Life is eternal and love is immortal; And death is only a horizon,
And a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
Rossiter W. Raymond This memorial website was created to remember our dearest PAPA Phillips who was born in Nigeria Abeokuta on October 27, 1915 and passed away on January 5, 2008 at the age of 92. You will live forever in our memories and hearts.
Eng. Foluseke. A. O. Phillips M.B.E. passed away on Saturday January 5, 2008 quietly in his sleep at the accomplished age of 92. Eng. FAO Phillips, popularly known as “ ‘Papa” , was the first African to be admitted into the British Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He was one of Nigeria’s foremost and most accomplished engineers, who served the nation through the Nigerian Railway for 35 years retiring as the General Manager and Chief Executive of the corporation in 1970. Papa was known for the remarkable leadership he showed in keeping the Nigerian railway system going when the mass exodus of railway workers, loss of rolling stock and political upheaval threatened the continued existence of the railways in Nigeria during the civil war.
Seke Phillips was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State on October 27, 1915. He attended St Paul’s School Igbore, Abeokuta Ogun State for his primary education. He spent his secondary school years at CMS Grammar School Lagos and Kings College Lagos passing out with distinction in 1934.
He started his engineering career as an apprentice with Nigerian Railway in 1935 and worked his way ‘hands on’ to the top of his profession, with stints of secondment and internship in the USA, India and especially the UK. He was a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (for which he was the West African Representative for many years), Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Engineering, member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers and member of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Nigeria.
A leader and hero in all he did, he was at one time Chairman of the West African Group of professional Engineers, President of the Association of Consulting Engineers, Chairman of the Board Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Management and President of the Kings College Old Boys Association.
Eng. FAO Phillips was honoured and preferred with the privileged title of “Member of the British Empire” (MBE) by the Queen of England in 1955 in recognition of his role and potential in the Nigerian Railway.
Since his retirement from the Nigerian Railway at the age of 55, Seke spent the next 37 years working in partnership with his first son Lanre in the engineering consulting firm of FAO Phillips & Associates literally to his day of death!
FAO Phillips is survived by his wife Mrs Olabisi Phillips, his children, in-laws, , Wole and Wami Akinosho, Lanre and Teju Phillips, Yinka and Folake Phillips, Foluso and Yimika Phillips and Prince Gbolahan and Abimbola Dada. He was gifted to see, mix with and bless, as was his wont, his 24 grandchildren and three Great grandchildren.
Seke Phillips was certainly one of the unsung heroes of Nigeria.
