Accra, Oct. 24, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday described the late Mrs Stella Obasanjo, First Lady of Nigeria, as a true daughter of Africa whose death was a great loss to humanity and especially to Africa.
President Kufuor said this when he signed the book of condolence at the Nigerian High Commission in London en-route to the US for a trade and investment mission.
"President Kufuor described the First Lady as a true daughter of Africa whose death is a great loss to humanity and especially to the Continent of Africa," a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Kwabena Agyepong received in Accra said.
President Kufuor said Mrs Obasanjo had a strong passion for the underprivileged and affected the lives of many in diverse ways. "Stella had a good relation with the government and people of Ghana and President Kufuor feels the loss", the Presidential Spokesperson said. Mr Agyepong said that President Kufuor had been in constant touch with President Obasanjo and his family since the news broke over the weekend.
He stated that President Kufuor "stands solidly by his brother, President Obasanjo and considers the double agony in Nigeria as challenging moments for the entire region".
He indicated that President Kufuor had earlier on monitored the Bellview Airline accident in Lagos with close interest aside the fact that among the reported victims were Ghanaians.
Mr Agyepong said President Kufuor expressed his sympathies to the families of those involved in the unfortunate incident.
The wife of President Olusengu Obasanjo, Stella, 59, died through complications from surgery in Spain, while Mrs Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, the 64-year-old wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Mr Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmed Badawi, died of breast cancer.
Vice President Alhaji Mahama, who was accompanied by Mr Akwasi Osei Agyeman, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed the book of condolence at the Nigerian High Commission in Accra at about 1515 hours. The Vice President, Mr Agyeman and Mr Dan Botwe, Minister of Information, later called at the official residence of the Malaysian High Commissioner.
Vice President Alhaji Mahama described the death of the two leading personalities as a great loss.
"Ghana stands by you in this time of tragedy," he told Dr Olatunyi Kolapo, Nigerian High Commissioner, in reference to the fatal plane clash in his country, at the weekend that led to the death of 117 passengers.
He prayed that God would give the two ladies eternal rest. Thankful Dr Kolapo expressed the hope both Ghana and Nigeria would be spared the immensity of the loss the oil rich and most populous State in Africa had suffered.
Mr Mahalil Baharam, Malaysian High Commissioner expressed his gratitude, about what he described as the kind gesture of the Vice President to mourn with his country.
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