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Tag: Gowon

  • Osinbajo, Gowon, Adeboye in Abuja for Christmas Praise Concert

    VICE PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo hosted yesterday the 2018 Christmas Praise Concert at the old Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.

    Dignitaries at the concert included the former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

    The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye delivered the Christmas message at the concert.

    He centred his message on John chapter 14, verse 6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

    According to him, Jesus Christ is the way into freedom, Jesus Christ is the way out of problems, Jesus Christ is the way forward, Jesus Christ is the way upward, and Jesus Christ is the way where there is no way.

    He cited John 8:32, John 8:36, Mark 5: 1-15, Luke 7: 11-15, Luke 5: 1-7, John 12: 32, John 11:39-44.

    The cleric also prayed for better 2019 and peaceful elections in 2019.

    Lesson 4 was taken from Luke 2:1-7 by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha.

    State House Chaplain Pastor Joseph Malomo led prayers for the leaders of the country, peace and no blood shed in the country during the festive season, and prayers for 2019

    The concert featured Aso Villa Chapel Children Choir, Hallelujah Nigeria Non-Stop Praise Team, The Praise Chorale Lagos, Plateau State Unity Choir, Blessing Ilagha and D-Boys, Gloria Braimah and Solomon Lange, Pastor Kunle Ajayi.

    It was attended by the Vice President’s wife, Dolapo, governor Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) as well as members of the diplomatic corps.

  • Osinbajo, Gowon see brighter future for Nigeria

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon yesterday predict a brighter future for Nigerian. It was the State House Chapel in Abuja during the annual End of Year Thanksgiving.

    They thanked God for his goodness to the country and also prayed for a more prosperous nation.

    Speaking with reporters after the service, Prof. Osinbajo said that Nigerians had every reason to be extremely thankful to God.

    “It has been a year where God has shown his faithfulness in some many ways; I think what God is also telling is that the coming months and the coming years will be even better.

    “Our country is going forward; our country is getting better and better; our country will prosper; our country will be a place of abundance; all of us will enjoy the fruit of this land.

    “So my message is that we should continually thank God because God has helped us a great deal and he is set to help us even more.’’

    The vice president had earlier during the service offered a special thanksgiving prayer to God for His mercy, grace and kindness to Nigeria.

    Gen. Gowon said that his message for Nigeria was to pray ceaselessly.

    He prayed God to accept the genuine prayers offered by Nigerians.

    He said: “Let God answer all the good prayers for Nigeria; what he thinks is best for Nigeria. That is my message and prayer; so that we contribute to the peace of Nigeria.’’

    In his sermon, Assistant General Overseer with The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Ezekiel Odeyemi said that Nigeria has a good reason to thank God for still remaining one.

    He said that the country had passed through quite a lot as there were lots of signs and signals pointing towards disintegration but Nigerians still remained together.

    “That one is more than enough to thank God for,’’ he said.

    State House Chapel Chaplain Pastor Seyi Malomo recommended thanksgiving as something Nigerians should do continuously.

    The cleric said: “Thanksgiving is something that is expected on a continuous basis; in fact, that is one of the requirements of God from us.

    “We thank God; God will make us whole; in every relationship, you do not see perfection; even in your life but when you thank God, that imperfection will be perfected.

    “So, I see a perfection for Nigeria; I see a wholeness for every one of us.’’

    Nasarawa State Deputy Governor Silas Agara thanked God for guiding President Muhammadu Buhari and Osinbajo in the last three years.

    He said that Nigerians should be thankful to God for giving the nation God-fearing leaders, unlike other nations, Nigeria was not at war.

    At the service were Head of Federal Civil Service (HoFCS) Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, Niger-Delta Affairs Minister Sani Uguru, representatives of the Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Army Staff.

  • Buhari, Gowon, Kumuyi counsel Nigerians on challenges

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) Pastor William Kumuyi yesterday urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the country owing to its challenges.

    They were optimistic that through hard work and prayer, Nigeria would overcome its economic, moral and social challenges and remain a single prosperous entity.

