31st January, 2018
Nigeria`s High Commissioner to South Africa, Amb. Ahmed Musa Ibeto, has said that former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, dedicated his life to promote the interest of Nigeria.
Ibeto made the assertion in a special tribute to Ekwueme, who died on Nov. 19, 2017.
The envoy said that the former vice president was a politician par excellence.
“Chief Alex Ekwueme was indeed a great icon and national figure, who strived at all, times to dedicate his life to the promotion of Nigeria’s interest.
He was a politician par excellence in deeds and character, who built his political career on integrity and selfless service to his fatherland,” he said.
Ibeto said that as the first-elected Vice President of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983, Ekwueme brought life into the mainstream of the nation`s politics and recorded remarkable achievements in building a prosperous Nigeria.
“ He was such an intelligent, humane and humble man, who was full of life even at his age,” he said.
The envoy said that the former vice president was an erudite scholar who bagged degrees in different fields such as Architecture, Urban Planning, Sociology, History, Philosophy and Law from several Universities.
READ: Politicians advised to emulate Ekwueme’s politics of accommodation
“ Such a feat can only be attained by a man with very high clout and burning passion for knowledge, like Late Alex Ekwueme, Ibeto said.
The high commissioner said that on the international scene, Ekwueme was well recognized.
“He was a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Elders.
He also headed several Observer Missions on election monitoring in several African countries and was a recipient of national awards of other African countries apart from Nigeria.
Until his demise, he was a stabilizing factor in Nigerian politics and continued to participate actively in the Nigerian project,” he said.
The envoy said that Ekwueme was endeared to many of his admirers for his intellectual prowess, principle of one Nigeria, integrity and hard work.
According to him, the former vice president will be remembered for his contributions to nation-building, a functional and effective governance structure for Nigeria.
“ The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and many of his admirers will indeed miss this great national icon,” Ibeto said.