended the funeral service for the late economist, who died in November, 2019.
Boyo died on Monday, 18th of November at the age of 72 after a brief illness.
The funeral service was held at Methodist Cathedral of Peace and Excellence, Awuse Estate, Opebi, Lagos which was followed by private interment at Ebony Vaults, Ikoyi, Lagos. A reception was also held at All Seasons Plaza (Marquee), 24, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Lagos.
Boyo, who maintained a regular Monday back page column with Daily Independent, focusing on the economy, was described by many as a generous, humble, hardworking, and straightforward person.
Speaking with PM News at the event, Tola Adeniyi, the former Chairman and MD of Daily Times said Boyo had always wanted the economy of Nigeria to be fashioned in a way that will help the underprivileged and that his demise was a great loss to the nation.
In his words, “Henry Boyo was a very great nationalist and opinion leader, a thinker and a philosopher. His demise is a great loss to Nigeria because he had always wanted naira to be reevaluated, he had always wanted the economy of Nigeria to be fashioned in a way that will help the underprivileged and in that context we are going to miss him. He was a very prominent member of League of Nigerian Columnists, LNC and he did prove his worth all over the world.”
John Koffi Senayon, one of the relatives, said Boyo was like his teacher.
“Uncle Henry like I knew him, taught me in many ways. In fact, he was the one who gave me the woman I married, so we were that close. Apart from that, he was a man who made his mark as an economist in this country. He was a man who was steadfast in his belief and somebody who feared God and served humanity,” he said.
“We are going to really miss him,” he added.
On his part, former National President, Ijebu Muslim College Old Students Association, IMCOSA, Sir Ben Oshadiya, said “He was an erudite scholar who made valuable contributions in the analysis of situation in the economic of this nation. It is unfortunate that the government is not listening to him and many of the things he was saying will reverberate in years to come and will even continue for many generations.”
“The man has really made valuable contributions to the development of this country and many of us are here to honour him,” he added.
Also, a close friend of the deceased, Elder Moses Adelowokan described Henry Boyo as a very pleasant and wonderful man who will be missed by all.
“He was a wonderful friend and like everybody, I have benefited from him immensely because of the acquaintances and everyone that I know who was associated with him will sorely miss. He was a very pleasant and wonderful man. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.
Sir Henry Olujimi Boyo was born into the illustrious Boyo family of Warri, Delta State on February 9, 1948. He attended the Children’s Home School in Ibadan and commenced his secondary education at Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos.
He completed his secondary education at Dulwich College-a private boarding school in London. Following this, he graduated with a B.Sc. degree in Economics from the University of London in 1973, and a Masters’ degree (M.Sc) in Administrative Science from the City University of London in 1974. He returned to Nigeria in 1975.
Sir Henry Boyo worked with UAC International in London. On his return to Nigeria, he worked with Kingsway-Chemists as Sales Manager, and later Contracts Manager. He left UAC in 1981 to pursue entrepreneurial interests leading to his present-day success as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Allied Technol Systems Limited and Abel Sell Limited, which are engaged in manufacturing as well as industrial logistics support.
Sir Boyo has written over 500 articles on the Nigerian economy since 2004, and he was also a regular commentator on both radio and television on matters pertaining to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy through the employment of more effective monetary policies. He was a popular critic of the government’s policies on the economy.
He was also a pioneer and committed member League of Nigerian Columnists, LNC.
He is survived by wife, V.Rev (Mrs) Magdalene Boyo, children and grandchildren.