    They spoke at a special national prayer service, ‘Nigeria Prays’, held at the DCLM headquarters in Lagos.

    The event featured prayer sessions anchored by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (MITI) Okechukwu Enelamah; Anambra State Chief Judge Justice Peter Umeadi and Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa.

    Other guests included a presidential candidate and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke and his wife Onari; National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Director-General Dame Julie Okah-Donli; Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ogun State Governor’s wife Olufunso Amosun.

    Buhari, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, acknowledged that there were challenges in all sectors of the country’s national life, “but none is greater than God”.

    He said although his administration was working hard at addressing the challenges, “the place of making supplications to God over our needs cannot be over-emphasised”.

    Hailing Gowon for the 22 years of the Nigeria Prays Movement, the President added: “Prayer is the right thing to do and the way to go. Nigeria is not a mistake. God that brought us this far won’t abandon us.

    “It is right that we pray to God for the unity and prosperity of Nigeria. None of Nigeria’s challenges is greater than God. In God we trust and He will take us through the challenges.

    “I have so much respect for General Yakubu Gowon because of his love and desire for the unity of the country. Gowon led the nation through the great civil war. It was a war of peace and for peace in Nigeria.”

    Gowon, who is the President of the Nigeria Prays, was hopeful that Nigeria’s problems would be resolved through unrelenting prayers by the church, rather than resort to violence, retaliation and lack of forgiveness.

    He said: “The church must provide a moral compass for the nation to make the people imbibe the fear of God and to follow righteousness.

    “Brethren, it is important to remind us that the church is God’s House of Prayer. With the general elections coming ahead, it is natural for people to become anxious and fearful of what the future holds for Nigeria in the light of the wanton killings in the land – be it politically motivated or instigated by the dark agents of insurgency like Boko Haram, armed herdsmen or rustlers.

    “Whatever the provocation, whatever the threat, for the sake of the country, Nigerian Christians should never resort to a retaliation that would lead to a religious war.”

    He called Nigerians to “come together to pray and intercede for our dear nation and its people.

    “God’s solution to the problems of this country is not in guns, retaliation or physical weapons but in prevailing prayers of the church.”

    Kumuyi, who spoke on ‘Divine assurance when Nigerian Prays” said God will answer if His people, faced with national perplexity can pray.

    According to him, if God could turn around and show mercy to Nineveh, Egypt, Assyria and other countries and individuals in the Bible, there is hope for Nigeria.

    Kumuyi said: “If God could answer the prayer of Nineveh, I’m telling you the word of God is assuring us, God will answer our prayer.

    “Nineveh was written off by Jonah. How many people are writing off Nigeria, saying that the country is going to disintegrate? I say no, it is not going to disintegrate.

    “They say there is no hope for the country, that we have come to the end of our posterior time, I say we are just beginning. Something new is going to happen.

    “They expected that Nineveh was going to perish and be totally forgotten. The people repented and prayed to God, and God spared them and preserved them. On the basis of that, I say there is hope from God for Nigeria.”

  • Buhari, Gowon, Obasanjo, Mahama, others laud Jonathan

    •Ex-President: way out of vote-buying

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book presentation organised to mark his 61st birthday yesterday turned into a spectacular praise galore.

    Eminent citizens, including President Muhammadu Buhari, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, General Abdusalam Abubakar (rtd), Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) and retired Justice Alfa Belgore described him as a great patriot and true democrat for conceding the 2015 presidential elections.

    At the presentation of the book, “My Transition Hours” were  foreign leaders including former Ghanaian President Mr. John Mahama, former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General to West Africa, Mr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas poured encomiums on Jonathan.

    Others including Senegalese President Macky Sall, Muhammadou Issoufou (Niger Republic), Faure Gnassingbe (Togo) and Ibrahim Keita (Mali) expressed excellent attestations about Jonathan in a recorded video presentation.

    Jonathan also advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on how to prevent vote buying in next year’s elections.

