A Patriot, an Integrationist, and a Friend – Akufo-Addo Mourns Buhari

Former Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Muhammadu Buhari, the former President of Nigeria, who reportedly passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in London.

In a statement released Monday morning, Akufo-Addo described Buhari as more than a fellow statesman—calling him a friend, a patriot, and a champion for African unity.

“This morning, I join many on the continent and across the world to mourn and celebrate the illustrious life of my good friend and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, who, as I have been solemnly informed, has travelled the way of all flesh, yesterday,” he wrote.

Reflecting on Buhari’s early years, Akufo-Addo noted the former Nigerian leader’s strong ties to Ghana and his historical role in the broader West African region.

“The redoubtable Muhammadu Buhari was an outstanding Nigerian patriot and a staunch African integrationist.

He was well-known to us in Ghana, which he visited often in his youth and belonged to the generation of young West Africans who became involved in the tumultuous events of the early years of independence, including the Nigerian Civil War,” he stated.

Akufo-Addo further recalled their collaboration on major regional efforts, notably the Accra Initiative, designed to curb terrorism and transnational crime in West Africa.

“As Presidents, we collaborated in many ways including successfully hammering out the Accra Initiative, a potent blueprint on strengthening operational collaboration against terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and the downward drift of terrorist activities from the Sahel to the Coastal States,” he said.

He also commended Buhari’s instrumental role in Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), calling it a move that “enhanced considerably, its prospects of success.”

Paying his final respects, Akufo-Addo added:
“His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, will be remembered for his exemplary patriotism, his commitment to a united Nigeria, and his deep concern for the social and economic development of the Nigerian people.

“May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace in the Bosom of the Almighty.”

Source: Liberalprint.com