President Goodluck Jonathan on behalf of himself, the Government and people of Nigeria has extended sincere condolences to the wife, children and relatives of the former Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe (rtd.) who passed away on Monday.
Also Vice President Namadi Sambo has sent condolence message just as Senate President David Mark, described him as a brother. On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the death “”as another colossal loss to Nigeria at a point the country had needed his private counsel to deal with its current challenges.
Presidential Media Adviser, Reuben Abati, said “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.
Vice President Sambo described him as “a disciplined military officer who rose to the peak of his profession by dint of hard work and commitment. As a statesman, his invaluable counsel will be greatly missed by us. Indeed His loss is a sad and great loss to the country”.
I Have Lost A Brother- Mark
Senate President Mark had this to say about the late admiral Akhigbe, “Mike was fearless and very diligent in our course. He took these attributes to all the formations where he was privileged to have been posted either in his core military postings or political offices.
“He was one of the poster boys of our Course 3 and we were all very proud of him. His death is a huge personal loss to me, the members of Course 3, the Armed Forces, Edo State and the nation.
“But we cannot question God. He alone gives life and takes it when he so desires. We are bound by his decision to take our brother and friend at this time”.
Senator Mark, who is the Chairman of Course 3 Alumni of the Nigerian Defence Academy, said:
Akhigbe Was A Cultivated Gentleman – Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the death of the former Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike 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 took over as Vice President from Akhigbe, who as Chief of General Staff was second in command to General Abdulsalami Abubakar played a key role in that regime’s programme for return to democratic rule in 1999.
Reacting to Akhigbe’s death in a statement by his media office in Abuja, the former Vice President 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 prayed to God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the great loss.
