OFR NORTHERN PERMANENT SECRETARY AND DIPLOMAT I.J.D Durlong was bom in November 1926 in the Shendam Low Land Native Authority of Plateau Province. He badhis Primary andMiddle Schooleducation athis native Pankshin andlaterjoinedthe emerging crop of elitesatthefamousKaduna College. Hewasalso educatedatStMary's College, UKand University ofLondon. I.J.D Durlongstartedwork with thePankshinNA in 1949 andwas there till 1950 beforejoining theJosNA from 1951 to 1955. Havinggained experience, he transferred to the Regional Service in 1955 as aMaster Grade 1. Fromthen, his careerbecameaboomingaffairfor between 1957and 1961 he hadrisenfrom Education Officerto Senior AssistantSecretary in the Office of theNorthern NigeriaAgent Generalin the UnitedKingdom. Unknown to him, he was already laying thefoundationsfor asuccessful diplomatic service. I.J.D Durlong returned to Nigeria as Senior Assistant Secretary and wasposted to the Ministry of Establishment and Training in November 1961. In April 1962, he became Secretary Northern Public Service Commission as acting Undersecretary, in-charge of Recruitment andTraining. In Decemberof the sameyear, he was made an actingPermanentSecretary in theMinistry of Education but was movedin 1963 to InternalAffairs. He was moved back to Education in February 1964 andwas confirmedin 1965. He remainedin thisposition until 1968 when he transferred to the FederalServiceprecisely to the Ministry of ExternalAffairs. MrI.J.D Durlong became one of thefew Nigerians saddledwith the responsibility ofpresentingthe Nigerianproperandcorreaimage when he was appointedthe country'sAmbassadorto Hollandduringthe Civilwar. He was there till 1973 when he was movedtoJapan andwas movedagain to Italyfrom 1975to 1977. When he returnedfromforeign service in 1977 as ExternalAffairs Officer Grade 1, he became one ofthe Direaors of NationalOilCompany andlaterChairman ofESLDNasubsidiary of theNNDCgroup. Ill- health howeverprevented thisfine gentlemanfrom serving societyfrom the 80 's. He died in the ABU Teaching HospitalKaduna on the 17* of February 1999.
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