    Buhari on Tuesday hailed Jonathan for voluntarily conceding defeat

    Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the president said Jonathan’s act of courage had made him a patriotic leader and earned popularity among Africans and other leaders.

    “You are a leader of the past, of now and of the future; you will rise again; I wish you the best you wish yourself,” Buhari said, urging Nigeians

    He said Nigerians should eschew bitterness, bigotry, hate speech and “promote Nigeria for us and generation yet unborn.”

    Obasanjo who was Chairman of the occasion, also hailed Jonathan’s statesmanship disposition and urged him to remain committed to his residual responsibility of continuous service to his immediate community, Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

    Gowon also thanked Jonathan for conceding defeat in 2015 to save Nigeria from impending war and consolidating democracy not only in the country but the entire African continent.

    He applauded Jonathan for his role in fostering unity, peace, progress and strengthening democratic rule in Africa, saying “Goodluck Jonathan is a good man and when the history of democracy in Africa is written, his name will be etched in gold”.

    Gen. Abdulsalami said Nigeria was not at war today because of the decision by Jonathan to concede defeat during the 2015 general elections.

    ” We cannot thank you enough for the peace we are having in the country today; for the peaceful transition we had when you freely and voluntarily conceded defeat.

    ” By your decision, you have shown that you love your country more than you love power,” he said.

    Former President Mahama described Jonathan as more of an academic who found himself in politics.

    Mahama said Jonathan approached leadership in a relaxed manner and that was why he left a good legacy worthy of emulation by all leaders in Africa.

    Koroma said:“I will not stop thanking Nigeria and its former President for your support for the Mano River Unon, for your support to EOWAS but I will not stop challenging Nigeria that this country hs responsibility toprovide great leadership for all of us to follow.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki,said the act of accepting defeat by Jonathan helped to stabilise the already charged political atmosphere during the elections.

    He recalled how Jonathan used to vow that his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian and called on political leaders to toe the same path and should not look at elections as declaration of war as the 2019 polls approached.

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar said Nigeria was fortunate to have a selfless leader like the former President.

    He said that the decision of Jonathan to concede defeat in 2015 had helped to consolidate democracy not only in Nigeria but on the African continent.

    Abubakar also said that Nigerians and Africans would continue to remain grateful to Jonathan for upholding national interest at the expense of his personal interest.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described Jonathan as a pillar of contemporary Nigeria democracy.

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    A statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan said “In all, President Jonathan amply demonstrated that the true essence of leadership and statesmanship is the application of the virtues, opportunities and authority therein for the good of others rather than self, and for that our party and indeed Nigerians celebrate him.

    “The PDP therefore joins family members, associates and well-wishers at large in celebrating Dr. Jonathan as he attains this milestone and prays that God will continue to keep him in good health and sound mind as he gives himself to the service of our dear fatherland”.

    Jonathan said vote buying had become scandalous and placed the country in a bad light.

    He said voter inducement through engraving of pictures of candidates and political party logos on gift items during elections was another rampant strategy of vote buying.

    He advised INEC to borrow a leaf from other African countries and create polling centres in public places such as schools where classrooms were used for voting to make it difficult for vote buying.

    Hundreds of prominent Nigerians including APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafara, former-Vice President Namadi Sambo, ex-PDP governors, ministers and many members of the political class, traditional rulers and members of the diplomatic corps graced the presentation

  • Obasanjo, Gowon, others for Kaduna Baptist Church centenary anniversary

    Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) have been billed for 100 years celebration of the First Baptist Church, Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, slated between November 1 to 18, this year.

    Addressing a journalists in Kaduna on Friday, Chairman, Centenary Anniversary Planning Committee, Dcn Engr. Adeniyi Rasheed Rufai told reporters that, the church, located in the heart of Kaduna, has survived several violence with the help of God and security agents in the state in the last 100 years.

    According to him, the church though founded in 1914, was officially launched in 1918 at about the time the colonial masters created Kaduna City thereby making it one of the oldest denominations in Northern Nigeria.

