SAN FRANCISCO, October 29, (THEWILL) – President Goodluck Jonathan, Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have extended condolences to the Akhigbe family over the demise of former Chief of General Staff and former military Vice President, Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe.
Admiral Akhigbe died on Monday afternoon in New York, United States of America, after a protracted battle with cancer. He was 68 years old.
In three separate statements from their spokesmen, Jonathan, Uduaghan and Mr. Abubakar extolled Admiral Akhigbe’s attributes and contributions to nation building.
The statement by Reuben Abati, President Jonathan’s Special Adviser on media and publicity said, the President believes that the deceased retired Chief of General Staff will live on forever in the hearts and minds of all whose lives he touched positively.
The full text of the statement reads: “On behalf of himself, the Federal Government and people of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan extends sincere condolences to the wife, children and relatives of the former Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe (rtd.) who passed away yesterday.
President Jonathan also commiserates with officers and men of the Nigerian Navy which Vice Admiral Akhigbe once led as Chief of Naval Staff, as well as the government and people of his home state, Edo on the passage of the very courageous officer who patriotically served his nation to the best of his God-given abilities through-out a most distinguished career in the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The President joins Vice Admiral Akhigbe’s family, colleagues and subordinates in the Nigerian Navy, friends, associates and all who knew him in mourning the former Chief of General Staff.
While Vice Admiral Akhigbe may have left the world of the living, President Jonathan believes that he will live on forever in the hearts and minds of all whose lives he touched positively during his long and remarkable career of national service in military commands and in the political offices he held as a military officer.
The President believes that Vice Admiral Akhigbe will be especially remembered and honoured by present and future generations for serving with distinction as military governor of Lagos and Ondo States, and as Chief of General Staff in the military administration that mid-wifed the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria and began the commendable re-professionalization of the Nigerian Armed Forces after decades of involvement in politics.
He prays that God Almighty will comfort all who mourn Vice Admiral Akhigbe and grant his soul eternal rest.
Governor Uduaghan in a statement by Mr. Felix Ofou, his chief press secretary, described Akhigbe as a courageous leader who always spoke truth to power even in the face of daunting challenges and at great risk to his personal life.
Uduaghan also described the former number two citizen as a disciplinarian who lived a spartan life and insisted that the interest of the masses must be considered before critical national decisions were taken.
Notwithstanding his military background, the governor applauded Akhigbe’s pro-people initiatives, resulting among others in his joining hands with General Abdulsalami Abubakar to return Nigeria to civilian democracy in May, 1999 as well as helping to nurture it.
“Admiral Akhigbe was a fine naval officer, a gentleman and patriot who rose to the pinnacle of his career, including being appointed as the Chief of General Staff (CGS) or number two to General Abdulsalami Abubakar. And it is to their collective credit that Nigeria was returned to civilian democracy in May, 1999,” he noted.
Governor Uduaghan further recalled that Akhigbe, after leaving office, joined forces with other patriots to nurture the country’s fragile democracy, opposing any suggestion for the military to return to power.
“He joined partisan politics and was against the use of force or thuggery in winning elections. He was one of the ex-generals who admitted that military rule was an aberration and helped to stem its tide”
The Delta State chief executive said Admiral Akhigbe was a definite loss to the people of Edo State, the military and the nation at large, and prayed God to grant the family and all concerned, the fortitude to bear the loss.
Akhigbe was a cultivated gentleman – Atiku
Mr. Abubakar in a statement by his media office described the death of Akhigbe, as another colossal loss to Nigeria at a point the country had needed his private counsel to deal with its current challenges.
Atiku Abubakar, who took over as Vice President from Akhigbe, said the deceased played a key role in that regime’s programme for return to democratic rule in 1999.
Atiku recalled that Akhigbe’s remarkable contributions to Nigeria’s transition from military to civil rule, which lasted nine months, could not be easily forgotten.
According to him, the late Akhigbe was part of the team that contributed to the successful and faithful transfer of power to civilians on 29th May, 1999.
In Atiku’s words, “even from a distance, the late Chief of Naval Staff would come across as a cultivated gentleman. He was a broadminded and patriotic officer par excellence.”
Atiku Abubakar also prayed to God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the great loss.
