H. E. EMMANUEL AYODELE OKE, CFR
AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
TO THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE
Ambassador Ayodele Oke, CFR, is a former career diplomat and international public servant, globally renowned for his competence and capacity. His four decades of experience in the Nigerian Foreign Service, diplomacy, and the international arena, including service at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, have honed his skills. His proven track record in public service at national and international levels instils confidence in his ability to influence others through reasoned argument, critical thinking, and persuasion.
Ambassador Oke, a mentor to generations of foreign service professionals, demonstrates a strong respect for diversity and strong people-management skills. His leadership across national, international, and multicultural settings is notable and inspiring, setting a high standard for others to emulate.
He is widely travelled. He served and represented Nigeria in six countries across three continents (Paris, Bangui, Islamabad, Gaborone, Algeria and London). He is now in his second stint in France. Between 2004 and 2012, Ambassador Oke distinguished himself at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London as Special Adviser and Head of the Africa Department, overseeing Commonwealth activities in nineteen African countries.
Ambassador Oke holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Ibadan (1977), a Master of Science in International Relations from the University of Ife (1979), and a Certificate in French Language from CAVILAM, Vichy, France (1981). He also holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom, and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Law from University College London. He is a Fellow of the Hague Academy of International Law in The Hague, Netherlands.
He served as Director-General at the Nigerian Presidency from November 2013 to October 2017. In 2014, he was awarded Nigeria’s third-highest national honour, the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), in recognition of his significant contributions to the country. He is married and has children and grandchildren.
He assumed the role of Ambassador-Designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic on 9 April 2026.