    Kaduna City had marked its 100 years earlier in the year where the Church played host to the City’s centenary church service led by Deputy Governor, Arch. Yusuf Bala Bantex.

  • Gowon urges Buhari, Atiku, others to get ready to accept 2019 polls’ results

    FORMER Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon yesterday appealed to politicians across parties contesting key political offices to, in the interest of national unity and cohesion, get ready to accept the result of the 2019 elections in good faith.

    Particularly, Gowon urged the leading presidential contestants on the platform of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari and that of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to prepare to accept the eventual result of the forthcoming presidential poll for the country to move forward peacefully.

    The former Head of State spoke while responding to questions from reporters after the opening of an exhibition in honour of an Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Oladipo Akinkugbe, at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

    The event was organised to flag off week-long activities for the celebration of Akinkugbe’s 60th years’ anniversary as a doctor of medicine; 50th years as a professor, 85th birthday and retirement from public service.

    The event was attended by Chairman, Board of Management of UCH, Alhaji Ibrahim Shettima; the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Temitope Alonge; Gowon’s wife Mrs. Victoria Gowon, Akinkugbe and his wife, Prof. Sade, former UCH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Abiodun Ilesanmi among others.

    Gowon, who ruled from 1966 to 1975, described Akinkugbe as his longtime friend and lecturer to his wife when she was in the school of nursing at UCH.

    He noted that their friendship dated back to 1957, when they met in the United Kingdom.

    He enjoined the political gladiators to imbibe the same spirit displayed by the former President Goodluck Jonathan in conceding defeat after the 2015 presidential poll, in the interest of the unity and peace.

    Gowon said: “What happened last time (2015), if you remember, there was so much tension and the tension was so high that if things had gone wrong, Nigeria would be on fire. Then, as a result, (former) President Jonathan agreed at the early stage to say he accepted the results and congratulated Gen. Buhari. Now, this is the way.

    “I was in Ethiopia on African Union (AU) mission. The feeling before what happened was tension, anxiety, and worry by all in African states. When the result was announced, I was just leaving Ethiopia to come back to Nigeria; come and see the joy in the people of Africa at that meeting.

    “So, that was the sort of things I will really say we should have so that we can have a peaceful election that is credible, peaceful and people should accept the results of the election for the sake of Nigeria.

    “Where things go wrong, try to improve for the next time. It is my hope and prayer that things will go well. I hope all of you will play your parts to ensure a peaceful election.  If you make your own contributions that way, then we will be well.”

  • Medical college to honour Gowon, others

    Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon will today be bestowed with the honorary fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College (NPMC).

    Gen. Gowon signed Decree 44 of 1969, which laid the foundation of  NPMC 49 years ago.

    NPMC  President Opubo Dah Lilly-Tariah said Gen Gowon rememberd how the college was born when told about the award.

    Similarly, two past fellows of the college, Dr Ademola Olaitan, who is the immediate past president of the college from the Faculty of Dental Surgery, as well as former treasurer Dr Nimi Briggs, would be bestowed with Distinguished Fellowship awards.

    For this year, he said 3,086 candidates sat for the fellowship examination, of which 1,255 passed.

    Of the 1915 candidates that sat for the Part 1, 684 passed, adding that only 434 of the 774 that wrote the Part 2 exam passed.

    He said management was happy for fulfilling its mandate of training specialists over the past 49 years.

    “The college has made significant progress in its attempt at computerisation of all its activities. College now has personalised email account for all fellows, and has started submission of proposals and dissertations online, while we are also ready to deploy the anti-plagiarism software for dissertation and proposals.

    He said the college has continued to make progress on all fronts, including the computerisation of its activities.

    He added: “All financial transactions between associate fellows, fellows and the college are now online. Faculty chairman and secretaries are able to vet candidates for examinations online. The college was also able to conduct the last examination despite the Joint Health Sector Union   strike because a significant part of the examination was online.  The college is working to get all dissertations ever written in the college in a searchable form online before the end of the year. In this regard, we hope to work with collaborations with other colleges in the sub region.”

