NECA DG Timothy Olawale Dies in Abuja

By Dipo Olowookere

News just reaching Business Post indicates that the energetic Director-General of the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr Timothy Olawale, has died.

Mr Olawale was said to have breadth his last after he slumped during a meeting he attended in Abuja on Friday.

The news of his demise has left his wife devastated, an informant informed this newspaper, adding that the woman has left Lagos to Abuja already.

Mr Olawale, after acting as the DG of the organisation for six months, was appointed as the substantive leader of NECA in January 2019.

It was said that he gave up the ghost yesterday before help could get to him.

He was reportedly at a meeting on Friday and was unable to get up from his seat, which prompted those around to rush to offer him assistance but he was gone before he could get first aid.

Before his demise yesterday, he had attended a meeting with the board of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) on Thursday on some important issues. He was said to have been very active and showed no sign of weakness.

According to his profile on the NECA website, Mr Olawale, a graduate of Psychology from the University of Ibadan, had 29 years of experience in Industrial Relations and Strategic Human Resource Management and was a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants. He was also very reputable in the industry

Before he became the DG of NECA, an organisation he joined in April 2011, he was the Director in charge of Membership Services, where he played a key role in the membership development of the Association.

While he was alive, Mr Olawale was very passionate about the welfare of Nigerian workers and entrepreneurs and was always ready to speak on issues affecting the workplace and how the environment can be made to benefit the different stakeholders.