Kofi Annan’s humility and love for humanity set him apart, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has eulogised the late Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations.

The Nobel peace laureate died on Saturday after a short illness. He was aged 80.

In a statement issued by the presidency, Buhari praised Annan’s “humility, nobility and love for humanity” which he said set the late global icon apart while he was alive.

“President Buhari, who called President Nana Akufo-Addo from London, said all Nigerians & ECOWAS member countries share in the deep loss, considering the strategic influence of the former scribe in global affairs and his vision for the repositioning of the West Africa and Africa,” the statement read.

“As the first staff of the United Nations elected to lead the organisation and an African winner, in 2001, of the Nobel Peace Prize—jointly with the United Nations, the president noted that Annan’s humility, nobility and love for humanity set him apart for global greatness achieving recognition and commendation for the reform of the United Nations’ bureaucracy and multiple interventions to bring peace to the world.”

Similarly, Senate President Bukola Saraki described the death of Annan as “the end of a golden era in global politics and international relations”.

A statement from Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesman, quotes him as saying Annan was a “quintessential African diplomat on the global plane and a citizen of the world”.

“He dedicated his immense expertise, experience and energies to resolving some of the world’s most pressing problems and conflicts, including most recently, the Rohingya refugee crisis,” Saraki said.

“He was a citizen of the world, an African avatar and God’s messenger of peace to the world. His demise is a huge loss to the international community and to humanity.

“Africa has indeed lost one of her best. He shall be sorely missed.”