    A professor of Otorhinolary from University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Basil Ezeanolue, would deliver the convocation lecture with the theme: ‘’Do not be afraid and do not fail to rescue: A discourse on the challenges confronting Nigeria’s health sector’’.

  • Ambode, Amosun, Gowon, Akiolu, others felicitate with Williams at 99

    GOVERNORS Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) yesterday led other eminent Nigerians to celebrate with Chief Akintola Williams, the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant, who clocked 99.

    Speaking to reporters at a special birthday reception held in honour of Williams at his Lagos home, Ambode described the celebrator as the doyen of accountancy profession and elder statesman, who deserved to be celebrated for his contributions to the country’s growth.

    The governor said: “The main reason why we are here is to celebrate a true Nigerian, and for somebody who has actually contributed to the development of Nigeria and he is still alive at 99, he is worth celebrating.

    “This is like a prelude to the centenary that we are waiting to celebrate next year, and that is why you can see that Ogun State Governor is here too.

    “Apart from the fact that Chief Akintola Williams is the Doyen of the Accountancy Profession, we see him as a founding father of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He is also the founding father of the Musical Society of Nigeria. So, he has too many parts and this is one Nigerian that we are proud of and we are willing to celebrate him every day.”

    He particularly hailed Williams for his role in Lagos State’ growth, saying the state government would keep celebrating true Nigerians like Williams.

    Ambode added: “That I am here today is more or less to say a big thank you to him for lifting up Lagos; for lifting up Nigeria and we also wish him well on behalf of all Lagosians. We will continue to celebrate true Nigerians and he (Chief Williams) is just one true Nigerian, an elder statesman that we should all be proud of.”

    Williams thanked those who found time to be with him on his special day and wished them long life as well.

    Aside Ambode and Amosun, other eminent Nigerians at the event include former Military Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd); first Lagos State Military Governor Brig.-Gen. Mobolaji Johnson (retd); Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu; foremost banker and founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Otunba Subomi Balogun; legal luminary and philanthropist Chief Chris Ogunbanjo; former ICAN Presidents, other captains of industries and members of the diplomatic corps.

     

  • Gowon’s stand

    •Plateau killers should be tried in Jos, not Abuja

    If the primary aim of the government is to secure the people so they can enjoy the bounty and welfare of the land, then the outcry for true federalism in the country must first address the hobgoblin of security.

    This issue came to prominence when former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) asserted that the suspects in the Plateau State killings should be investigated and prosecuted in Jos rather than in Abuja.

    Underlying that call is the endorsement of the federal principle. He said since the offences were perpetrated in the state, it made no sense that they should get justice elsewhere. He said it by echoing the widespread suspicions of similar cases elsewhere in the country. He took grim view of the “past practice where suspects arrested were eventually taken to Abuja and eventually released.”

    But the military is insisting on conveying the suspects to Abuja. Major-General Anthony Atolagbe, the commander of the Special Military Task Force code-named ‘Operation Safe Haven’ said Abuja was a better place to obtain justice for the presumed killers.

    “We are moving them straight to Abuja because we don’t have the capacity to keep them,” said Major-General Atolagbe. “If we keep them here we will encounter the problem of people saying they want to see their relatives and bail them.” His point was that the local law in Plateau State was “too weak.” He said the Federal Government has more effective laws to try and convict the guilty.

    The soldier may have a point, but it is not a sufficient reason. Hence the Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, has said that a new legislation will soon the signed to invigorate the laws. “The relevant bills to try perpetrators of the recent attacks on the Plateau will soon be signed into law,” said the governor to Gen. Gowon when the former head of state visited him in Jos. “We have reviewed adequate laws to prosecute the offenders in Jos.”

    We cannot underrate the value in a democracy to try offenders, especially murderers, and deliver justice in the locale where the crime took place. It gives a sense of personal closure, a sort of catharsis of justice. They see the offenders lined up in court, questioned, either confess or deny the charges, the arguments fired off and the judge takes the matter to a scale and metes out verdicts.

