United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, yesterday visited the Nigeria House in New York to pay tributes to Nigeria’s late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mohammed, who served under Buhari both as Minister of Environment and earlier at the Petroleum Trust Fund, signed the condolence register and prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
Mohammed described the late Nigerian leader as a man of unwavering discipline, deep conviction and steadfast patriotism, whose legacy would endure far beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria after signing the register, the UN’s second highest ranking official reflected on her long working relationship with Buhari.
She described the former Nigerian president and one time military Head of State as a leader who deeply believed in his people and country.
“He was a man of discipline, a man of conviction, a man of, as we say in Hausa, ‘kishin kasa’ (patriotism).
“He was a true patriot who believed in his country, believed in his people and did the best that he could,” Mohammed said.
She recalled Buhari’s guiding principle that service is about humanity that demanded patience, faith and sincerity of purpose.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General described Buhari’s passing as a deep loss at a time when the world is facing moral challenges and a drift in values.