    That is the idea of justice. If all politics is local, this kind of justice, especially one in which over a hundred persons were snuffed out in wide swaths of communities, is also local.

    This practice of taking suspects to Abuja is not acceptable to many because of the suspicion that some forces in the high command and in the political class coddle miscreants. This is bad for our country. Ordinarily, many would not have bothered whether the matter was taken to Abuja, but because of the refrain of Abuja being a shield rather than nemesis of the offenders, Nigerians like Gowon would not trust our leaders to deliver justice to the law breakers.

    That is why a federal system works better than the unitarian propensities in the administration of justice. We have seen the case of Kwara where a gang of robbers who raided some banks and left a trail of slaughter are being herded to Abuja while the locals pine for justice at home. The same story happened in the melee in Ile-Ife between indigenes and settlers.

    If Governor Lalong is signing a new law, it means other states ought to follow that path, so that the centre has no excuse to deliver justice in the wrong place.

  • Osinbajo, Namibian president, others pay last respects as ex-ECA scribe Adedeji is laid to rest

    OSINBAJO, Gowon, Obasanjo, Namibian president, others pay last respects as ex-ECA scribe Adedeji is laid to rest Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and pioneer chairman of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, made his final departure to the world beyond yesterday amid eulogies from many African leaders. Among other words of eulogy, he was described as a “colossus” who worked for the economic emancipation of the African continent. Prof. Adedeji, the Asiwaju of Ijebuland, passed on last April 25 at the age of 87.

    Past and present African leaders, including Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Namibian President Hage Geingob; former head of state General Yakubu Gowon; former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who were at the Cathedral Church of Our Saviour, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State for the funeral service of the late professor of Economics, were unanimous in their view that his life impacted positively on Nigeria and Africa. In his tribute, Vice President Osinbajo recalled the immense contribution of the late Adedeji in the post- war planning and reconstruction of the nation’s economy, submitting that he was an “unusual human being.”

    Osinbajo described the former Executive Secretary of ECA as a fair minded and objective person whose death was announced in several languages because of the various capacities he had served at different times nationally and internationally. “Professor Adedeji was an outstanding African. He was deeply involved in the integration of Africa. He did a great work in projecting Africa. We are proud of all that he achieved in his lifetime. He was one of the very unusual human being,” he said.  Namibian President, Hage Geingob, described the late Adedeji as his “mentor, brother and advocate of economic independence of Africa.” Geingob hailed the deceased as a true African who “fought the good fight for the African continent.” Obasanjo, in his tribute, said the deceased Adedeji was a friend, brother and trusted ally while Gowon described him as a “credit to Nigeria, Africa and the African race.”

    Former Archbishop of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province of the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. (Prof.) Adebayo Akinde, in his sermon at the funeral service, said Adedeji left a legacy of service for Nigerians to emulate. He said the renowned economist was truly a great nationalist. The retired Archbishop said many Nigerians in position of authority have failed their generations because of greed, noting that the ex-Executive Secretary of ECA impacted positively on his generation. He said: “As mankind, we should start asking ourselves of the kind of legacy we are going to leave behind. It is important that we give serious thought to the kind of legacy we are leaving behind. “The late Professor Adedeji was a great man. He was an enigma. He was a world class economist and renowned academic.

    He was a top flight diplomat. “He believed in the unity and oneness of Nigeria. He lived a world of service because he served the Africa continent, his country and state. “He has left every one of us a life of legacy.” For Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State has lost one of its icons. “Papa was a colossus in his own right. He was one of the people we the younger ones are very proud of. He was a great son of Ogun State. He has done brilliantly well in all the capacities he served. In all facets, he did well,” Amosun said. Other notable personalities at the funeral service include former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (rtd); former president Olusegun Obasanjo; Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Prince Bola Ajibola; Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Chief Tony Anenih, diplomats and people from all walks of life.